War Nurse

A small, diverse group of American women answer the urgent call to tend the wounded during World War I. They travel to France and convert an abandoned building into a functioning hospital under Mrs. Townsend's leadership. The setting is harsh, with medical care under front-line conditions. They brace for a grueling but essential assignment.

Joy Meadows, nearly nineteen, arrives amid teasing about her inexperience and privileged background. Barbara 'Babs' Whitney warmly welcomes her, helping her adjust to life in the field hospital. The nurses begin forming a makeshift family as they face the daily casualties. Joy's tender hopes for normalcy start to crystallize.

Lieutenant Wally O'Brien pursues Babs Whitney, bringing a complicated romance into the hospital’s rhythm. He also rescues and supports Babs after her bicycle accident, building a bond through care and camaraderie. The social life at the hospital becomes as volatile as the front lines.

Joy meets Robbie Neil, a wounded New York soldier, and a fragile romance blooms. She imagines a life beyond the hospital walls—marriage, a home, and children. The possibility of happiness provides a counterpoint to the grim realities around them.

As months pass, Joy's affection for Robbie deepens and she longs for their future together. Meanwhile, Wally’s persistent charm brings him closer to Babs, though she remains cautious. The hospital’s social web grows more tangled amid war.

Babs agrees to go out with Wally on his first leave since her arrival. At a party, two drunk men assault her, and Wally's protective instinct clashes with his reluctance to promise a serious relationship. The couple quarrel about the future, revealing the war’s strain on personal choices. They return to their quarters and see the fragility of their bond.

The morning after the fallout, Wally announces he will fly a mission over Germany. The news unsettles Babs and casts doubt on their volatile relationship. Joy and the others brace for the danger that accompanies every mission.

Joy is devastated when she learns Robbie is already married. The revelation shatters her romantic plans and forces her to confront the limits of happiness amid war. She begins to question her place in the hospital and what she can realistically expect.

Joy tries to stay by securing an unofficial position through her friend Babs, but the war’s realities intrude. During a move to a new location, the older nurse Kansas is killed by artillery, underscoring the constant threat. The medical team endures a terrifying disruption as the hospital relocates.

Joy's behavior in Paris becomes a public scandal, drawing Mrs. Townsend's attention. The pressure forces a choice: Joy is sent back to America, breaking her ties to the hospital. However, the idea of her leaving is complicated by her continued ties to the patients and staff.

Back at the hospital, Joy encounters Robbie as a patient and learns he has always loved her. He asks her to pray for him before dying, a devastating moment that shows how fragile life is in war. The emotional shock pushes Joy toward a breaking point.

The hospital endures a bombing raid, causing many deaths and chaos. Joy's world collapses as the staff scramble to save the wounded. The broader toll of the war becomes personal for everyone present.

Joy dies after delivering a son, a bittersweet twist that victims of the war must bear. Babs takes charge of the infant and contemplates naming him Wally in honor of the men who touched their lives. The war leaves a generation of women forever changed.

After the war, adult Wally is freed from a German POW camp and returns home. He tacitly admits he loves Babs, closing the circle of relationships formed during the conflict. Babs now faces motherhood and a complicated memory of the man she could have loved.