“Don’t forget: to be a successful surgeon you need the eyes of a hawk, the heart of a lion, and the hands of a lady.”
![](http://filmfanatic.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Doctor-in-the-House-Poster-200x300.jpg)
Synopsis:
A naive doctor-in-training (Dirk Bogarde) and his classmates (Kenneth More, Donald Sinden, and Donald Houston) navigate through the challenges of medical school and dating.
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Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:
- College
- Comedy
- Dirk Bogarde Films
- Doctors and Nurses
Review:
I’ll admit to having little patience for this enormously popular British comedy (based on a novel by former doctor Richard Gordon), which broke box-office records and spawned no less than six cinematic sequels and a television series. Unfortunately, it’s little more than an extended situation comedy involving a cadre of not-too-likeable young medical students who are much more interested in having fun than gaining a solid footing in their future profession; Bogarde is nominally the sympathetic protagonist, but he doesn’t come across as much better (or more interesting) than his friends.
![](http://filmfanatic.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Doctor-in-the-House-Bogarde2-1024x793.png)
The humor is consistently lowbrow, and the episodic screenplay does little to hold our attention. The film’s only minor redeeming point is its willingness to show a diverse crowd of medical students on campus (including women and people of color):
![](http://filmfanatic.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Doctor-in-the-House-Students2-1024x790.png)
Unfortunately, none of the latter are given substantial roles, and the former are reduced to either sex objects or shrews. Call me a grump, but this one’s simply icky; I couldn’t wait for it to be over.
Redeeming Qualities and Moments:
Not much at all.
Must See?
No; feel free to skip this clunker.
Links:
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One thought on “Doctor in the House (1954)”
Not a must. First viewing.
Talented cast in rather a snore, really. Agreed: skip it.