This is an almost quaint film from the World War II era when pseudo-psychology was all the rage. Alfred Hitchcock was to take it to the limits and turn it into an art form in his fabulous "Spellbound." Though this film has moments of hilarity there are also supposedly serious parts that today are unintentionally funny, for example, when Dr. Gillespie tells Roy Todwell's parents, "I'm sorry to say but your son is a mental case." Other parts of the flick hold up well and it is still worth seeing, especially if you are a fan of the series or if you are unfamiliar with the Max Brand Dr. Kildare/Dr. Gillespie stories, so popular in the late 30's and early 40's on both radio and the big screen.
The stories ran almost like a big soap opera with each one connected to the others in characters and many times even in plot. The entry following this one, "Dr. Gillespie's Criminal Case," is actually a continuation of "Calling Dr. Gillespie" with Roy Todwell now in prison but escaping and holding Dr. Gillespie and others hostage. As most readers know because of the hoopla it created in the media, Lew Ayres was dropped from the series as Dr. Kildare because he declared himself a conscientious objector and served as a medic in the war rather than as a soldier. Though "Calling Dr. Gillespie" ignores Lew Ayres, its sequel "Dr. Gillespie's Criminal Case" spotlights a dismembered survivor of Pearl Harbor who is depressed about his condition and hesitates about trying out his new pair of legs. Dr. Gillespie gives the veteran preferred treatment and makes a patriotic statement against the Japanese, even quoting the Bible. It's as if MGM was slapping Lew Ayres in the face and calling him a traitor, even though Dr. Kildare's name is not mentioned.
In "Calling Dr. Gillespie," the blend of romance, humor, the fatherly figure of Lionel Barrymore in a wheelchair (like our President at the time), murder and mayhem, and corn pone philosophy all seem to mesh and make the film a success. This was not true of its successor, "Dr. Gillespie's Criminal Case." So I recommend this film for those interested in the Dr. Kildare/Dr. Gillespie series. I do not recommend the sequel, though you may want to see it out of curiosity to learn how the story of Roy Todwell ends.
The stories ran almost like a big soap opera with each one connected to the others in characters and many times even in plot. The entry following this one, "Dr. Gillespie's Criminal Case," is actually a continuation of "Calling Dr. Gillespie" with Roy Todwell now in prison but escaping and holding Dr. Gillespie and others hostage. As most readers know because of the hoopla it created in the media, Lew Ayres was dropped from the series as Dr. Kildare because he declared himself a conscientious objector and served as a medic in the war rather than as a soldier. Though "Calling Dr. Gillespie" ignores Lew Ayres, its sequel "Dr. Gillespie's Criminal Case" spotlights a dismembered survivor of Pearl Harbor who is depressed about his condition and hesitates about trying out his new pair of legs. Dr. Gillespie gives the veteran preferred treatment and makes a patriotic statement against the Japanese, even quoting the Bible. It's as if MGM was slapping Lew Ayres in the face and calling him a traitor, even though Dr. Kildare's name is not mentioned.
In "Calling Dr. Gillespie," the blend of romance, humor, the fatherly figure of Lionel Barrymore in a wheelchair (like our President at the time), murder and mayhem, and corn pone philosophy all seem to mesh and make the film a success. This was not true of its successor, "Dr. Gillespie's Criminal Case." So I recommend this film for those interested in the Dr. Kildare/Dr. Gillespie series. I do not recommend the sequel, though you may want to see it out of curiosity to learn how the story of Roy Todwell ends.