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Andy Hardy's Private Secretary

(1941 b 102')

En: 5 Ed: 6

Andy is so busy with graduation he gets a secretary, but then he loses her father a job and fails his English final.

Judge James Hardy (Lewis Stone) urges a boy to attend school and learns that Andy Hardy (Mickey Rooney) wrote a bad check for class graduation expenses. They go to see the poor Lands. Kathryn Land (Kathryn Grayson) volunteers to be Andy's secretary, and belligerent Harry Land (Todd Karns) agrees to chair the decorations committee. Steven Land (Ian Hunter) tells James he speaks nine languages but had to leave Constantinople. In the rain James drives Andy's jalopy, and a tire blows. James calls Harper at the State Department to get Steven a job. Polly Benedict (Ann Rutherford) gets jealous of Andy and Kathryn, who says she plans to pay her father back. James buys a new car for Andy. Harry tells Kathryn their father got a job in South America, and they must leave Thursday. Andy takes Steven's telegram but changes Thursday to Saturday.

Andy asks his mom Emily Hardy (Fay Holden) to help him buy silk stockings, but she says he can do it. Polly sees Andy and learns they are for his secretary. At home Kathryn sings opera for her father. Andy gives her the stockings. Steven gets a telegram canceling the job. Andy confesses to his father and Kathryn that he changed the day. James calls, but Harper is gone. Andy apologizes to Kathryn. Andy and Polly rehearse his Greek tragedy. Aunt Millie (Sara Haden) tells Andy that he failed English. Sad Andy tells his father and mother he won't graduate. Andy resigns as class president. He sends his white pants to Harry and takes a train; but Harry gets him to come back. Harry and Kathryn persuade Aunt Millie and Principal Davis to let Andy take another test. Harry, Kathryn, and Polly help Andy study English.

Andy tells his father that he passed; but James learns that Steven lost the job. Andy asks Kathryn to sing at graduation. She sings Donizetti's "Lucia di Lammermoor" and Cole Porter's "I've Got My Eyes on You." Harry wins the prize, and the governor offers him and Steven jobs. Andy asks Polly to the dance and takes her in her new car; but James brings Andy's new car.

This comedy celebrates public school graduation, and Andy finds he must learn his lessons. He is fortunate that Land got another job and that his father could afford to buy him a new car. His comments that a woman's place is in the kitchen, that the wives of Henry VIII interrupted, and that Kathryn may be smarter than he is indicate the male chauvinism of the time since it is rather obvious that Kathryn and Harry are smarter than Andy.

Copyright © 2002 by Sanderson Beck

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