The life of physicians in the police ward of a metropolitan hospital provide the string for this sometimes interesting but slow-moving drama which takes a while to get off the ground. The mysterious girl in 419 is none other than Gloria Stuart, that beloved old lady from 1997's "Titanic", and here, she is as troubled as the younger version of that character. She's the victim of a brutal beating and her story becomes a mystery for her physicians (James Dunn and David Manners) who become engrossed in her case.
There's an interesting structure surrounding this with the wise-cracking telephone operator (Kitty Kelly) whose glib persona provides the film's only humor. The other attempt at humor comes with the over-the-top Billy Gilbert whose constant attempts to sneeze (as usual for him) is interrupted by his heavily accented "No feel da tickle". There's also the various "slice of life" moments, such as one moment where a patient leaves the hospital, thanking the doctors for such fine care, and their comment on how they only saved him for the electric chair. The operation scene on Stuart is interrupted by a sudden blast of gunfire and the determination of the doctors to continue while trying to ignore what is going on. This leads to a somewhat shocking moment for the two workers at the hospital in the midst of stealing a romantic moment together that is for some reason left open without conclusion.
Dunn and Manners are such opposite actors that their teaming seems a bit off the beam. With the exception of the last half of the film, Stuart spends much of her time comatose, so this isn't an opportunity for her to shine, although she certainly is lovely. Yet, this is such a rare find that if you are lucky enough to catch a viewing of it, you won't want to miss it.
There's an interesting structure surrounding this with the wise-cracking telephone operator (Kitty Kelly) whose glib persona provides the film's only humor. The other attempt at humor comes with the over-the-top Billy Gilbert whose constant attempts to sneeze (as usual for him) is interrupted by his heavily accented "No feel da tickle". There's also the various "slice of life" moments, such as one moment where a patient leaves the hospital, thanking the doctors for such fine care, and their comment on how they only saved him for the electric chair. The operation scene on Stuart is interrupted by a sudden blast of gunfire and the determination of the doctors to continue while trying to ignore what is going on. This leads to a somewhat shocking moment for the two workers at the hospital in the midst of stealing a romantic moment together that is for some reason left open without conclusion.
Dunn and Manners are such opposite actors that their teaming seems a bit off the beam. With the exception of the last half of the film, Stuart spends much of her time comatose, so this isn't an opportunity for her to shine, although she certainly is lovely. Yet, this is such a rare find that if you are lucky enough to catch a viewing of it, you won't want to miss it.