Doctor in Love (1960)

User Rating:

5.5/10   

Director:

Ralph Thomas

Writers:

Richard Gordon (novel)
Nicholas Phipps (screenplay)

Release Date:

7 November 1960 (Denmark)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Doctors Burke and Hare leave the confines of St Swithins for the world of general practice, stopping...

Plot Keywords:

Sequel | Based On Novel | Independent Film

Cast

Michael Craig	...	Dr. Richard Hare
James Robertson Justice	...	Sir Lancelot Spratt
Virginia Maskell	...	Dr Nicola Barrington
Carole Lesley	...	Kitten Strudwick
Leslie Phillips	...	Dr. Tony Burke
Reginald Beckwith	...	Wildewinde
Joan Sims	...	Dawn
Liz Fraser	...	Leonora
Nicholas Phipps	...	Dr. Clive Cardew
Ambrosine Phillpotts	...	Lady Spratt
Irene Handl	...	Professor MacRitchie
Fenella Fielding	...	Mrs. Tadwich
Nicholas Parsons	...	Dr. Roger Hinxman
Moira Redmond	...	Sally Nightingale
Ronnie Stevens	...	Harold Green

Runtime:

USA:93 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) (1987)

Filming Locations:

Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Rank Organisation, The

Trivia:

First cinema film of John Junkin.

Movie Connections:

Follows Doctor at Sea (1955)

Soundtrack:

Doctor in Love

A real tonic

This, the third sequel to Doctor In The House, Doctor In Love, sees the temporary absence of Dirk Bogarde's Simon Sparrow (he returned for Doctor In Distress); instead chief medical duties fall to Michael Craig's Doctor Hare, an equally young and inexperienced young Doctor.

In truth, though Craig is a likeable leading man, his role is largely dispensable as the main centre of interest is, (for me anyway) the wonderful comic cast gathered for this movie. You can't help feeling sorry for Craig, as he shares scenes with such great scene-stealers as Leslie Philips (in his `Doctor' debut as the aptly named Doctor Burke), Irene Handle, Joan Sims and Liz Fraser. The last two (together with Philips) were at the time mainstays of the `Carry On' films and help bring a touch of sauce to the proceedings.

Of course, no mention of the cast could ignore the great James Robinson Justice, once again playing Sir Lancelot Spratt. Though off-screen for quite awhile, his scenes are the most memorable of the movie and, as always, he never fails to make me laugh out loud.

Doctor In Love isn't perfect, for example I found it hard to sit through the song that plays through the opening credits without feeling slightly embarrassed (it's awful!). Also you can't fail to notice that there doesn't seem to be any plot to speak of, more a collection of sketches (there is a romantic interest, played by the very lovely Virginia Maskell of Only Two Can Play fame, but she's introduced pretty late in the movie). But these are minor flaws.

It's true that compared to contemporary comedies, Doctor In Love is obviously from a more innocent age, but if your willing to give it a try, it remains perfect Sunday afternoon viewing.