Dottore nei guai

This movie sees the return, after an absence of six years, of Dirk Bogarde to the role of Doctor Simon Sparrow. But for a change, the movie's main emphasis is not placed on the young, bungling medic, but, refreshingly, focuses on the wonderful James Robertson Justice as Sir Lancelot Spratt.

Because of this, 'Doctor In Distress' is my personal favourite of the 'Doctor' series. It's a joy to see James Robertson Justice take centre stage for a change, whether bashfully admitting his childhood nickname of 'Porker' or visiting a health farm; he never fails to raise a smile.

To be honest, Bogarde is largely wasted in this film; still it is nice to see Simon Sparrow for one final time. Indeed, 'Doctor In Distress' does have a feeling of closure to it, with Sparrow no longer a hapless young medic but instead an established colleague and friend of Sir Lancelot. It is a real pleasure to see these two fine actors reunited once again.

Sadly there would be eventually two more 'Doctor' movies made, of variable quality, but 'Doctor In Distress' sees out the classic 'Doctor' movies with style.

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.

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.

Released in 1963, Doctor in Distress marks the first time in six years that Dirk Bogarde takes the mantle of Simon Sparrow, once a naive medical student and now an experienced doctor with an eye for the ladies.

However, the center of attention in this film is Dr. Lancelot Spratt (James Robertson Justice. Lance has fallen madly in love with his physical therapist. Meanwhile, Dr. S has a romance with a model (Samantha Eggar) and then becomes attracted to the woman (Myelene Demongot) who sublets her apartment when she goes to Rome.

Spratt turns to Sparrow for advice on how to woo the object of his affections, while he stalks her and then hires a private detective to do the stalking for him. All great fun.

Justice is excellent in a role that he owns; Bogarde gives us a professional, confident, and sophisticated Simon.

It was very interesting to watch his performance, since I had just seen the first Doctor movie a day or two earlier, when Sparrow was young and wide-eyed. Bogarde as Sparrow still maintains his gentle quality, which makes for a nice follow-through of the character.

Not the greatest film, but an amusing one.

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.