El regreso del Dr. Kildear

The fifth in MGM's excellent series of medical dramas centered around Doctors Kildare and Gillespie (Lew Ayres, Lionel Barrymore). This time around Jimmy Kildare is faced with the decision of giving up his dream job working with Dr. Gillespie in order to help out his elderly father, who's being overworked as the only doctor covering two small towns.

One of the weaker entries in the series but still very enjoyable. Most of the film is spent in Kildare's hometown away from the busy goings-on of Blair General. There are lots of quaint little parts, like Gillespie prescribing having kids to save a marriage. But these sorts of things are part of what I love about this series and really classic films in general -- they're windows into the past. Great supporting cast, as was always the case with MGM. In addition to Nat Pendleton and the rest of the exceptional regulars backing up Ayres and Barrymore, there's Gene Lockhart, Donald Briggs, and fun bit parts for Arthur O'Connell and Milton Parsons. Not my favorite or even in my top five of the combined Kildare/Gillespie series, but solid and never dull.

"Dr. Kildare Goes Home," made in 1940, is a particularly interesting entry into the series.

Kildare, made a staff doctor, realizes that his dad (Samuel S. Hinds) is exhausted from keeping up with his practice and wants to help him. He takes some doctors who can't find jobs and they start a clinic in one of Kildare Sr.'s practice area.

The idea behind it is that everyone pays ten cents a week for medical care. This will keep the salaries paid and support the work needed on the ill people. Also, the emphasis of the clinic is on prevention and staying healthy.

This is health insurance today, which wants everyone to stay healthy and not need medical facilities. Instead of a dime, though, it's thousands per year. I did find that whole subject matter in 1940 fascinating.

The next fascinating thing is that Dr. Gillespie goes to watch a rare operation done by a brilliant black doctor (Jack Carr). Carr, a very well spoken actor, is uncredited in the film.

This is a different kind of depiction of blacks than one is used to seeing in these old movies, and it's similar to "Crash Dive," where a black member of the submarine unit is the same as everyone else.

These things make "Dr. Kildare Goes Home" a cut above, and the story moves along with Kildare and Mary setting the date.

I love the scenes between Mary Boyd (Alma Kruger) and Dr. Gillespie (Lionel Barrymore) the best. When he compliments her appearance, he says, "You must have lost 15 pounds." She says, "I've gained eight. What do you want me to do that's illegal?" Highly entertaining.

A good entry in the Dr. Kildare series, with some aspects surprising me. First was the idea of a clinic to which people subscribe for medical care, paying ten cents a week. I had no inkling the medical insurance concept was around back in 1940. I wondered what the doctors of the era thought about that. Second, was the treatment of one of the black characters in the film, Dr. Marsh, played by Jack Carr. He is intelligent, articulate, and gets praise from Dr. Gillespie for an accurate diagnosis based on very little evidence. This was a very uncharacteristic treatment of blacks in 1940. It's a short scene that has little to do with the main plot, but it made me appreciate the film so much more.

I was casually watching this movie today when the action shifted to an emergency surgery performed in a private home. Dr Gillespie was in attendance as was Dr. Kildare. The surgeon has his back to the camera. When he turns around he is black. Gillespie then proceeds to praise the surgeon and the surgeon responds with some thoughtful words. To see a black American treated so thoughtfully and well was simply amazing at this time in Hollywood. I couldn't find the doctor in the list of cast members. And there was no mention of the scene in the trivia section of th IMDB. The scene must have added to the script perhaps by an event that caused the writers to add it , but I'm speculating.

Dr. Leonard Gillespie (Lionel Barrymore) is being his crotchety helpful self. Dr. James Kildare (Lew Ayres) finishes his internship and becomes a resident under Gillespie. He visits home and finds his father struggling. He tries to help the practice but the patients are leery of his young age. He decides to stay for his underserved community.

It's the sixth Dr. Kildare movie and the fifth with Lew Ayres. It's a good episode and that's what these movies are becoming. In another era, they would be episodes in a TV show. The big takeaway for this one is that he is proposing what is essentially socialized medicine. It just goes to show the political movement over the years. Otherwise, this is a pretty compelling chapter in this continuing story.