Registered Nurse

Registered Nurse (1934)

** (out of 4)

Mildly entertaining Pre-Code from Warner about various wild characters inside a hospital. The film centers around a nurse (Bebe Daniels) who is wanted by two different doctors (Lyle Talbot, John Halliday) but she is hiding a secret about a mysterious husband that no one knows about. These personal dramas have to be dealt with as well as countless patients. With some saucy dialogue and some mild sexual innuendo, fans of the Pre-Code era might want to check this one out but I'd say most will come away disappointed because the film has so many elements in place but in the end they really don't come together to make a complete winner. The biggest problem is the screenplay that really doesn't know if it wants to be a sassy comedy or a dark drama. We get light moments followed by dark moments and none of them ever mix and I'd also add that the entire love triangle comes off rather fake and forced. I think Daniels turns in a fine performance as she really digs into her role and manages to make a character we can feel for. Talbot and Halliday are both good as well and we also get to see Humphrey Bogart's infamous wife Mayo Methot. Sidney Toler gets the most outrageous moments in the film as a wrestling promoter who ends up with a broken leg after he beats up his wife. The entire beating of the wife sequence is played for laughs so that should tell you something.