Doktor in Nöten

Dirk Bogarde stars as a young doctor in this lightweight drama – comedy, light on situations and jokes even for this franchise, as it lacks the rivalry from the other junior doctor, who is absent completely in this film.

Leo McKern as a film producer and Dennis Price as a fashion agent are completed wasted in a subplot that peters out and goes nowhere. Most of the film follows the annoying chief surgeon Sir Lancelot Spratt pursuing a love interest with a physiotherapist which also finishes without a conclusion. Another love interest between Bogarde and a French physiotherapist also ends inconclusively.

It appears the film was made from a number of different plot lines from the book series which the studio didn't complete in order not to require an 18 certificate.

Doctor in Distress is directed by Ralph Thomas and adapted to screenplay by Nicholas Phipps and Ronald Scott Thorn from the Doctor series of characters that feature in the novels written by Richard Gordon. It stars Dirk Bogarde, James Robertson Justice, Samantha Eggar, Donald Houston, Barbara Murray and Mylène Demongeot. Music is by Norrie Paramor and cinematography by Ernest Steward.

Sir Lancelot Spratt (Justice) injures his back and finds himself a patient at his own hospital. Falling in love with his physiotherapist Iris Marchant (Murray), Spratt turns to senior doctor Simon Sparrow (Bogarde) for some lady wooing advice when Iris blows him off. But Simon has his own matters of the heart to contend with, his relationship with aspiring actress Delia Mallory (Eggar) is about to be challenged by a acting assignment in Italy.

The fifth of seven "Doctor" movies, Distress sees Bogarde return after missing part four of the series. The truth is that as a series it was never high end comedy anyway, more a case of solid light entertainment and a chance to spend some time in the company of some fine British actors. The Box Office take in the UK was as usual very healthy, but as amiable as it all is, it feels tired, like an auto-pilot production, where really there's only enough good material to have filled out an extended TV episode (Spratt trying to lose weight and following Iris when he learns another man is in the frame for her affections).

The makers try to invigorate this instalment by shifting the focus from Bogarde's Dr. Sparrow to Justice's irascible Spratt. Which while it undoubtedly is no bad thing having more of Justice's bluster to enjoy, the film wastes Bogarde (who would not return for parts six and seven) and the central joke just isn't strong enough to carry a running time of an hour and forty minutes! The girls are lovely and sexy (Murray impressive), but in the case of Eggar and Demongeot they are short changed by a screenplay that asks practically nothing of them.

Is it a good afternoon by the fire movie? Yes, absolutely, the cast (and the ream of cameos by notable British stars of film and TV) ensure that is the case. But don't be surprised if you find yourself looking at your watch after the hour mark has passed. 6.5/10

Bogarde returned one final time to the 'Doctor' series for old time's sake to maintain the box office clout he was otherwise happily squandering on his films with Joseph Losey; and the funniest moment in the film is probably the in-joke reference to Bogarde's previous film when Simon Sparrow stands in front of the huge round mirror "gentleman's gentleman" Barrett polished in 'The Servant' (I wonder were it is now?) and his head appears to be on a platter.

The opening credits reveal that Nicholas Phipps was still one of the scriptwriters (although that's hardly a recommendation); but the script was this time only "by arrangement with Richard Gordon", not based on any of his original novels (although that was never much of a recommendation either). Although prettily photographed in Eastmancolor with a huge cast of familiar faces (the tiny handful that are still alive looking heart-breakingly youthful); the reappearance over the final shot of Norrie Paramor's jaunty music from the opening sequence serves simply to remind one of how one's spirits had initially lifted only to be deflated by the dreary hundred minutes you'd then sat through.

The Doctor films continue and like the Carry On films which were directed by Ralph Thomas's brother, it seemed that the film series would go on forever.

Dr Sparrow (Dirk Bogarde) is now a senior doctor at Hampden Cross Hospital in love with a model and aspiring actress.

The film focuses more on the irascible Spratt who injures his back and becomes a patient in his own hospital and falls for the charms of his physiotherapist. Dr Sparrow sends him to a health clinic to lose some weight but the Physio is also romantically pursued by another patient at the hospital.

The film is well worth seeing for early appearances for some future comedy legends such as Ronnie Barker and Richard Briers. The film itself did not maintain my interest or was very funny. In fact I felt that by the end of the movie some of the plot threads remain unresolved leaving you to think that the producers must have run out of money.

I was given this film on DVD as a birthday present, so sat down and gave it a go. I had seen a few of the other Doctor films and thought them gentle, inoffensive but ultimately unfunny. This one is very similar.

James Robertson Justice's irritable surgeon Sir Lancelot Spratt is the central character, with Dirk Bogarde as Dr Stephen Sparrow hovering about. It's really James Robertson Justice's performance that makes this film, with his wonderful fruity bark, and seeing him given the chance to show off other sides of his acting ability, coming over as a rather affable chap now and again.

Like a lot of these British comedy films, the plot is wafer-thin, you really have to suspend your disbelief, and ultimately it isn't really very funny at all.

But for me I came away with a satisfied smile on my face, having enjoyed the film for other reasons. The supporting cast is a real who's who of British screen acting, with people like Timothy Bateson, John Bluthal, Donald Houston and many others. Being a fan of Flanders and Swan, it was a nice surprise to see Michael Flanders as the food writer at the health farm.

My favourite scene is at the railway station, where rail buffs can ooh and ahh at British Railways-era carriages and locos, the history buffs at the posters for milk and rail rovers. There's also lots of street shots full of classic British cars, black-and-white striped sign posts and cafés where you can get beans on toast for 10d and fried egg, beans, chips and fried bread for the princely sum of 2/6! Not a great film, you sometimes find yourself pushing the fast forward button. But for James Robertson Justice, and as a kind of time capsule of early 60s Britain it's perfect.