Tonight's Movie: Wife, Doctor and Nurse (1937)
Two years before starring in WIFE, HUSBAND AND FRIEND (1939), Loretta Young and Warner Baxter appeared in WIFE, DOCTOR AND NURSE (1937). However, the two films have nothing in common other than the same lead actors and similar titles.
WIFE, DOCTOR AND NURSE is a predictable but entertaining tale of a young Park Avenue miss (Young) who marries her doctor (Baxter), only to feel her marriage is threatened by the doctor's ultra-loyal nurse, improbably named "Steve" (Virginia Bruce).
There are countless scenes where the doctor answers a ringing phone only to learn he must leave his wife -- again -- in order to return to Victory Hospital. (Love the name!) The wife's a good sport about it all, even though the doctor and Steve forget all about her when work calls, until she learns Steve loves the doctor too. The doctor loves his beautiful young wife, but can't function without Steve by his side. What to do?
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I also had to chuckle at the idea the women could sober up the completely "smashed" doctor well enough he could perform surgery within a short period of time. Apparently they didn't worry much about malpractice suits in the '30s, at least in the movies!
The cast do what they can with the light material. Baxter was considerably older than his leading lady, but the effervescent Young makes the viewer believe that she's head over heels for the doctor. Bruce does a good job in her role as a nurse who inappropriately crosses boundaries with her employer.
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The film would make a great double bill paired with WIFE VS. SECRETARY (1936), which starred Clark Gable, Myrna Loy, and Jean Harlow -- who, like "Steve," was a valued employee with an unfeminine name, "Whitey." One could write an entire essay on the meanings behind that angle alone! WIFE VS. SECRETARY next airs on Turner Classic Movies on March 22, 2011.
The supporting cast includes Jane Darwell, Elisha Cook Jr., Sidney Blackmer, and Minna Gombell. Alert viewers will spot Lynn Bari with a couple of lines as a party guest. June Gale, who later married Oscar Levant, plays a nurse.
WIFE, DOCTOR AND NURSE was directed by Walter Lang. Kathryn Scola, who cowrote the screenplay with Lamar Trotti, wrote last weekend's movie, THE CONSTANT NYMPH (1943).
The movie was filmed in black and white by Edward Cronjager. The costumes were designed by Gwen Wakeling. The movie is 85 minutes long.
WIFE, DOCTOR AND NURSE was released by 20th Century-Fox, so it may show up in the future on Fox Movie Channel.
2 Comments:
As a fan of both Baxter and Young, I'd love to see this - not much chance of TCM in the UK ever showing it, I suspect, but maybe it will come out on DVD in the future? Very interesting to read about it, anyway!
Hi Judy! There's rumors 20th Century-Fox may join the made-to-order DVD business in coming months, so perhaps there's hope that we'll have access to more Young and Baxter movies in the future. :)
Best wishes,
Laura
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