The fourth in MGM's wonderful Dr. Kildare series starring Lew Ayres as Dr. Kildare and Lionel Barrymore as cranky old Dr. Gillespie. This time around Kildare tries to rebuild the confidence of brain surgeon Dr. Gregory Lane (Shepperd Strudwick), who's lost several patients on the operating table. After Lane's most recent patient awakens from surgery a raving lunatic, Kildare has to prove this wasn't Lane's fault. Lane also happens to be Kildare's romantic rival for Nurse Mary Lamont (Laraine Day). Lamont's in love with Kildare but he doesn't want to get married on his small salary. Yeah, it's one of those "make him jealous so he'll marry me before someone else does" plots that were the go-to formula for how women should snag men in old movies and TV shows. At least in this case Kildare isn't made to look like a total schmuck.
Despite the so-so romance stuff, the meat of the story is the medical case. As with most of the Kildare films, the medical knowledge is dated and easy to knock today. You'll notice with these films a lot of reviewers do just that. Personally I think that's unfair and kind of petty. Hold the films to the standards of their day, not ours. Anyway, the series regulars are all enjoyable, as usual. The story isn't the strongest but it's never dull and keeps your interest throughout. Favorite part? The early scene where Dr. Gillespie reads the riot act to some oldster that's in love with a girl in her twenties. Hilarious. Medical ethics aside, these bits of business are some of my favorite parts of the Kildare & Gillespie films. Long before House brought the brutally honest and crotchety diagnostician to our TV screens, there was Dr. Gillespie.
