Dr. Kildare's Crisis

The sixth in MGM's Dr. Kildare series starring Lew Ayres has Jimmy Kildare trying to diagnose Nurse Mary Lamont's brother, which doesn't go over well with Mary or the brother. I liked this one quite a bit. Most of the negatives I've seen here and elsewhere are coming from the types of people that are triggered by older films not being sensitive to their modern feelings. No one should be watching a movie from 1940 to get an education on epilepsy. If you are, my medical diagnosis is that you need to put down the glue.

Lew Ayres does a solid job. Laraine Day gets a lot to work with this time and makes the most of it. Robert Young is good as the brother. The best scenes, not surprisingly, involve Lionel Barrymore's Dr. Gillespie. The scene where he talks about his late brother or when he goes through old love letters and sings "Seeing Nellie Home" are fine showcases of how a talented actor like Barrymore could own a film with a few moments here and there. Last appearance in the series of Bobs Watson as Tommy, a crippled boy recovering with the help of Dr. Gillespie. This little subplot is an example of the fine continuity that helped make this series so exceptional. I have similar praise for MGM's other great series with Andy Hardy. So much to like about this one. I can't imagine a fan of the series not enjoying it. But I suppose that depends on how sensitive you are to a movie made three-quarters of a century ago having outdated medical information.

Marriage proposals are spreading in the hospital. Doctor James Kildare (Lew Ayres) proposes to nurse Mary Lamont (Laraine Day). Mary's brother Douglas (Robert Young) comes for a visit. He is looking for a patron for his charity from one of Kildare's former patient. Kildare has concerns for his health. Dr. Leonard Gillespie (Lionel Barrymore) remains the irascible mentor.

This is another Kildare episode. The war would eventually disrupt the series, but not yet. This is still a series with some juice and the characters remain. The medical aspect is a bit suspect in this one. I'm no doctor and I'm certainly no expert with medical care at this time. That part seems like the weakest link although nurse Lamont's reaction is a close second. She is very melodramatic. I slowly grew frustrated with her. Well, she is part of the crisis.

Some other crisis, rather than suspecting "epilepsy" as the cause of Robert Young's erratic behavior, would have made more sense. Having Lew Ayres decide, on some vague notion that Laraine Day's brother (Robert Young) has epilepsy and might be passing it on to her, doesn't make much sense. Then too, her hysterical fears (as a nurse) are unsubstantiated by reasons given in the script.

I must admit that these negatives, however, do not mean that "Dr. Kildare's Crisis" is not an uninteresting film. Indeed, it's so well acted by the leads that it's apparent they were ready for headier stuff, acting-wise. Laraine Day is so impressive as Nurse Mary Lamont that it's a wonder MGM didn't build a better career for her during her studio contract. She's not only extremely attractive but does a decent job in a role that's not particularly well conceived.

Robert Young does nicely with some starkly dramatic moments, proving that this MGM series was a good training ground for their young contract players. No surprise that better roles would lie ahead for Ayres and Young. Miss Day would have to wait until she left the studio for better assignments.

Lionel Barrymore is his usual grumpy and sometimes obnoxious self as Dr. Gillespie, using all of his well-known mannerisms and then some.

But for a drama dealing with medical terms and hospital life, the epilepsy angle is badly handled and factually incorrect both as to treatment and diagnosis.

Summing up: As it is, this is formula stuff--some romance, some light moments and then some darker elements before the windup with Ayres emerging as a heroic doctor.

Although the description of the causes and treatment of epilepsy make this a below par entry in the Dr. Kildare series, Dr. Kildare's Crisis is as much personal as medical in this film. He gets to deal with the potential in-laws in this film.

Robert Young playing Laraine Day's brother arrives at Blair General Hospital exhibiting some strange behavior and something of a new attitude toward life. He sounds like a motivational speaker from today as he wants to pitch an idea about training schools for people not learning any trades because of the Great Depression.

Given some of the symptoms Ayres suspects epilepsy and for some strange reason doesn't want to confide in Day which puts one great strain on the relationship. It ain't nearing and endearing him to Young either, but Ayres wants to be sure.

Kildare films usually go one of two ways either Kildare makes a right diagnosis and Lionel Barrymore as Dr. Gillespie backs him up, or he's on the wrong track and Barrymore has to set him straight. If you watch the film, you'll find out which it is.

Dr. Kildare's Crisis was one of his own making, he should have sent Young to a specialist post haste. But that would be how it was done in the real world.

A subpar Kildare film from MGM.

The wedding of Dr. Kildare and nurse Mary Lamont is fast approaching, and Mary's brother, Doug (Robert Young) has come for a visit. He has drawn up plans for a philanthropic concern that needs the backing of a rich person, and so he has come to New York for two reasons - to meet his future brother-in-law and also to ask Dr. Kildare to introduce him to a rich man who is indebted to Kildare. During the visit, Kildare notices that Doug seems to be hearing things followed by a period of extreme energy and confidence. For reasons that are beyond me, Kildare thinks that this behavior could amount to some dread disease and won't stop until he uncovers said dread disease. Complications ensue.

The disease that is suspected is epilepsy, and as with most illnesses mentioned in this series, it is given an excessively bad rap. It is said it leads to insanity unless the person lives a very calm uneventful existence, it is said that the person eventually becomes an invalid, and because it is often inherited, it could mean that Mary has it too. But wait, wouldn't that mean that their parents would have it too, that it wouldn't just suddenly crop up in Doug and Mary? This is never mentioned.

So the diagnostic/treatment portion of this film is a bit of a mess, but then I'd expect that from a film that is 85 years old. The entries on melanoma and diabetes were all wrong medically too, but they were still enjoyable films. The key to its enjoyability is the consistency of the supporting characters - Molly Bird, Nat Pendleton as lovable but strong as an ox Joe, Nell Craig as the persistently terrified Nurse Parker, and Marie Blake as Sally the hospital receptionist and switchboard operator.