In Calling Dr. Kildare, James Kildare is in even worse trouble than he was in "Young Dr. Kildare." This time, he's gotten involved with a young boy who was shot and is being sought for a murder he says he didn't commit. Kildare helps him and doesn't report the bullet wound to the police. That's one infraction. More heinous than that - he falls hook, line and sinker for Lana Turner! At this point, Jimmy is more or less juggling three women in his noncommittal fashion - except of course he's committed himself to the seductive Turner. There's Alice (Lynne Carver), pining away in Kildare's hometown - where she'll continue to pine - and the very pretty Mary Lamont (Laraine Day) who obviously is interested in him. On top of everything else, he has to deal with the irascible Dr. Gillespie (Lionel Barrymore) - it'll be a few years before he mellows out, and by then, James will have left the hospital.
I liked this one better than the first in the series. It is predicated on a realistic incident - the shooting - not necessarily the doctor sticking his neck out to help. And Laraine Day is a wonderful addition as Mary.
All in all, a good entry into the "Dr. Kildare" series with a future MGM star on hand.
I liked this one better than the first in the series. It is predicated on a realistic incident - the shooting - not necessarily the doctor sticking his neck out to help. And Laraine Day is a wonderful addition as Mary.
All in all, a good entry into the "Dr. Kildare" series with a future MGM star on hand.