Andy falls in love with his drama teacher while his father
invests money with two crooks.
James Willet (Stanley Andrews) and Mark Hansen tell Judge James
Hardy (Lewis Stone) his land contains 8% aluminum. Andy Hardy
(Mickey Rooney) learns that Polly Benedict (Ann Rutherford) is
going out with Lt. Charles Copely (Robert Kent). Marian Hardy
(Cecelia Parker) tells her father she wants to earn her own living.
Andy is smitten with new dramatics teacher Rose Meredith (Helen
Gilbert). Willet and Hansen tell Judge Hardy they want to build
an aluminum factory and buy his land. Hardy invests and gets them
to hire Marian as secretary at his expense. Andy is writing a
play about star-crossed lovers in Tahiti, and Rose Meredith announces
his play was selected. James tells his family he is president
of a new aluminum corporation. Andy wears a suit and talks in
a stuffy manner.
In rehearsal Polly plays a native and Andy a rear admiral, but
he refuses to kiss her. Later Andy finds Rose crying, and she
warns him when he calls her Rose. Marian tells her father that
Willet is gone, and nothing has been done. At the bank James meets
Rose Meredith and asks her not to hurt Andy. At the dress rehearsal
Andy presents the class gift to Rose. Andy acts with Polly and
objects to problems. Andy walks home with Rose, kisses her hand,
and asks her to marry; but she puts him off until after the show.
Andy tells his father he wants to get a job and quit school so
he can marry Rose. Judge Hardy warns him about becoming an adult
too soon. James tells his wife Emily (Fay Holden) that he lost
money and that of others too.
James Hardy learns that the city needs gravel for roads, and
he tells his board the city will buy the land for more than Willet
and Hansen took. A full audience watches the play and laughs when
the moon goes awry. Rose urges Andy to go on with the third act.
Andy sees her kiss Bill and then plays disappointed jealousy.
Emily cries because she sees her boy has grown up. Andy is missing,
and James calls Polly and Rose. Andy is in her garden, and Rose
tells him she is marrying Bill. Rose tells Andy that a man can
accept things, and he will know many girls. Andy goes to Polly's
party, consoles Stickin' Plaster (Terry Kilburn) about the moon,
and calls his father. Andy acts grown up, and Polly kisses him.
Andy learns that mature love is still beyond him but gains
emotional experience. Judge Hardy's spring fever is greed, and
he loses money to two swindlers. Rose creates dramatics as art
and in her life with the naive Andy. Once again common human problems
are explored with humor and gentle wisdom.