Il giovane dr. Kildare

People, if they remember Dr. Kildare of the 30s and 40s at all, tend to think of this series of films. Most people don't know that there was a film before this series, Internes Can't Take Money, starring Joel McCrea and Barbara Stanwyck made over at Paramount in 1937.

This was the first of the Dr. Kildare series of movies which segued into the Dr. Gillespie series of films after Lew Ayres left to serve as a medic in WWII. Lew Ayres plays Dr. James Kildare, fresh out of medical school. His father, Dr. Stephen Kildare (Samuel S. Hinds), as well as his mother, (Emma Dunn) think that he is going to practice in their small town, and they've bought a plaque with his name on it and set up an office for him in their parlor. The girl next door - literally - seems ready to pick out her wedding dress.

But James has other ideas. He wants to practice medicine in a big hospital because he's not sure what specialty he is interested in, and has already accepted an internship at Blair Hospital in New York City. How this leaves James and the girl next door is left in limbo.

In New York Kildare meets the famed Dr. Gillespie (Lionel Barrymore) who seems to immediately dislike him, he gets blamed for negligence that caused the death of a famous politician that was not his fault, AND he has a clue as to why a wealthy family's grown daughter tried to commit suicide. The hospital wants him to say what he knows, but he feels what he was told by her was in confidence and faces being fired for insubordination because he stays mum, figuring he can figure out the mystery himself and maybe save the girl's mind and spare her any embarrassment. It's funny how the hospital, the girl's family, and the specialist all feel like they have a right to discuss confidential medical information about the grown woman, but never bother to discuss it with her. Kildare is decades ahead of his time, seemingly, in medical ethics.

Not many supporting cast members that were staples of the later films are brought in here, with the exception of the telephone operator and Nat Pendleton's orderly and their long running low key romance.

MGM does something unusual at the end. There is a small segment tacked on where Lionel Barrymore and Lew Ayres mention that this film is the first of a series that will be made.

The Kildare films are especially slick and entertaining for a set of B films- the very genesis of the med-centric programming that has ruled network TV for decades. In fact, if you compare this series with early 2000's TV series "Scrubs", there seem to be lots of comparisons and even direct character-to-character correlations between the two. And with the studio system at full throttle, MGM could throw their stable of talent in as individual "guest stars" in each entry. Barrymore is just terrific in these films as the irascible and somewhat omniscient Gillespie . I'd recommend them as a great time passer. And remember that the key to enjoying these films is to not play 21st century armchair physician here, just sit back and let the drama unfold.

Although Max Brand's character of Dr. James Kildare first appeared over at Paramount's Interns Can't Take Money with Joel McCrea, the first of the classic Dr. Kildare movies was Young Dr. Kildare with Lew Ayres as the idealistic young intern. The series was done over at MGM and that most expensive of all studios gave a polished touch to even a series of B pictures.

Young Dr. Kildare sets the series up with Lew Ayres newly graduated from medical school deciding to intern at Blair General Hospital in New York instead of starting practice over in the small Connecticut town with his parents Samuel S. Hinds and Emma Dunn. While there he comes to the attention of renowned doctor Lionel Barrymore as Dr. Leonard Gillespie who spends the whole film putting him through some paces as he decides whether this young man can cut it as his new assistant.

Although Ayres's main challenge with purportedly mentally ill rich girl Jo Ann Sayers is not terribly convincing in its simplistic approach to her psychiatric problems which resulted in a suicide attempt the sincere playing of Ayres, Barrymore, and the rest cover a multitude of script holes. Walter Kingsford also makes his debut in the series as the officious hospital president Dr. Carew. Although a pattern is set with the Carew character here who realizes he's just a bureaucrat with an MD and he defers to Barrymore on medical questions.

The Kildare series got a decent if not outstanding debut with Young Dr. Kildare.

Dr. Jimmy Kildare, a young medical school graduate, takes an internship at the Blair General Hospital, only to get into deep trouble when he starts involving himself in the case of a suicidal young heiress who has, to all appearances, gone crazy. He is also subjected to a rigorous, and at times embarrassing, testing of his knowledge by the hospital's top dog, Dr. Leonard Gillespie. (Who is relatively tame in this first entry, increasing the irascibility as the series went on. There are instances in the next few films when he is definitely over the top! But we're talking about the brilliant Lionel Barrymore, and playing a grouch is one of the things he does best!)

This first installment of the long-running series is very enjoyable to watch. The chemistry between Lew Ayers and Lionel Barrymore is perfect, and you can definitely tell that Barrymore was having a lot of fun with his role. The good, snappy script is amusing, and while I wouldn't rank it among some of the "great" films of the era, it's quite good, and a lot of fun.

There's one serious rumor I would like to knock out here real quick: Lionel Barrymore was given the role of the wheelchair-bound Dr. Gillespie after two separate accidents, in which he broke his hip twice. He could still walk a little after it healed, but it was rather difficult for him. However, he did not have arthritis, which I noticed is the reason many sources list for the necessity of the wheelchair. In his autobiography, We Barrymores, he states outright that he did not have arthritis. His only ailment was a twice-broken hip. Years later, he also performed his role in "Down to the Sea in Ships" (1949) with only a pair of crutches.

Anyway, I just wanted to deal with that briefly. Bottom line is, "Young Dr Kildare" is an overall good movie, and I would definitely recommend.

Dr. James Kildare (Lew Ayres) returns home after graduation. Everybody expects him to join his father in his country doctor practice. He surprises them by announcing his internship at a large New York hospital. Cantankerous, famed, wheelchair-bound Dr. Leonard Gillespie (Lionel Barrymore) becomes his mentor. He gets into trouble with some high profile cases.

It's a medical drama which starts a franchise. It's not the first with Dr. Kildare, but this one is the one which starts the series. Lew Ayres is fine as the lead, but it's Barrymore who elevates. The medical stuff is not going to compare with modern TV shows. Barrymore is the one who compares favorably no matter what.

Well-scrubbed medical student from the sticks interns at a New York City hospital and quickly gets on the wrong side of the Chief of Staff, as well as crotchety veteran old Dr. Gillespie (who insults everyone from his wheelchair!). The character of Jimmy Kildare was first introduced in Paramount's "Interns Can't Take Money" from 1937, with Joel McCrea in the role; MGM took over from there, turning the rather ordinary medical scenario into a long-running movie series. Lew Ayres is calm and patient as Dr. Kildare, though his exceptionally sane demeanor comes off as rather maddening alongside the many hotheads who dot the supporting cast (most of whom overact shamelessly). Kildare doesn't even react after his superiors strip him of his duties--instead, he glows with quiet pride in the knowledge that he did his job properly. Lionel Barrymore gives the film a bit of spark and sass as Gillespie, and some of the dialogue is sharp and amusing, but the subplot about a suicidal heiress is ridiculously summed up and topped with an unconvincing bow. ** from ****