Fay Holden Movies

With Andy Hardy Comes Home, Mickey Rooney hoped to revive the character -- and the movie series -- that had brought him fame and fortune back in the 1930s and 1940s. Returning to his home town of Carvel after several years absence, lawyer Andy Hardy (Rooney) brings his wife Jane (Patricia Breslin) and two children Andy Jr. (played by Rooney's real-life son Teddy) and Jimmy (Johnny Weissmuller Jr.) along on his sentimental journey. Andy's dad Judge Hardy is long gone (though the late Lewis Stone appears in flashbacks), but his mom (Fay Holden), sister Marian (Cecilia Parker), and Aunt Milly (Sara Haden) welcome him with open arms. After a while, Andy reveals the real reason for his return: now in the employ of an aircraft company, he hopes to convince his bosses to build a plant in Carvel. The fly in the ointment is crooked businessman Chandler (Frank Ferguson), who, when Andy refuses to purchese Chandler's land at a ridiculously exorbitant price, mounts a campaign to discredit the Hardy family. A pleasant enough diversion, Andy Hardy Comes Home failed to spark interest in a new Hardy Family series. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Samson and Delilah is Cecil B. DeMille's characteristically expansive retelling of the events found in the Old Testament passages of Judges 13-16. Victor Mature plays Samson, the superstrong young Danite. Samson aspires to marry Philistine noblewoman Semadar (Angela Lansbury), but she is killed when her people attack Samson as a blood enemy. Seeking revenge, Semadar's younger sister Delilah (Hedy Lamarr) woos Samson in hopes of discovering the secret of his strength, thus enabling her to destroy him. When she learns that his source of his virility is his long hair, Delilah plies Samson with drink, then does gives him the Old Testament equivalent of a buzzcut while he snores away. She delivers the helpless Samson to the Philistines, ordering that he be put to work as a slave. Blinded and humiliated by his enemies, Samson is a sorry shell of his former self. Ultimately, Samson's hair grows back, thus setting the stage for the rousing climax wherein Samson literally brings down the house upon the wayward Philistines. Hedy Lamarr is pretty hopeless as Delilah, but Victor Mature is surprisingly good as Samson, even when mouthing such idiotic lines as "That's all right. It's only a young lion". Even better is George Sanders as The Saran of Gaza, who wisely opts to underplay his florid villainy. The spectacular climax to Samson and Delilah allows us to forget such dubious highlights as Samson's struggle with a distressing phony lion and the tedious cat-and-mouse romantic scenes. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this comedy, a spoiled, temperamental and filthy rich aunt is committed to an asylum by her nephew after he learns that she has willed her fortune to her dog. Fortunately, the aunt escapes and is sheltered by the family of a poor barber. It is the barber's daughter that soothes the savage breast of the irritable aunt and turns her into a caring person. The family then helps her to prove her competence. They are richly rewarded for their kindness. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Dana Andrews -- in one of the best performances of his career -- plays Logan Stuart, a bold, ambitious general store and freight company owner based in the mining settlement of Jacksonville, OR, in 1856. He and his best friend, local banker and express company owner George Camrose (Brian Donlevy), share an attraction for young, beautiful Lucy Overmire (Susan Hayward). However, that's all the two men share -- Stuart sees life in the Oregon territory as a challenge, to be worked out and overcome with thought and time, with the opportunity to build something lasting and significant in the process. Camrose only sees the opportunity to get rich fast and live easy, and he's addicted to gambling at the local saloon. What no one knows is that he's been doing his gambling with the gold dust that the miners have left on deposit in his vault -- and he's been losing. He wants to get out of the territory, to someplace like San Francisco, and plans to take Lucy away. Stuart, by contrast, is as much a frontiersman as a businessman, and so much a part of the community and so trusted and liked that he might even be a potential political leader, if he ever had the time and the willingness to settle down and stay put. He finds consolation over his loss of Lucy in an engagement to Caroline Marsh (Patricia Roc), a daughter of an Englishman who came to Oregon only to see her father killed by Indians, who lives with the homesteading family of Ben Dance (Andy Devine) and his wife (Dorothy Peterson) and their children. Out of friendship, and also a little guilt over the fact that he would love to be engaged to Lucy, Stuart gives Camrose the money to get even, but Camrose can't resist one last card game, and not only loses what Stuart gave him, but the gold dust of one miner -- who shows up unexpectedly in town that night, planning on getting his dust the next day. When the man turns up drowned, Camrose is accused of murder; Stuart stands by his friend, but he's found guilty and the miners, led by hot-headed young Johnny Steele (Lloyd Bridges), plan on hanging him, and shooting anyone who tries to get in the way. But before his fate can be settled, an Indian war starts over the killing of a young Native American woman, and the lives of every white settler in and around Jacksonville are suddenly endangered. There's all of that, plus four songs (including "Old Buttermilk Sky") from Hoagy Carmichael (who does a great acting job), all convincingly woven into the drama along with one of the music legend's best acting performances. ~ Bruce Eder, Rovi

MGM's "Andy Hardy" series continued to rake in the bucks with its 12th entry, The Courtship of Andy Hardy. The story takes off when Judge Hardy (Lewis Stone) tackles an unpleasant divorce case. Feeling that the root of the estranged couple's problem is the debilitating shyness of their daughter Melodie (Donna Reed), the Judge asks his son Andy (Mickey Rooney) to help the girl become more popular with her contemporaries. At first balking at the assignment, Andy agrees to instruct Melodie in the social graces at Carvel High School. As a result, Melodie falls in love with Andy, which causes a major personality transformation in him. One of the more treacly "Andy Hardy" episodes, The Courtship of Andy Hardy coasts along on the charm of its young stars. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

When MGM decided to move up-and-coming star Laraine Day out of the "Dr. Kildare" series, the studio did so in a startlingly dramatic fashion. In Dr. Kildare's Wedding Day, Dr. Jim Kildare (Lew Ayres) and nurse Mary Lamont (Laraine Day) are finally able to exchange their marital vows. Alas, the honeymoon ends abruptly when poor Mary is struck down and killed by a speeding truck (hopefully, it is safe to give away this plot twist at this late date). Numbed by grief, Kildare is snapped out of his doldrums by his crusty mentor Dr. Gillespie (Lionel Barrymore), who urges the young medico to honor Mary's memory by continuing to help others. The grimmer aspects of Dr. Kildare's Wedding Day are offset by several comic subplots, one of which involves an orchestra leader (Nils Asther) who suffers buzzing in his ears due to his eating habits! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The title I'll Wait for You effectively gives away the ending of this MGM second feature. Robert Sterling plays a gangster on the lam who heads for the safety of the country. He accepts the hospitality of a farm family, who has no knowledge of his true identity. Reformed by the family's daughter Marsha Hunt, Sterling begins entertaining notions of going straight, but he'll have to deal with his old mob first. I'll Wait for You is a slimmed-down remake of the 1934 MGM feature Hide-out. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Andy is ready to graduate from high school, and, trying to be a big man, he hires a pretty woman to be his social secretary. When he fails his finals, he gets help from a kindly faculty member. ~ Rovi

With a little extra effort, Washington Melodrama might have passed muster as an A picture. Frank Morgan stars as millionaire philanthropist Calvin Claymore, who comes to Washington in hopes of promoting a Senate bill on behalf of European war relief. Away from his wife (Fay Holden) and daughter Laurie (Ann Rutherford) for the first time in years, Claymore succumbs to tempation and spends a night on the town with chorus girl Mary Morgan (Anne Gwynne). Though nothing of a sexual nature transpires, Claymore finds himself in a compromising-and possibly fatal-position when Mary later turns up murdered. Blackmailed by slimy nightclub emcee Whitney King (Dan Dailey), Claymore is unable to turn to the police, and must stand by helplessly as the trail of clues leads inexorably to himself. Making matters worse, reporter Walt Thorne (Kent Taylor), the principal investigator on the case, has fallen in love with Claymore's daughter Laurie. It's a melodrama, all right, done up in style by MGM and a topnotch cast. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Previously filmed in 1933, Noel Coward's sentimental operetta Bitter Sweet was transformed by MGM seven years later into a Jeanette MacDonald-Nelson Eddy vehicle, complete with Technicolor. Set in late 19th century Vienna, the story focuses on the romance between music teacher Carl Linden (Eddy) and his prize pupil Sarah Milick (MacDonald). Eloping with Sarah, Carl writes an operetta specially tailored for her talents, which earns her fame and fortune. Alas, poor Carl does not live long enough to see Sarah's triumph, but it is clear that she will never forget him. Chock full of memorable tunes and familiar character faces in the supporting cast (best of all is Herman Bing as a Viennese shopkeeper), Bitter Sweet is musical moviemaking at its best. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this interesting drama, a highly respected straight-arrow Irish cop is pleased when his son follows him onto the force. Unfortunately, the son is more interested in promotions than in upholding the law and he makes few friends among his peers. When he shoots a child caught stealing, the others frame him and he is sent to prison where his attitude becomes even worse than before. Upon his escape, the bad seed goes on a crime spree. He then learns that his wife has just borne him a son. When he goes to the hospital to see the babe, his father, who set this trap, arrests him and sends him back to the pokey, proving that in this case, justice is thicker than blood. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

The fifth of MGM's "Andy Hardy" series, The Hardys Ride High finds the Hardy family outside their usual small-town environs. The complacently middle-class family (middle class by Hollywood standards, that is!) inherits a large estate, compelling them to move in different social circles. Judge Hardy (Lewis Stone) keeps his head about him, while impressionable son Andy (Mickey Rooney) is seduced by the pleasures and privileges of the rich. But reality sets in when the cost of maintaining the estate exceeds the Hardy bank account. The Hardys Ride High is highlighted by the performance of Sara Haden as Aunt Millie, who discovers to her chagrin that her wealthy gentleman caller has no intentions of marrying her. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The sequel to the first Andy Hardy picture, A Family Affair, this light comedy stars Mickey Rooney in the role that would bring him his greatest fame. Judge Hardy's role is no longer played by Lionel Barrymore, as in the original, but by Lewis Stone. Fay Holden is his loyal wife, and Cecilia Parker portrays the daughter, Marian. The judge decides to take his family on a vacation to Catalina Island, off the coast of California. He muffs several opportunities to land a big fish. Andy tries to land a local girl, Jerry Lane (Eleanor Lynn), with as much success as his father. Marian keeps flirting with a hunky lifeguard, but he turns out to be married. The Hardy family saga would continue for 14 more features over 20 years. ~ Michael Betzold, Rovi