DR KILDARE’S VICTORY

US, 1942, 92 minutes, Black aand white.
Lew Ayres, Lionel Barrymore, Ann Ayars, Robert Sterling, Jean Rogers, Alma Kruger, Walter Kingsford, Nell Craig, Marie Blake, Frank Orth, Barry Nelson.
Directed by W.S. Van Dyke.

Dr Kildare’s Victory was the last of the Dr Kildare films with Lew Ayres – he became a conscientious objector during World War Two and was dropped from the series. His actions are criticised in subsequent Dr Gillespie films.

The film takes up with the aftermath of the death of Dr Kildare’s fiancée, Mary, played by Laraine Day. He goes into exile and everybody makes an effort to bring him back into his old self as well as his work at Blair Hospital.

The victory, however, refers to the turf wars between two hospitals and the regulations.

A young doctor, played by Robert Sterling, picks up an accident victim (Ann Ayars as a socialite) and takes her to Blair Hospital when he should have taken her to a nearer hospital. This leads to his dismissal, the dismissal of his fiancée, one of the nurses, Jean Rogers. Dr Kildare takes up their cause, pleads it with Lionel Barrymore who tends to agree with the administrator, Dr Carew, that it is a breach of regulations.

Eventually Dr Kildare, who becomes the object of affection for the injured woman, is able to get her to put an article in the newspaper by her journalist friend and manager. This embarrasses the board – and the proper decisions are made about patients.

The film has the usual supporting cast in their entertaining ways (especially Molly Byrd and her cigarette hunt and rolling cigarettes for Dr Gillespie). Unfortunately Nat Pendleton as Joe is missing this time.

The film was directed by W.S. Van Dyke, whereas most of the films were directed by Harold S. Bucquet.

1. The popularity of the series? The number of films? The character of Dr Kildare? Dr Gillespie? The staff at the hospital? Audience interest in hospital films? 1940s style?

2. The black and white photography, Blair Hospital, New York City? Atmosphere? Musical score?

3. The context of the story? The death of Mary? Jimmy Kildare’s being upset? Distancing himself from the hospital and his work? His character, his generosity? With the young interns? His friendship with Don Winthrop? The situation with Don picking up Cookie Charles? Taking her to Blair instead of to Emerson? Annabelle and her helping? The relationship between Don and Annabelle? The repercussions? Dr Kildare becoming involved? His meeting with Cookie? Her flirting with him? His response? Her agent and his visits? The discussions with Dr Gillespie? Dr Kildare and his pleading with the board? His arguments? Failure? His decision about the article in the paper, the consequences? His success? A finale to the portrait of Dr Kildare?

4. Dr Gillespie, Lionel Barrymore and his usual grumpiness? His fondness for Jimmy? In the hospital staff, Molly Byrd and the antagonism, the cigarettes? His reaction to Dr Winthrop? Dr Carew and the board? The regulations? His standing by them? The discussions with Dr Kildare? The aftermath with the article, the reasonable regulations? A success for Dr Gillespie?

5. Dr Winthrop, young, enthusiastic, the attraction to Annabelle? The meetings? The proposal? His picking up Cookie, bringing her to the hospital? The objections of the driver? His decision that this was the right thing? The consequences, the interviews, his being fired? Annabelle and her keeping to the rules – and the man taken to Emerson, dead on arrival? Her being fired? Their cause being taken up by Dr Kildare? The happy ending?

6. Samuel Cutter, the interlude with his arrival in the hospital, his being drunk, abusive and aggressive? The reaction of Dr Kildare? His later return, apologies?

7. Cookie, society, the raffle, her injury, the hospital, with Dr Kildare, with Dr Gillespie? Her agent? Her doing the good deed – and her flirtatious farewell?

8. The usual characters in the hospital, audience familiarity and enjoyment, Molly Byrd and her bossing people around, Dr Gillespie included, her stooges, her good nature? Dr Carew and his administration? Nurse Parker and her forever being told off by Dr Gillespie? Sally at the switchboard?

9. The continued entertainment value of this series?