Calling Dr. Kildare (1939) User Reviews (11)

Young Dr. K is at it again

[blanche-2 · 6/10 · 27 February 2008]

In Calling Dr. Kildare, James Kildare is in even worse trouble than he was in "Young Dr. Kildare." This time, he's gotten involved with a young boy who was shot and is being sought for a murder he says he didn't commit. Kildare helps him and doesn't report the bullet wound to the police. That's one infraction. More heinous than that - he falls hook, line and sinker for Lana Turner! At this point, Jimmy is more or less juggling three women in his noncommittal fashion - except of course he's committed himself to the seductive Turner. There's Alice (Lynne Carver), pining away in Kildare's hometown - where she'll continue to pine - and the very pretty Mary Lamont (Laraine Day) who obviously is interested in him. On top of everything else, he has to deal with the irascible Dr. Gillespie (Lionel Barrymore) - it'll be a few years before he mellows out, and by then, James will have left the hospital.

I liked this one better than the first in the series. It is predicated on a realistic incident - the shooting - not necessarily the doctor sticking his neck out to help. And Laraine Day is a wonderful addition as Mary.

All in all, a good entry into the "Dr. Kildare" series with a future MGM star on hand.

"A hospital's just like a liver -- a little shaking up won't do it any harm."

[utgard14 · 6/10 · 21 April 2015]

Dr. Kildare (Lew Ayres) takes a bullet out of a man wanted for murder but doesn't report it to the police, due in small part to Kildare's believing in the man's innocence and in larger part due to the man having a pretty sister (Lana Turner). Now it's up to Dr. Gillespie (Lionel Barrymore) to try and figure a way to save Kildare from getting himself in deep trouble.

The second in MGM's excellent Dr. Kildare series starring Lew Ayres and Lionel Barrymore. Both are great. Lana Turner is very easy on the eyes and fine in an early role. The wonderful regular supporting cast is also on hand, including Nat Pendleton, Marie Blake, Walter Kingsford, and Alma Kruger. All enjoyable. Samuel S. Hinds and Emma Dunn are particularly touching as Kildare's parents. This is the first appearance of Kildare's love interest, Nurse Mary Lamont, played by Laraine Day. This movie also features the second and final appearance of Lynne Carver as Alice Raymond, Kildare's hometown sweetheart who wants to marry him. Unfortunately, that storyline is not resolved in this movie, despite being touched upon in the beginning. The terrific cast of characters is why this series work so well. The highlight of the movie, not surprisingly, is the irascible Dr. Gillespie and his "tell it like it is" approach to dealing with patients, such as a scene early in this one where he gives a middle-aged woman hell for dangerous dieting. It's a solid entry in the series that should please fans and a good jump-on point for newcomers.

Good fun Kildare film with a dash of noir

[AlsExGal · 6/10 · 19 November 2020]

This Kildare film is a bit different from the others. Just the second in the series, Kildare is trying to find his footing in Blair hospital when he has a run in with Dr. Gillespie that could end their working relationship. But Kildare decides to stay at Blair and finish what he has started, so he begins working at one of the hospital's clinics. Somebody comes to the clinic at closing time and convinces Kildare to come with him, that somebody is very ill and can't get to the clinic. Kildare finds a guy in an abandoned building with a bullet wound. The guy's sister (Lana Turner as Rosalie) convinces Kildare that her brother has done nothing wrong and not to call the police but help her brother. Kildare relents on principle, and Rosalie's big saucer eyes and long legs can't hurt either. And then the next day he reads that a hood has been murdered and that the suspect is the guy he patched up the night before. Complications ensue.

This is where there is an implied changing of the guard as far as Kildare's love life. Remember Kildare had a "girl next door" pseudo fiancee in the first film, now there is this gun moll, and then there is the introduction of nurse Mary Lamont (Laraine Day) who looks like she could be in Kildare's future.

I liked all of the films in this series, but I think I liked this one the least because Kildare does not have a good head on his shoulders in the decisions he makes. Fortunately for him, he has friends who do. That is how it is noir like. You have a solid citizen in the person of Kildare who has temptation in the form of a good looking girl who throws some attention his way, and this causes him to go down the wrong path, all the while justifying his actions to himself. Though Eddie Muller would probably disagree with me completely on describing it as somewhat like a noir.

Entertaining but illogical

[planktonrules · 6/10 · 14 May 2009]

This is the second film in the long Dr. Kildare series and it is a mixed bag. I must say that it's awfully entertaining and has a great sense of continuity from the first film, but it also has a plot that frankly makes very little sense.

As the story begins, it looks like the film picks up exactly where the last one ended. The same characters and supporting characters all have returned and they didn't leave any dangling plot elements from the first film. For a B-movie, this is amazing--even one with all the polish MGM gave their Kildare series.

Unfortunately, the film goes off the deep end very quickly when Kildare behaves like he's had a traumatic brain injury!! When he treats a man with a gunshot wound, he tells the patient rightly that this must be reported to the police by law--otherwise the doctor could lose his license AND go to jail! However, when the patient's sister (Lana Turner) bats her eyes at Kildare, he decides to risk all this to keep the gunshot secret!! Talk about a 'DUH' moment!! Can any doctor be that dumb?! Plus, it isn't like she offered him a bribe or a peek at her naked or anything--she just said 'please' and he was willing to throw away everything!!! It's also rather comical that every time someone comes to a poignant moment in the film, you hear newsboys in the background yelling things like "extra, extra...killer still at large"!! Talk about subtle!!! And, as you'd expect in such a film, it all magically works out in the end--after Kildare does some sleuthing on his own (I'm sure every doctor does this).

So, you have good acting, a consistent cast, nice production values and a sub-par script that really derails the film. Watchable and entertaining but highly illogical.

You idiot! You congenital idiot! I got you out of town! Why didn't you stay there!

[sol-kay · 6/10 · 8 January 2008]

**SPOILERS** Dr. Jimmy Kildare, Lew Ayres, plays detective here in tracking down the killer of bookie Footsy Garson whom his patient Nick Lewett,George Offerman Jr, is wanted by the police for murdering.

Dr. Kildare got himself into this mess by first being a bit too big for his bridges in thinking that he can diagnose any illness without looking into it's, the illness', secondary causes like the psychological instead of psychical aspects of it. Thrown out of Dr. Lenny Gillespie's, Lionel Barrymore, office as his assistant Dr. Kildare is assigned to a dispensary, or clinic, where the Willy as a fox Dr. Gillespie assigns Nurse Mary Lamont, Laraine Day, who doubles as a spy for the old geezer to keep track of him.

Being the person that he is, totally dedicated to preserving human life,Dr. Kildare gets himself into a jam when he's called by Red, Johnny Welsh, to help his friend Nick Lewitt who's suffering from a stab wound. It turns out that Nick was in fact shot not stabbed and Dr. Kildare after meeting Nick's knock out of a sister a redheaded not the usual blond Lana Turner, playing Rosalie Lewett, he completely forgot himself and the fact that her brother Nick is a fugitive from justice.

Love makes people do crazy things and Dr. Jimmy Kildare is no exception to the rule in not only putting his medical career in jeopardy but himself in the can, jail, for helping an escaped murderer. Being conned by Rosilie that she's in love with him Dr. Kildare does everything he could, even a make-shift blood transfusion, to save her brother Nick's life. There's nothing at all wrong in saving Nick's life, so he can later be fried for murder, but the fact that Dr. Kildare didn't report Nick to the police was enough, when it was found out by his boss at the hospital Dr. Walter Carew(Walter Kngsford), to get him canned from his job.

I turns out later that Dr. Lenny Gillespie orchestrated Jimmy Kildare trip back home to Dartford Connecticut to keep him from getting arrested by the police but the love-sick fool just couldn't stay there! Jimmy Kildare screwed up all of Dr. Gillespie's plans as well as himself by going back to where Nick was, back in the Big Apple,in order to treat him.

***SPOILERS***Everything turns out to be all right with Jimmy Kildare finding out who really knocked of Footsy Garson and of course, like Jimmy suspected all along, it wasn't Nick Lewitt. With his career as a doctor now back on track at Blair General Hospital Dr. Kildare is now again Dr. Gillespie's assistant and most of all has found his one and only true love the homely and plain Jane, compared to the drop dead gorgeous Rosalie Lewett, Nurse Mary Lamont.

***SPOILER ALERT***As for Rosalie she also had a big surprise coming her way in that her boyfriend, who's portrait was prominent all over her apartment, set Nick up and conned her, like she did Jimmy Kildare, into thinking that Nick may well had been Footsy's killer. Just like Jimmy Kildare Rosalie let her emotions take the place of her brain in seeing the obvious and in the end paid for it.

Turner meets Gilks!

[JohnHowardReid · 6/10 · 12 February 2014]

The third of the sixteen-picture Kildare series is pretty hard to take, unless you're a fan of Lana Turner. The plot is pretty preposterous – clichéd to boot – and serves mostly to waste the talents of a potentially engaging array of players. Furthermore, at 86 minutes, the movie is far too long for a second feature – particularly one produced as cheaply as this effort with its standing sets and recycled characters. Harold S. Bucquet's relentlessly flat direction is no help either. However, it's interesting to see the split photography credit. White was fast if run-of-the-mill, whereas Gilks was super-slow, but meticulous. He was doubtless hired to present Turner at her best, no matter what the cost in time and money.

series continues

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 11 March 2023]

Dr. Gillespie (Lionel Barrymore) tells Dr. James Kildare (Lew Ayres) that his terminal cancer diagnosis last movie is another mistake. After this and other disputes, Gillespie sends Kildare to a street clinic with nurse Mary Lamont. In one case, he treats a gunshot wound for suspect Nick in his hideout and gets involved Nick's sister Rosalie.

This one introduces a few things with Kildare and I'm not sure that I like them. He has a new love interest and the hometown gal is left at home. There's also another love interest being set up. Let's face it. The boy is not thinking with his brain. He's using his lesser organ. Gillespie has less screen time and I like his character more. The series is gaining speed.

early on for the doc

[ksf-2 · 6/10 · 2 September 2021]

This seems to be Lew Ayres second appearance as Kildare, under the watchful eye of Gillespie ( Lionel Barrymore). As usual, young doctor kildare butts heads with older, wiser Gillespie, but he learns new things at the same time. Pretty early role for an eighteen year old Lana Turner! About six years before Postman. She's the brother of a neighborhood punk who Kildare helps get out of a jam. Which could get Kildare into a jam. One of those gray area, ethical issues. The usual co-stars Laraine Day, Nat Pendleton. It's mostly good; the last ten minutes are just goofy and silly, but anyway.... directed by Harry Bucquet. Directed a whole bunch of those Kildare films. Died young at 54, after some unspecified illness.

Kildare's Jackpot

[bkoganbing · 4/10 · 28 December 2011]

After winning a berth at Blair General Hospital as the assistant for Dr. Gillespie, Lew Ayres nearly blows it in this second Kildare feature Calling Dr. Kildare. In fact in real life his young career could and should have been over.

Lionel Barrymore as Gillespie sends Ayres out to a street clinic to get some hands on medical experience in which he is doing his best and learning his profession. But when an emergency outside call finds him patching up a gunshot wound in Don Barry it's the start of a real bad situation for Ayres.

While he tends Barry, Ayres sends the kid to call an ambulance as the law dictates in gunshot wounds, but the kid is waylaid by Lana Turner who arrives claiming to be Barry's brother. There's a manhunt out for him because he's accused of murdering someone whom he had a fight with. Guess who the fight was over?

In fact Ayres at her suggestion because he's thinking with the old male member still doesn't call the ambulance or report the gunshot wound which should have ended his promising medical career before it started.

Lew Ayres would not be the first or the last actor to get beguiled into doing something stupid and/or foolish by Lana Turner. A little bit of the devilish vixen that Lana gave us in The Postman Always Rings Twice is very present here. She's the main reason to watch Calling Dr. Kildare.

Of course it all works out because there has to be a next Kildare film. Unless Kildare were to lose his medical license and take up a career as an underground practitioner to the underworld.

Dr. Kildare is in trouble, and a brand new movie star can either save him or destroy him.

[mark.waltz · 5/10 · 4 January 2011]

That star is Lana Turner, making a guest appearance in the "Dr. Kildare" series a year after making a guest appearance in the "Andy Hardy" series. A lot has happened to her in the year since that Mickey Rooney vehicle, and what has erupted is the emergence of a beauty that is destined to shine in the Hollywood spotlight. Here, she is the sister of a hoodlum, shot mysteriously and in hiding after being accused of another killing. Dr. Kildare and Nurse Mary Lamont have been placed at a local clinic when Kildare is summoned to help a wounded patient. What he doesn't realize is that the patient has been shot. He agrees not to report the incident, but of course, the truth is revealed. At first, there is an antagonism between Kildare and Lamont, but it's apparent that both Dr. Gillespie (Lionel Barrymore) and salty nurse Molly Byrd (Alma Kruger) have set the two up, the old softies that they are. But with Kildare in trouble and obviously in danger of loosing his medical license, he has a lot to answer for. The only way out of this is to prove that Turner's brother is innocent.

A fast moving early entry of the fun medical drama has all of the elements of "General Hospital" and "The Doctors" would 30 years later. While each storyline had a beginning and an end, there were also some continuing plot developments that flowed from film to film. Turner is a lot prettier than she was in "Love Finds Andy Hardy", having had a lot of glamor added to her New York character. This film helped develop what would come as Turner went from starlet to young ingénue to young leading lady to superstar. Ayres and Barrymore continue their characters with great dignity and humour, while in this film, you get to know nurse Mary Lamont a lot better, and see more sides to crusty nurse Byrd. There's also typical comic relief from Nat Pendleton and future "Grandma Addams" Marie Blake (who would change her name to Blossom Rock for that TV show). As a whole, I enjoy the Dr. Kildare series more than MGM's two others, "Andy Hardy" and "Maisie", because their characters seem to be in more realistic situations than the others.

Dr. Kildare's Bad Judgement

[HotToastyRag · 4/10 · 19 October 2019]

In this second installment of the Dr. Kildare movie series-the Joel McCrea movie wasn't in the linear series-Lew Ayres finds himself adjusting to life in the big city after deciding to take the internship under the stern Dr. Gillespie, played by Lionel Barrymore. In case you don't remember what happened in the first movie, never fear. The first five minutes get you all caught up, with Lew's parents lamenting that he chose to be a big city intern rather than a small town doctor.

I didn't see these movies in order, so I was already used to the regular cast by the time I saw Calling Dr. Kildare. Nat Pendleton is the friendly, none-too-bright ambulance driver, Marie Blake is the telephone operator, Frank Orth is the owner of the hospital cafeteria restaurant, and Alma Kruger is Lionel's right-hand nurse. In this one, Lew is portrayed as a complete idiot with terrible judgement. He's a new intern, yet risks his medical license and jail time by treating a teenage hoodlum with a bullet wound without reporting the incident because Lana Turner turns his head and asks him not to. It was really hard to have any respect for him while watching him make bad decision after bad decision. While Laraine Day makes her first appearance in the series as Nurse Mary Lamont, it's frustrating to see Lew paying more attention to guest star Lana Turner than to the new nurse.

One cute part of the movie is the other guest star: little Bobs Watson as one of Lionel's patients. The same year as On Borrowed Time, Bobs and Lionel are together again, and Bobs is given one of his signature crying scenes as he tries to walk across the room without the brace on his damaged leg. He comes back in the sixth movie, 1940's Dr. Kildare's Crisis to show everyone how his leg is progressing, so be sure to rent that one, too!