Calling Dr. Kildare

Calling Dr. Kildare

Year: 1939

Runtime: 86 mins

Language: English

Director: Harold S. Bucquet

Drama

After a heated clash with his protégé, the irascible Dr. Gillespie sends Jimmy Kildare to a street clinic as a lesson. There Kildare meets nurse Mary Lamont and treats a gun‑shot wound of a local hoodlum. By refusing to file the report he lands in trouble, prompting Dr. Gillespie to rescue him.

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Timeline & Setting – Calling Dr. Kildare (1939)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Calling Dr. Kildare (1939). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

New York, Blair General Hospital, neighborhood dispensary

Set in New York, the story moves between the imposing Blair General Hospital and a nearby neighborhood dispensary. The hospital embodies formal medicine and strict procedure, while the dispensary represents street-level care and improvisation. The urban backdrop emphasizes the stakes of medical ethics, legal boundaries, and personal loyalties.

🏥 Hospital 🗽 City setting 🏙️ Urban life

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:24

Main Characters – Calling Dr. Kildare (1939)

Meet the key characters of Calling Dr. Kildare (1939), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Dr. James Kildare (Lew Ayres)

An earnest intern whose compassion often clashes with hospital rules. He chooses to treat Nick Lewett despite the police summons, driven by a belief in innocence and humane care. His actions push the ethical boundaries of medicine and spark growth under the mentorship of his superiors.

🧠 Doctor 💡 Idealist 🧭 Rebellious

Dr. Leonard Gillespie (Lionel Barrymore)

A crusty but brilliant senior diagnostician who challenges Kildare and orchestrates the internship’s test. He uses the dispensary assignment to sharpen Kildare’s judgment and warns him about the consequences of bending rules. Ultimately, he guides the team back toward medical integrity and professional growth.

🧓 Doctor 🎯 Mentor ⚖️ Authority

Nurse Mary Lamont (Laraine Day)

A capable nurse who becomes entangled in Gillespie's plan to monitor Kildare at the neighborhood dispensary. She admires Kildare's dedication but must balance personal feelings with professional duty. Her presence underscores the tension between affection and accountability in medical care.

👩‍⚕️ Nurse 💬 Informant ❤️ Complicated

Rosalie Lewett (Lana Turner)

Nick Lewett's sister, fiercely protective and willing to manipulate circumstances to save her brother. She solicits Kildare's help and hides the truth behind her motives, only confessing later to reveal her underlying intent. Her actions drive the plot’s emotional core and the collision of love and loyalty.

💖 Love interest 🤫 Secret-keeper 🕊️ Protective

Nick Lewett

A wounded young man wanted by police for a murder. His case drives Kildare to act outside standard procedure in the name of innocence. His ultimate exoneration hinges on uncovering Garson's true killer and clearing his name.

🧑‍⚖️ Accused 🩸 Wounded 🔎 Involved

Joe Wayman (Nat Pendleton)

An ambulance driver who becomes a crucial ally, aiding Kildare in steering the investigation and pushing Crandell to confess. His practical, no-nonsense approach helps move the plot toward truth and justice.

🚑 Ambulance Driver 🤝 Ally 🧰 Resourceful

Dr. Walter Carew (Walter Kingsford)

A respected physician at Blair General who provides professional support and contributes to the medical backdrop of the investigation. His interactions with Kildare and Gillespie help frame the clinical context of the story.

👨‍⚕️ Doctor 🤝 Colleague 🧭 Wise

Molly Byrd (Alma Kruger)

Head nurse who helps orchestrate Gillespie's plan to test the intern by using the dispensary setup. She balances authority with cooperation and plays a key role in guiding Kildare’s path back to Blair General.

🧑‍⚕️ Head Nurse 🎭 Strategist 🤝 Ally

Tom Crandell (Reed Hadley)

The man whose actions catalyze the central crime—his murder of Garson. Crandell’s involvement is revealed through Nick's case and Kildare's pursuit of truth, culminating in a confession that vindicates Nick.

🕵️‍♂️ Suspect 🎭 Villain 💥 Revelation

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:24

Major Themes – Calling Dr. Kildare (1939)

Explore the central themes of Calling Dr. Kildare (1939), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🩺 Medical Ethics

The film places medical care at the crossroads of compassion and law. Kildare's decision to treat Nick Lewett despite the police summons tests his judgment and the limits of professional duty. Gillespie uses this episode to probe whether a doctor can bend rules to seek the truth and heal a patient. The tension suggests that empathy must contend with accountability in medicine.

🔎 Justice and Truth

The investigation uncovers the real culprit behind the crime and Nick's arrest, highlighting how quick conclusions can derail justice within institutional settings. Crandell's confession and Nick's exoneration reveal the dangers of manipulated outcomes when officials pursue convenience over truth. The narrative emphasizes honesty and evidence as guardrails against wrongful punishment.

❤️ Romance and Duty

Kildare's attraction to Rosalie Lewett complicates his professional obligations and drives much of the emotional tension. Mary Lamont offers a steady counterbalance, embodying duty and moral clarity as she navigates competing loyalties. The plot uses romance to test priorities—love versus law, desire versus duty—leading to a more measured, truth-driven path.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:24

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Calling Dr. Kildare Summary

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Calling Dr. Kildare Summary

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Calling Dr. Kildare Timeline

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