Doctor in Love

Plot

Dr Richard Hare is a recently graduated medical intern at St Swithins Hospital. When his new romantic interest, nurse Sally Nightingale, suddenly leaves the hospital, he is devastated. He also leaves after being offered a job in private practice. But when his senior partner, Dr Cardew, has to visit California for a few months, Hare is left in charge. Dr Nicola Barrington joins the practice and Hare is suddenly in love again.

The romance doesn't go well, especially when Sally re-appears and takes the job of practice secretary. Nicola is hurt and stalks off. She is replaced by Dr Tony Burke who proceeds to airily order expensive equipment that the practice cannot afford.

Hare struggles through various comedic and other complications, mainly steming from Burke's amorous attentions to female patients.

After enlisting Sir Lancelot Spratt's assistance to save a young dying boy, he diagnoses Spratt with appendicitis and decides to operate, despite Spratt's loud objections. He objects even more when Dr Burke fills in at the last moment as the anaesthetist. Despite Spratt's vociforous protestations, the operation is a success.

Hare in reunited with Nicola and returns to St Swithins.

Production

Dirk Bogarde did not want to make any more "doctor" films, so the filmmakers cast Michael Craig and Leslie Phillips as young doctors. Producer Betty Box later said the entire cast cost as much as Bogarde's current fee at that time.

She says "we all developed an affection for Doctor in Love. It was a gay, happy comedy which brought us into contact with some fine fresh talents."

The film features a visit to a strip tease club.

Reception

The film was the most popular movie at the British box office in 1960. Betty Box claimed it earned more than Doctor at Large. "We felt we'd pushed our luck to the nth degree and should now forget about doctors and medical students," she said. However three more films in the series would be made.