¡Desvistase, doctor!

More medical antics in the classic "doctor" series. What plot there is concerns 2 young doctors (Burke & Hare) attempting to drag a quaint old medical practice into the 20th century. Doctor In Love does lose something without Dirk Bogarde, but the wonderful James Robertson Justice "I shall do nothing of the kind!" makes up for it. There were excellent small roles for Joan Sims as a stripper and John le meseruir (I bet I've spelled that wrong?) as an officious doctor who dares to tangle with "Sir Lancelot". The scene where Robertson Justice accidentally finds himself in a strip club and then breaks through into the medical conference next door accompanied by strippers and a gorilla is hilarious. It's a sad coincidence that Virginia Maskell (the new young doctor) and Carole Lesley (Dr Burke's girlfriend) both ended their own lives a few years later. They were both beautiful. Doctor In Love isn't the best in the series (Michael Craig is NO Bogarde) but it's certainly worth watching and made me laugh quite a lot.

I you are a fan of the British 'Doctor' films, this one is an example of one of the movies without the familiar Dirk Bogarde playing Dr. Sparrow. Instead, this one focuses on two other doctors, Burke and Hare (see IMDb Trivia for more about that)--two screw-ups who spend much of their time chasing women and trying to make a go of it in jobs outside of the hospital. As usual, James Robertson Justice is on hand but Dr. Spratt is seen less in this one because so much of the picture is set outside the hospital.

Like the other Doctor films, this one is a combination of light comedy and drama. A few of the funnier bits involved Burke and Hare hanging out at a research center investigating the common cold as well as Dr. Spratt attending a naughty show when the police make a raid. But the movie also has its touching moments, such as the dying boy. All in all, a very good film but also light and enjoyable as well--more an excellent time-passer than anything else.

The plot such as it is is so light in substance but I must say the movie is pleasant. I very much doubt people who never sat in a cinema watching these movies will enjoy it, for me its a lovely memory.Not much happens in the movie and you might smile but don't expect any big laughs.James Robertson Justice as always walks away with the film. I sometimes find Leslie Philips a little annoying and although very sauve he comes across as rather sleezy. Joan Sims has a delightful, all too brief cameo. Its funny how the world has changed, these days the guys in this movie would be up on sexual harrassement charges. Its perfectly normal in this movie for doctors to flirt with nurses. This was a much kinder time. THese days men cant flirt and its safer to be gay. Dirk is not there but Michael Craig is a pleasant leading man. He is very good looking and he gives a gentle performance. Its all very sweet, restrained and under played. Craig came to Australia for the JCW management to star in a few west end comedies and later residing here and became much loved as a TV performer in shows such as Medical Centre"

I have all these Doctors' films on DVD ! They make for good watching although they are not as funny as the Carry-ons ! As for today's comedies, they are non-existent compared to these. My favorite character HAS to be James Robertson Justice as Sir Lancelot Spratt ! He's even funnier in "Doctor in Clover". Its a shame that his appearances in these films always seem to be fleeting and over in a jiffy ! I did not know the actor Michael Craig and found his performance the least interesting ! On the other hand I have always loved Leslie Philips and he never fails to give a hilarious performance with his ill-planned sexual adventures ! He's much funnier than Dirk Bogarde who played in some of the initial "Doctor" films. Fenella Fielding is a character on her own as is Nicholas Parsons ! There are some lovely ladies in the film, including Virginia Maskell and I was most distressed to discover that two of the most beautiful actually committed suicide in real life during the years following the film. Very "early sixties", this film also serves as a documentary record of what is henceforth turning into our distant past .............

The first 'Doctor' film without Dirk Bogarde is also the first to strongly resemble a 'Carry On', with several veterans of the 'Carry On' series (including Joan Sims, also in the original 'Doctor in the House') and several others who became features of the smuttier parallel series. The humour was already becoming more off-colour here (and it's in colour, which the budget of the 'Carry On's didn't yet run to).

We actually see Lady Spratt in this episode (played by Ambrosine Phillpotts), but James Robertson Justice is himself absent much of the time; while in place of Bogarde we get the more abrasive Michael Craig, who plainly doesn't fit in with such frivolity and otherwise steered well clear of either series.