DOCTOR AT LARGE
UK, 1957, 92 minutes, Colour.
Dirk Bogarde, Muriel Pavlow, Donald Sinden, James Robertson Justice, Shirley Eaton, Derek Farr, Michael Medwin, Martin Benson, Edward Chapman, George Coulouris, Judith Furse, Gladys Henson, Anne Heywood, Ernest Jay, Lionel Jeffries, Mervyn Johns, Geoffrey Keen, A.E. Matthews, Guy Middleton, Barbara Murray, Dandy Nichols, Nicholas Phipps, Noel Purcell, Athene Seyler, Ernest Thesiger.
Directed by Ralph Thomas.
One of a series of very successful comedies. Most of these screen plays were written by the actor Nicholas Phipps who appears in most of them. He adapted the very popular novels by Richard Gordon about life in training for being a doctor and in medical practice in England in the fifties. They were a forerunner also of the rather more vulgar 'Carry On' series.
Dirk Bogarde starred in most of the films although in Doctor in Love, the star was Michael Craig and Leslie Phillips also took over in Doctor in Clover. The young Kenneth More, Donald Sinden, Donald Houston are all very vigorous support for Dirk Bogarde.
Many English character actors and actresses have supporting roles, especially James Robertson Justice as Sir Lancelot Spratt, a role he was to repeat in many of the other films. The production team of Betty Box and Ralph Thomas was responsible for the whole series. Doctor in the House is better than its successors. It is very entertaining British comedy of the fifties style.
1. The qualities of British comedy? The styles used in this film, its impact on the audience of the fifties, influence on later British comedies, especially the 'Carry On' series?
2. The colour, music, breezy style and atmosphere?
3. Audience response to the comedy routines: to students and their attitude towards studies, relationships? To the hospital way of life, humorous side, accidents? The wit of the dialogue, the humour of the situations?
4. The focus on sentiment especially with the character or Simon, his ambitions, study, relationship with Joy, the delivery and the mother calling the baby after him? The blend of sentiment and comedy in the British style?
5. Comment on the British tone of the film: its picture of English society in the fifties, London, youth and study, the various cross-sections of people presented for example the patients, landladies and their daughters, nurses and doctors? The comedy within the traditions of British comedy?
6. The popularity of Doctor stories? Doctor Sparrow and his personality? Dirk Bogarde’s style? The aloof tone? His relationship with Joy, failing to see that she was in love with him? Seeing her as a friend? His friendship with Benskin, Benskin’s ambitions, jobs, failures? The interactions with Sir Lancelot Spratt, the mistakes? His being spurned by Spratt? Calling him in the middle of the night for the patient with the metal inside? Spratt overhearing him, offering him the job as a surgeon? His relationship with Nan, going out, staying the night at the hotel, the pretence? His clashes with Bingham – and his reaction when Bingham was engaged to Nan?
7. His supplying in the countryside, the country doctor and his demands? The various other doctors and placements? With Doctor Potter-Shine? The maharajah, the over-emotional woman? His forgetting his duties? His finally talking to the woman preparing for the operation? His sincerity? Spratt overhearing him, offering him the job – and his rushing off instead of properly proposing to Joy?
8. Sir Lancelot Spratt, his style, pomposity, with patients, with staff? The examinations? Bingham and the elephants? His reaction to the man with the metal, his telling off Simon, overhearing his remarks, allowing him to go to surgery?
9. The variety of doctors: Doctor Potter-Shine?, with fashionable patients, the hysterical woman, the maharajah and the exercises, going to golf? With Doctor Hackett in the country? Doctor Hackett’s wife and her attitude? The various jobs? The other doctors?
10. The other doctors, Bingham and his earnestness, wanting his job? Research? Benskin, his hopes, his inheritance – but leaving the money to the hospital?
11. The variety of supporting characters, Wilkins and his wife and her wanting her medicine, Simon not giving it, her collapse, the clash with her husband? Emerald and her wanting to be an actress, working for Doctor Potter-shine? The various doctors and the examinations, Joy and her wearing the glasses – and making the mistake?
12. Pascoe, his operation, the instruments inside him – madness, comedy?
13. The Duke of Skye, with Simon, his exercise? The contrast with Lady Hawkins? Her buying the racehorses, giving Benskin an opportunity?
14. The popularity of these films in the 1950s – and the forerunners to the Carry On series?
