Doctor Bull (1933)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

John Ford

Writers:

James Gould Cozzens (novel) and
Paul Green (adaptation)

Release Date:

22 September 1933 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

BACK BY REQUEST ! For those who missed it before...For those who want to see it again! (1936 re-issue poster)

Plot:

Doc Bull, a no-nonsense country doctor who has served his community for decades, fights small-town prejudice and provincialism in several crises.

Plot Keywords:

Doctor | Small Town | Widow | Medical | Paralysis

Cast

Will Rogers	...	Dr. George 'Doc' Bull
Vera Allen	...	Mrs. Janet 'Jane' Cardmaker, Widow of Charles Edward Cardmaker / Bull's Girlfriend
Marian Nixon	...	May Tupping - Telephone Operator
Howard Lally	...	Joe Tupping
Berton Churchill	...	Herbert Banning - Janet's Brother
Louise Dresser	...	Mrs. Herbert Banning
Andy Devine	...	Larry Ward, Sodajerk
Rochelle Hudson	...	Virginia (Muller) / Banning
Tempe Pigott	...	Grandma Banning
Elizabeth Patterson	...	Aunt Patricia Banning
Nora Cecil	...	Aunt Emily Banning
Ralph Morgan	...	Dr. Verney, Owner Verney Laboratory
Patsy O'Byrne	...	Susan - Dr. Bull's Cook
Veda Buckland	...	Mary - Janet's Maid
Effie Ellsler	...	Aunt Myra Bull

Runtime:

77 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #1287)

Company:

Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

In the book, there are discussions about abortion between Doctor Bull and Virginia Banning. These were dropped from the script after a complaint from the Hays Office. In the movie, there is just a vague notion she is pregnant. Also, the character of Larry Ward had a venereal disease in the book, but in the film he's just a hypochondriac.

Quotes:

Dr. George 'Doc' Bull: I ain't never hurt any of you kids, did I?
First schoolboy: No, you ain't done nothing but give us a lot of pills.
Second schoolboy: Yeah, my old man says that's all you can do.
Dr. George 'Doc' Bull: Oh, is that so? Wait till your old man gets sick again. see what happens to him.
Second schoolboy: He can beat you up!

Soundtrack:

Adeste Fideles (O Come, All Ye Faithful)

John Ford & Will Rogers: A Great Combination

Will Rogers stars in this little slice of Americana. He's the town's only doctor and a bit of a ladies' man. He's also the source of most of the local old maids' gossip. Which gives Will a great chance to use his special brand of humor to skewer the foibles of the human creature.

John Ford provides good atmosphere. This would be the first of 3 pictures he would make with Will. Rochelle Hudson shows why she was one of the prettiest actresses of the early '30's and Andy Devine is hilarious as a hypochondriac who is the bane of Doctor Bull's existence.