Andy Hardy Meets Debutante


1h 28m 1940
Andy Hardy Meets Debutante

Brief Synopsis

A teenage boy goes into debt to court a Manhattan socialite.

Film Details

Genre
Comedy
Classic Hollywood
Drama
Sequel
Teens
Release Date
Jul 5, 1940
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Corp.
Distribution Company
Loew's Inc.
Country
United States
Screenplay Information
Based on characters created by Aurania Rouverol.

Technical Specs

Duration
1h 28m
Sound
Mono (Western Electric Sound System)
Color
Black and White
Theatrical Aspect Ratio
1.37 : 1
Film Length
9 reels

Synopsis

Moonstruck by the image of Daphne Fowler, New York's reigning debutante, Carvel's Andy Hardy brags to his friends "Beezy" and Polly Benedict, the editors of his high school paper, that he is good friends with the socialite, whom he has never met. Andy's words return to haunt him when his father, Judge James K. Hardy, packs his family off to New York to protect the endowment of the Carvel orphanage. When Beezy and Polly threaten to print the story of Andy's romance, Andy realizes that to save face, he must prove his friendship with Daphne, and sets out to meet her. In New York, Andy is greeted by his old friend, Betsy Booth, who has a crush on Andy, but he ignores Betsy in his pursuit of Daphne.

Andy soon discovers that royalty does not mingle with the common folk, and so he dons airs of affluence to meet Daphne. When Andy hears Daphne's radio broadcast inviting her listeners to a dog lovers benefit at an expensive restaurant, Andy eagerly attends, but his pretext of wealth gets him in trouble when he is unable to pay his huge bill and is humiliated by the club's manager. Judge Hardy is also having difficulties in New York, and it looks as if he might lose his case for the orphanage. Andy's misery mounts when he receives an advance copy of the school paper featuring the humiliating story of his romance with Daphne.

Recognizing his son's unhappiness, Judge Hardy tries to make Andy realize that all men are created equal and snobbery is not to be admired, but he fails in his mission. Although the principles of equal opportunity fail to touch Andy, they inspire Judge Hardy to recast his case for the orphanage, and he wins the suit in court. The judge's victory proves to Andy the importance of equality and he renounces his snobbery. Andy then confides his predicament to Betsy, who solves his problems by introducing him to her good friend Daphne, thus allowing Andy to return home triumphant with a photo of Daphne embracing him.

Photo Collections

Andy Hardy Meets Debutante Publicity Stills
Here are a few publicity stills from MGM's Andy Hardy Meets Debutante (1940), starring Mickey Rooney. Publicity stills were specially-posed photos, usually taken off the set, for purposes of publicity or reference for promotional artwork.

Film Details

Genre
Comedy
Classic Hollywood
Drama
Sequel
Teens
Release Date
Jul 5, 1940
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Corp.
Distribution Company
Loew's Inc.
Country
United States
Screenplay Information
Based on characters created by Aurania Rouverol.

Technical Specs

Duration
1h 28m
Sound
Mono (Western Electric Sound System)
Color
Black and White
Theatrical Aspect Ratio
1.37 : 1
Film Length
9 reels

Articles

Andy Hardy Meets Debutante


Andy Hardy Meets Debutante (1940) is the second of three "Andy Hardy" movies in which Judy Garland plays Betsy Booth, the hometown gal-pal with a way of helping Andy (Mickey Rooney) sort out his romantic life, even while yearning for him herself. In this edition of the popular series, Betsy shows Andy around New York City and introduces him to wealthy debutante Daphne (Diana Lewis). Although Daphne is definitely out of his league, Andy falls hard for her and suffers through public humiliation before realizing that happiness lies back at home with his true-blue sweetheart Polly Benedict (Ann Rutherford).

Betsy's torch for Andy allows Garland to sing "I'm Nobody's Baby" and "Alone" with the self-assurance, verve and yearning emotion that she could conjure like no other young singer of her day. Andy Hardy Meets Debutante was shot on such a tight schedule that there was no time to write original songs for MGM's rising musical star, so these two standards were pressed into service. "I'm Nobody's Baby," coupled with "Buds Don't Bud," became the second best-selling single of Garland's burgeoning recording career.

Supporting player Lewis, soon to marry MGM star William Powell and retire from the screen, supplied the movie's sex appeal -- although Garland as Betsy comments, "Without her makeup on, she hasn't any more glamour than I have."

Reportedly impatient to be playing plain little Betsy again after having already costarred opposite Rooney in Babes in Arms (1939), Garland could at least comfort herself with the good notices - as in Time magazine's comment that "Seventeen-year-old Judy Garland, growing prettier by the picture and armed for this one with two good songs...treats Mickey with a dose of his own medicine."

Producer: J. J. Cohn
Director: George B. Seitz
Screenplay: Aurania Rouverol, Thomas Seller, Annalee Whitmore
Cinematography: Charles Lawton, Jr., Sidney Wagner
Film Editing: Harold F. Kress
Music: Milton Ager, Nacio Herb Brown, Benny Davis, Arthur Freed, Lester Santley, David Snell
Art Direction: Cedric Gibbons
Cast: Lewis Stone (Judge Hardy), Mickey Rooney (Andy Hardy), Cecilia Parker (Marian Hardy), Fay Holden (Mrs. Emily Hardy), Judy Garland (Betsy Booth), Ann Rutherford (Polly Benedict), Diana Lewis (Daphne Fowler), Addison Richards (George Benedict).
BW-88m. Closed captioning

by Roger Fristoe
Andy Hardy Meets Debutante

Andy Hardy Meets Debutante

Andy Hardy Meets Debutante (1940) is the second of three "Andy Hardy" movies in which Judy Garland plays Betsy Booth, the hometown gal-pal with a way of helping Andy (Mickey Rooney) sort out his romantic life, even while yearning for him herself. In this edition of the popular series, Betsy shows Andy around New York City and introduces him to wealthy debutante Daphne (Diana Lewis). Although Daphne is definitely out of his league, Andy falls hard for her and suffers through public humiliation before realizing that happiness lies back at home with his true-blue sweetheart Polly Benedict (Ann Rutherford). Betsy's torch for Andy allows Garland to sing "I'm Nobody's Baby" and "Alone" with the self-assurance, verve and yearning emotion that she could conjure like no other young singer of her day. Andy Hardy Meets Debutante was shot on such a tight schedule that there was no time to write original songs for MGM's rising musical star, so these two standards were pressed into service. "I'm Nobody's Baby," coupled with "Buds Don't Bud," became the second best-selling single of Garland's burgeoning recording career. Supporting player Lewis, soon to marry MGM star William Powell and retire from the screen, supplied the movie's sex appeal -- although Garland as Betsy comments, "Without her makeup on, she hasn't any more glamour than I have." Reportedly impatient to be playing plain little Betsy again after having already costarred opposite Rooney in Babes in Arms (1939), Garland could at least comfort herself with the good notices - as in Time magazine's comment that "Seventeen-year-old Judy Garland, growing prettier by the picture and armed for this one with two good songs...treats Mickey with a dose of his own medicine." Producer: J. J. Cohn Director: George B. Seitz Screenplay: Aurania Rouverol, Thomas Seller, Annalee Whitmore Cinematography: Charles Lawton, Jr., Sidney Wagner Film Editing: Harold F. Kress Music: Milton Ager, Nacio Herb Brown, Benny Davis, Arthur Freed, Lester Santley, David Snell Art Direction: Cedric Gibbons Cast: Lewis Stone (Judge Hardy), Mickey Rooney (Andy Hardy), Cecilia Parker (Marian Hardy), Fay Holden (Mrs. Emily Hardy), Judy Garland (Betsy Booth), Ann Rutherford (Polly Benedict), Diana Lewis (Daphne Fowler), Addison Richards (George Benedict). BW-88m. Closed captioning by Roger Fristoe

Quotes

Trivia

The picture on "last year's" high school magazine that is shown is that of Lana Turner, who was in the Hardy Family series movie, Love Finds Andy Hardy (1938). The character she played, Cynthia Potter, is also mentioned.

Notes

According to the George B. Seitz papers contained in the AFI library, filming began in February 1940 and retakes were shot in April 1940. For additional information on the Hardy Family Series, see the entry above for A Family Affair and consult the Series Index.