Year: 1965
Runtime: 113 mins
Language: Spanish
Director: Miguel M. Delgado
A dedicated country doctor travels to the city to work at a metropolitan hospital just as a new clinic is being constructed in his hometown. While adapting to the busy urban environment, he spreads his deep care, compassion, humor and sharp wit, positively influencing both patients and colleagues with his gentle, humanistic approach.
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Read the complete plot breakdown of El señor doctor (1965), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened—and what it all means.
Salvador Medina Cantinflas is a country doctor who, noticing the rapid rise of new medical technologies, travels to Mexico City to intern at the Medical Center of the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS). He arrives ready to learn, but almost immediately runs into the rigid oversight of his supervisor and Head of Training, Dr. Miguel Villanueva Miguel Ángel Álvarez.
Salvador’s sense of humor and compassionate approach set him apart, and he soon finds himself drawn to Nurse Laura Villanueva Marta Romero, who is Dr. Villanueva’s sister. As he navigates the hospital culture, Salvador begins to earn trust by lifting patients’ spirits and showing genuine care, a contrast to the more clinical routines at IMSS and a gentle nod to the legacy of Dr. Kildare.
Among the patients he encounters are an elderly woman living with loneliness (Prudencia Grifell) Prudencia Grifell, a nearly completely bandaged patient Ramón Valdés, and another who cannot even feed himself Guillermo Bravo Sosa. Each case tests Salvador’s resolve and empathy, highlighting his belief that medicine is as much about restoring dignity as it is about healing bodies.
Then comes Beto, an eight-year-old boy facing a brain tumor. Salvador Pepito Velázquez is touched by Beto’s courage and curiosity, and he becomes deeply involved in the boy’s wellbeing, even though the treatment falls under the care of his pediatrician friend Dr. Pablo Montero Tony Carbajal. Beto’s parents are separated, and their disagreements cast a shadow over the child’s mood and hope.
Beto’s father Wolf Ruvinskis strongly opposes surgery, fearing that medical choices are nothing more than experiments on his son. He believes there might be another path and resists operations, which complicates the medical team’s plan. But as Beto’s condition deteriorates—he even loses his sight—Salvador makes a difficult choice: proceed with the operation despite the father’s objections, risking his own career for the child’s chance at life.
The surgery is a turning point. Salvador’s skill and persistence pay off, and Beto begins a hopeful recovery. In gratitude and recognition of Salvador’s work, a new hospital is inaugurated in Salvador’s hometown, with him at the helm. The patient’s family finds reconciliation as Beto’s parents mend fences and apologize to Salvador for their earlier tensions. Dr. Villanueva and Laura extend their professional and personal support, and Laura becomes Salvador’s girlfriend, sealing a future built on trust, care, and shared purpose.
In the end, Salvador’s commitment to holistic care, his courage to defy pressure when a child’s life is on the line, and his ability to bring healing to both patients and families bring a lasting transformation to the hospital—and to his own life.
Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 14:09
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