Life Begins for Andy Hardy *** (1941, Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland, Lewis Stone, Fay Holden, Ann Rutherford) – Classic Movie Review 3617

Or rather, Working Life Begins for Andy Hardy. Mickey Rooney stars again in Life Begins for Andy Hardy (1941) as Andy Hardy, who this time heads off to New York City to find work. Too proud to accept financial help from his longtime friend Betsy Booth (Judy Garland), Andy however lets her drive him to New York City, where he finds a job as as office boy at a midtown firm. Andy gets to date the receptionist in his office, but he finds life is hard in the big city.

Directed by George B Seitz in 1941, it is the 11th instalment in MGM’s 16 popular Andy Hardy movie series and the last one to feature Judy Garland, who also played Betsy in two other Andy Hardy movies, Andy Hardy Meets Debutante (1940) and Love Finds Andy Hardy (1938).

Also in the cast are Lewis Stone as Judge James K ‘Jim’ Hardy, Fay Holden as Mrs Emily Hardy, Ann Rutherford as Polly Benedict, Sara Haden as Aunt Milly Forrest, Patricia Dane as Jennitt Hicks and Ray McDonald as Jimmy Frobisher.

Life Begins for Andy Hardy earned $1,684,000 in the US and Canada and $810,000 elsewhere, making a profit for MGM of $1,324,000.

Judy sings ‘Happy Birthday to You’.

© Derek Winnert 2016 Classic Movie Review 3617
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