Linkshoch Wonderful Movie

BootDigest Such a frustrating disappointment

Fluentiama Perfect cast and a good story

ChicRawIdol A brilliant film that helped define a genre

JohnHowardReid Producer: Carey Wilson. An MGM Picture, copyright 1 December 1942 by Loew's Inc. New York opening at Loew's State: 11 January 1943. U.S. release: December 1942. Australian release: 23 December 1943. U.S. length: 8,281 feet (92 minutes). Australian length: 8,326 feet (92½ minutes).SYNOPSIS: Shuttling between Ann Rutherford and Esther Williams, Andy Hardy finally decides on...NOTES: In 1942, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences presented a Special Award to MGM "for its achievement in representing the American Way of Life in the production of the Andy Hardy series of films". this was Number 13 in the series. Film debut of Esther Williams.COMMENT: Even with Esther Williams in the cast, this overload of homespun philosophy is pretty hard to take. MGM evidently didn't want Andy to get to college too soon. In fact, this film's final sequences are used as the beginning for the next film in the series, Andy Hardy's Blonde Trouble. This film is really nothing more than some tedious padding and marking time. The direction of George B. Seitz is, as usual, aggressively nondescript.Still 19-year-old Esther Williams is a very nice girl and she is most attractively photographed by photographer Folsey. It's an impressive debut. Her scenes positively sparkle. What a shame the rest of the movie is such a bore! Fortunately, I love Esther Williams.

MartinHafer This is a fair installment of the Andy Hardy series. While it's very watchable, the story itself isn't especially strong. The bottom line is that Andy's problems (and he ALWAYS has problems) seem easy to solve but he manages to make them seem like Armageddon! The only particularly outstanding thing about the film is that it marks the debut of Esther Williams...and MGM often tried out new female talent in the Hardy films (such as Judy Garland, Ruth Hussey, Marsha Hunt and Lana Turner in some of their earliest films).When the film begins, Andy is preparing to go off to college. The film EASILY could have simply gone from his high school graduation to him being in college but instead we see Andy struggle...mostly over things that really didn't amount to much. One problem is money some friends owe him (which EASILY could have been resolved), another involves two girls who conspire to make Andy think he's engaged to them and the final involves Judge Hardy's case involving a child (Bobby Blake) who is injured...and Andy steps in to help him with the case. All in all, Andy is a dope (as usual) and the film moderately entertaining.

wes-connors Before leaving for Wainwright College, Andy (Mickey Rooney) has time for another romance set in his Carvel hometown. This time it's MGM's future swimming sensation Esther Williams (as Sheila Brooks). Introduced in this film as a psych major, Ms. Williams quickly became a major star. Inspiring half (or all) of the film's title, she is very beautiful. In their most memorable scene, Williams and Andy share an underwater swimming pool kiss. Meanwhile, Judge Hardy (Lewis Stone) gets involved in a dispute involving mischievous preteen Bobby (Robert) Blake (as "Tooky").This episode's main storyline is that Andy doesn't want Judge Hardy to appear with him at college, which gives the two actors a nice generational conflict..."Double Life" featured the last appearance of Andy's off-and-on Carvel girlfriend Polly Benedict (Ann Rutherford) in the movie series. She was eventually asked back, but declined. After this feature, Mr. Rooney's "Andy" finally did go to college. He spent the last several films preparing. It seemed like MGM was reluctant to change the setting. They probably should have tried to do so earlier, because the series had become very tired; ironically, the scenes with the older Mr. Stone are the acting highlights. In a couple of scenes, Rooney has an obvious lip ailment (possibly a "cold sore").**** Andy Hardy's Double Life (12/42) George B. Seitz ~ Mickey Rooney, Lewis Stone, Esther Williams, Ann Rutherford

Neil Doyle ESTHER WILLIAMS fans will get a kick out of her luscious appearance in one of her early MGM "training" films wherein she gets to show her stuff in and out of a bathing suit. She's delightfully sly (and coy) in her kissing scenes with Andy, proving even then why she was about to become one of MGM's hottest box-office stars. Not only does she look more beautiful than ever, but she shows a distinct flair for light comedy.As for MICKEY ROONEY, he's the same old Andy--having heart to heart (or man to man) talks with Judge Hardy (LEWIS STONE), getting advice on how to deal with women from big sister (CELIA PARKER), putting up with foolish Polly Benedict (ANN RUTHERFORD) and her schemes to get even with him for jilting her. It's all very silly, cornball and yet entertaining fluff, made worthwhile by the presence of Esther Williams in a key role and such other up and coming personalities as WILLIAM LUNDIGAN and SUSAN PETERS.The only reason I gave this one a watch is to see how Esther Williams fared in her supporting role. Otherwise, these Hardy stories are really too much to bear sitting through tolerably with the cornball stuff too obvious and sentimental for today's viewing.