User reviews

Lew Ayres is "Young Dr. Kildare" in this 1938 film that began the popular "Dr. Kildare" series. Later, "Dr. Kildare" would become a TV series and launch Richard Chamberlain.

Here we meet Dr. K and his parents (Samuel S. Hinds and Emma Dunn). Kildare's father is a country doctor, and James decides against partnering with him. He wants to intern at Blair General Hospital. As the film unfolds, he wonders if this was the wisest choice.

Kildare spends most of the movie in trouble up to his eyeballs, first with the attempted suicide of a society woman that he interferes in, and secondly with Dr. Leonard Gillespie (Lionel Barrymore), who's a real bear. Gillespie becomes a lot mellower as the years go on, but in this initial episode, watch out! Kildare spends most of the film on the verge of being suspended, and he just got there.

Though sometimes the series did approach correct medical treatment and terms, "Young Dr. Kildare" misses that boat with its suicide case. I guess no one had ever heard of anyone being emotionally disturbed - this poor young woman was almost institutionalized because the head psychiatrist in the hospital thinks she's a schizophrenic. Kildare challenges his notion and runs all over town trying to find out why she attempted suicide. The reason is pure 1930s Hollywood.

One reason these films are fun is that MGM used them as a training ground for some of its young stars - Van Johnson, Lana Turner, Ava Gardner and Margaret O'Brien, to name a few. In this film, Monty Wooley - not young, but still in the small part phase of his career - makes an appearance.

The "Dr. Kildare" series continued into the late 1940s, in 1942 becoming the "Dr. Gillespie" series with the same cast minus Lew Ayres, persona non grata at MGM for being a conscientious objector during World War II. Ayres did serve as a medic and chaplain on the front lines, but his principles garnered a lot of publicity and were not popular with the public, so the studio got rid of him. After World War II, he received an Oscar nomination for his role in "Johnny Belinda" and he worked until 1994, two years before his death. In 1950-51, he was Dr. Kildare on the radio. He nearly became a television Dr. K, but the network refused to honor his request for no cigarette sponsorship. When you have the courage to stand by your beliefs, as Ayres did, you soon find yourself out of a job.

Dr. Jimmy Kildare, a young medical school graduate, takes an internship at the Blair General Hospital, only to get into deep trouble when he starts involving himself in the case of a suicidal young heiress who has, to all appearances, gone crazy. He is also subjected to a rigorous, and at times embarrassing, testing of his knowledge by the hospital's top dog, Dr. Leonard Gillespie. (Who is relatively tame in this first entry, increasing the irascibility as the series went on. There are instances in the next few films when he is definitely over the top! But we're talking about the brilliant Lionel Barrymore, and playing a grouch is one of the things he does best!)

This first installment of the long-running series is very enjoyable to watch. The chemistry between Lew Ayers and Lionel Barrymore is perfect, and you can definitely tell that Barrymore was having a lot of fun with his role. The good, snappy script is amusing, and while I wouldn't rank it among some of the "great" films of the era, it's quite good, and a lot of fun.

There's one serious rumor I would like to knock out here real quick: Lionel Barrymore was given the role of the wheelchair-bound Dr. Gillespie after two separate accidents, in which he broke his hip twice. He could still walk a little after it healed, but it was rather difficult for him. However, he did not have arthritis, which I noticed is the reason many sources list for the necessity of the wheelchair. In his autobiography, We Barrymores, he states outright that he did not have arthritis. His only ailment was a twice-broken hip. Years later, he also performed his role in "Down to the Sea in Ships" (1949) with only a pair of crutches.

Anyway, I just wanted to deal with that briefly. Bottom line is, "Young Dr Kildare" is an overall good movie, and I would definitely recommend.

Dr. James Kildare (Lew Ayres) is fresh out of medical school and expected to take over his father's small town practice. But Kildare decides instead to go to New York and work as an intern at Blair General Hospital. There he catches the interest of crotchety old Dr. Leonard Gillespie (Lionel Barrymore) and gets into trouble trying to prove a suicidal heiress isn't crazy.

The first in MGM's wonderful Dr. Kildare series. Paramount had released a Kildare movie the year prior to this with a different cast but that's unconnected to this series. This movie, like the rest that followed, is a classy medical drama with terrific actors and good writing. Lew Ayres was perfectly cast as the compassionate and idealistic Kildare. As would be the case in most of the series, Lionel Barrymore steals the show as the grumpy but wise Dr. Gillespie, who was so integral to the series' success that when Ayres got the boot during WW2, they handed the series over to Barrymore's Gillespie. Many of the regulars who would make up the fine supporting cast in the series appear here -- Joe the ambulance attendant (Nat Pendleton), Sally the hospital receptionist (Marie Blake), bar owner Mike Ryan (Frank Orth), and hospital administrator Dr. Carew (Walter Kingsford). Samuel S. Hinds and Emma Dunn play Kildare's parents. Nurse Lamont and Molly Byrd don't show up until the next film, though Byrd is mentioned by name in one scene. Solid performances by everybody.

It's a great movie that spawned many sequels and a (much) later TV series. Definitely something you will want to see if you're into medical dramas. Overlook the reviewers who nitpick the dated medical knowledge. That's such a ridiculous thing to complain about I can't even wrap my head around it. It's such a shame they didn't have time machines in 1938 so they could make movies that had 21st century knowledge and technology in them. Oh, well, if they had then we wouldn't be able to snark at those old primitives. God knows what a tragedy that would be! Sarcasm aside, I find the "flaws" with the medical stuff part of the appeal of the film. It gives us insight into the way such things were understood back then. That's always been a part of why I love older films -- they provide a window into the past.

People, if they remember Dr. Kildare of the 30s and 40s at all, tend to think of this series of films. Most people don't know that there was a film before this series, Internes Can't Take Money, starring Joel McCrea and Barbara Stanwyck made over at Paramount in 1937.

This was the first of the Dr. Kildare series of movies which segued into the Dr. Gillespie series of films after Lew Ayres left to serve as a medic in WWII. Lew Ayres plays Dr. James Kildare, fresh out of medical school. His father, Dr. Stephen Kildare (Samuel S. Hinds), as well as his mother, (Emma Dunn) think that he is going to practice in their small town, and they've bought a plaque with his name on it and set up an office for him in their parlor. The girl next door - literally - seems ready to pick out her wedding dress.

But James has other ideas. He wants to practice medicine in a big hospital because he's not sure what specialty he is interested in, and has already accepted an internship at Blair Hospital in New York City. How this leaves James and the girl next door is left in limbo.

In New York Kildare meets the famed Dr. Gillespie (Lionel Barrymore) who seems to immediately dislike him, he gets blamed for negligence that caused the death of a famous politician that was not his fault, AND he has a clue as to why a wealthy family's grown daughter tried to commit suicide. The hospital wants him to say what he knows, but he feels what he was told by her was in confidence and faces being fired for insubordination because he stays mum, figuring he can figure out the mystery himself and maybe save the girl's mind and spare her any embarrassment. It's funny how the hospital, the girl's family, and the specialist all feel like they have a right to discuss confidential medical information about the grown woman, but never bother to discuss it with her. Kildare is decades ahead of his time, seemingly, in medical ethics.

Not many supporting cast members that were staples of the later films are brought in here, with the exception of the telephone operator and Nat Pendleton's orderly and their long running low key romance.

MGM does something unusual at the end. There is a small segment tacked on where Lionel Barrymore and Lew Ayres mention that this film is the first of a series that will be made.

The Kildare films are especially slick and entertaining for a set of B films- the very genesis of the med-centric programming that has ruled network TV for decades. In fact, if you compare this series with early 2000's TV series "Scrubs", there seem to be lots of comparisons and even direct character-to-character correlations between the two. And with the studio system at full throttle, MGM could throw their stable of talent in as individual "guest stars" in each entry. Barrymore is just terrific in these films as the irascible and somewhat omniscient Gillespie . I'd recommend them as a great time passer. And remember that the key to enjoying these films is to not play 21st century armchair physician here, just sit back and let the drama unfold.

Dr. James Kildare (Lew Ayres) returns home after graduation. Everybody expects him to join his father in his country doctor practice. He surprises them by announcing his internship at a large New York hospital. Cantankerous, famed, wheelchair-bound Dr. Leonard Gillespie (Lionel Barrymore) becomes his mentor. He gets into trouble with some high profile cases.

It's a medical drama which starts a franchise. It's not the first with Dr. Kildare, but this one is the one which starts the series. Lew Ayres is fine as the lead, but it's Barrymore who elevates. The medical stuff is not going to compare with modern TV shows. Barrymore is the one who compares favorably no matter what.

Although Max Brand's character of Dr. James Kildare first appeared over at Paramount's Interns Can't Take Money with Joel McCrea, the first of the classic Dr. Kildare movies was Young Dr. Kildare with Lew Ayres as the idealistic young intern. The series was done over at MGM and that most expensive of all studios gave a polished touch to even a series of B pictures.

Young Dr. Kildare sets the series up with Lew Ayres newly graduated from medical school deciding to intern at Blair General Hospital in New York instead of starting practice over in the small Connecticut town with his parents Samuel S. Hinds and Emma Dunn. While there he comes to the attention of renowned doctor Lionel Barrymore as Dr. Leonard Gillespie who spends the whole film putting him through some paces as he decides whether this young man can cut it as his new assistant.

Although Ayres's main challenge with purportedly mentally ill rich girl Jo Ann Sayers is not terribly convincing in its simplistic approach to her psychiatric problems which resulted in a suicide attempt the sincere playing of Ayres, Barrymore, and the rest cover a multitude of script holes. Walter Kingsford also makes his debut in the series as the officious hospital president Dr. Carew. Although a pattern is set with the Carew character here who realizes he's just a bureaucrat with an MD and he defers to Barrymore on medical questions.

The Kildare series got a decent if not outstanding debut with Young Dr. Kildare.

One of the great series shown on TV in my youth was Dr. Kildare with the outstanding Lionel Barrymore as the wise Dr. Gillespie. Each film gave insight into human nature and the medical profession without sex or swearing. Just plain good stories.It is a shame all Dr. Kildare films are not available on VHS. I do not understand why not Dr. Kildare always had great acting and great advice. America needs films like these today

Charming and smart. A terrific story about the desire for establishing your intellectual reputation and proving oneself. It reminded me of The 'Dr. Gregory House' character on the medical drama 'House', with the Sam cantankerous, grouchy doctor and the young and scrappy intern that's looking to impress. Literally the same mellow dramatic template, loveable and interesting. The actors are wonderful, deep, charming and thoughtful, right down to the intern who traces his patient's last steps to find out where she went and who she talked with. I loved this movie, it's a nice story for anyone who likes medical drama.

Well-scrubbed medical student from the sticks interns at a New York City hospital and quickly gets on the wrong side of the Chief of Staff, as well as crotchety veteran old Dr. Gillespie (who insults everyone from his wheelchair!). The character of Jimmy Kildare was first introduced in Paramount's "Interns Can't Take Money" from 1937, with Joel McCrea in the role; MGM took over from there, turning the rather ordinary medical scenario into a long-running movie series. Lew Ayres is calm and patient as Dr. Kildare, though his exceptionally sane demeanor comes off as rather maddening alongside the many hotheads who dot the supporting cast (most of whom overact shamelessly). Kildare doesn't even react after his superiors strip him of his duties--instead, he glows with quiet pride in the knowledge that he did his job properly. Lionel Barrymore gives the film a bit of spark and sass as Gillespie, and some of the dialogue is sharp and amusing, but the subplot about a suicidal heiress is ridiculously summed up and topped with an unconvincing bow. ** from ****

This would be the start of a series that would ultimately comprise nine "Young Dr. Kildare" movies co-starring Lee Ayers in the title role, and the one-and-only Lionel Barrymore as the curmudgeonly Dr. Gillespie. After Ayers was sent off to WWII, Barrymore would continue in the Gillespie role for six more films (three co-starring up-and-comer Van Johnson as a different "young doctor" character). And after this decade-long run finally came to an end, the Dr. Kildare concept would continue on TV starring a young Richard Chamberlain as the title doctor.

As for this particular installment, it is only notable for setting up the premise (ie., the promising young son of a well-respected country doctor decides to go to intern in a big-city hospital, and then much to his surprise, is mentored by an old crank of a doc with much to teach). Oh, and having a perfectly ridiculous plot involving a female patient's sanity and social/familial reputation at stake. For me, and I'm sure for plenty of others as well, it's the wheelchair-bound Lionel Barrymore's lovable-in-spite-of-himself performance as old Dr. Gillespie that makes these movies at least tolerable, if not always thoroughly enjoyable.

Young Dr. Kildare is a must-see, if you're going to watch the very entertaining film series that spawned the popular television program in the 1960s. Joel McCrea played the famed doctor in an independent 1937 film, but the official series started the following year, with Lew Ayres taking over.

In this first installment, the set-up is brilliantly executed. Lew Ayres graduates from medical school and comes home to his small town. It's a very touching sequence, with his mom and dad proudly displaying his shingle on the outside of their home. Everyone is so proud of him and expects him to become the town's country doctor. Lew gets accepted to practice in a big city hospital, and he tries it out to see which lifestyle he likes. While in the big, bustling hospital, he meets the grizzly perfectionist: Lionel Barrymore. Poor Lew, he's not nearly as fondly remembered as Lionel's creation of Dr. Gillespie, even though they both went on to the extremely popular radio series The Story of Dr. Kildare in the 1950s. Lionel has that lovable crotchety-ness that endears him to the audience so they know even when he's grouchy, he's grouchy for a good reason that he'll explain later. Just like Dr. Kildare himself, you'll come to know and love the regulars at the hospital, including the telephone operators and the ambulance drivers. Nat Pendleton made his living acting in just as many of these Dr. Kildare films as the main characters! Watch this first volume, whose guest star is Monty Woolley, to see if you get hooked; I know you will.

Just after graduating from medical school, young Dr. James Kildare decides to get a job at a large New York hospital instead of joining his father's rural practice. In New York, he meets the famous Dr. Leonard Gillespie, who becomes his mentor. Kildare finds himself in serious trouble when he rescues a suicidal woman who turns out to be the heiress with a powerful family.

It Might Come as a Surprise to Very Young Fans of TV's "House" or Pay TV's "The Knick" that Medical Dramas with High Personality Doctors were Around and Popular Even in the Thirties. This was a Long Running Series of B-Movies from MGM and this was The Origin Story.

Lew Ayers Plays Kildare with a Great Voice and a Sombre Pretty Face and Not Much Else but He is Acceptable and lets Lionel Barrymore's Sarcasms and Put Downs Steal the Show. Nat Pendleton is the Comedic Companion, an Ambulance Driver.

Spicing Up Things is a Detective Like Inquiry out of the Hospital and a Psychiatric Case that is Pure Bunkum. Overall Worth a Watch for this is the Initial Entry and if You Like it there are Many More to Follow. Average as These Things Go, but it was a Very Popular Series.

Note...Richard Chamberlain brought the Character to TV in the early Sixties and competed with Vince Edwards as Dr. Ben Casey on a rival Network.