''Bedside Manner'' is a 1945 American film directed by

Andrew L. Stone Andrew L. Stone (July 16, 1902 – June 9, 1999) was an Americans, American screenwriter, film director and producer. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for the film ''Julie (1956 film), Julie'' in 1957 and re ...

, based on a 1944 ''

Saturday Evening Post ''The Saturday Evening Post'' is an American magazine, currently published six times a year. It was issued weekly under this title from 1897 until 1963, then every two weeks until 1969. From the 1920s to the 1960s, it was one of the most widely c ...

'' story of the same name by Robert Carson. The film was re-released in 1950 under the title ''Her Favorite Patient''.

Plot summary

Plastic surgeon Dr. Hedy Fredericks (

Ruth Hussey Ruth Carol Hussey (October 30, 1911 – April 19, 2005) was an American actress best known for her Academy Award-nominated role as photographer Elizabeth Imbrie in '' The Philadelphia Story''. Early life Hussey was born in Providence, Rhode I ...

) picks up three hitchhiking Marines, Tommy (Joel McGinnis), Dick (John James), and Harry (

Frank Jenks Frank Jenks (November 4, 1902 – May 13, 1962) was an acid-voiced American supporting actor of stage and films. Biography Early years Jenks was born in Des Moines, Iowa, and his mother gave him a trombone when he was 9 years old. By his ...

) (who all have Smith as their last name), while driving home to

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

. On the way she makes a quick stop in her birth town of Blithewood, and is appalled by the way the town has changed since she left it years ago. The whole town now has a large defense plant with the population having grown dramatically. Hedy runs into a man she believes is her childhood friend Smedley Hoover during her short visit, but it is in fact a test pilot named Morgan Hale (

John Carroll John Carroll may refer to: People Academia and science *Sir John Carroll (astronomer) (1899–1974), British astronomer *John Alexander Carroll (died 2000), American history professor *John Bissell Carroll (1916–2003), American cognitive sci ...

). Her meeting with Morgan makes his date, Lola Cross (

Ann Rutherford Therese Ann Rutherford (November 2, 1917 – June 11, 2012) was a Canadian-born American actress in film, radio, and television. She had a long career starring and co-starring in films, playing Polly Benedict during the 1930s and 1940s in the An ...

) so jealous that she stands him up. Hedy also meets with her uncle, Dr. J.H ”Doc” Fredericks (

Charles Ruggles Charles Sherman Ruggles (February 8, 1886 – December 23, 1970) was an American comic character actor. In a career spanning six decades, Ruggles appeared in close to 100 feature films, often in mild-mannered and comic roles. He was also the e ...

), who in vain tries to persuade her into staying and sharing his practice. She also visits another childhood friend named Stella Livingston (

Renee Godfrey Renee Godfrey (born Renee Vera Haal; September 1, 1919 – May 24, 1964) was an American stage and motion picture actress and singer. Early life Godfrey was born September 1, 1919, in New York, with Dutch and French ancestry as the daughter o ...

), who is in need of plastic surgery after an accident at the defense plant. Hedy performs the surgery on her friend’s face, and then she goes out to the local hang-out with the three Smiths later in the night. There they meet Morgan, Lola, and a beautiful Russian pilot named Tanya (

Claudia Drake Claudia Drake (born Olga Gloria Fishbine, January 30, 1918 – October 19, 1997) was an American actress and singer. At age 5, Drake and her sister Ella (age 8) formed the La Marr sisters, and the duo performed in vaudeville. When she was older, ...

). A series of complications occurs, leading to Morgan pursuing Tanya and Lola going out with Harry Smith. Morgan is still angry at Hedy for breaking up his date earlier, but they make up after he crashes his plane during a test flight and Hedy is the one to treat him afterwards. The next day though, Hedy heads for Chicago after taking Morgan’s stitches out, much to his disappointment. Desperate to get Hedy to stay, Morgan chases her in his car, but crashes again, leading to Hedy having to treat him again. The next day, Morgan has another condition in need of treatment, and Hedy continues treating him. She spends a lot of time with Morgan, but doesn’t realize her feelings for him until Morgan stays out all night with Lola, and she gets jealous. Her uncle reveals that he and Morgan have been in on a plan to get her to stay in town. Furious, Hedy starts treating Morgan with a series of very unpleasant and rough sine cures, trying to make him expose himself as a fraud. Then she tries to leave for Chicago one more time, but slips on an ice cube from one of her rough treatments and is knocked unconscious. When she wakes up, she confesses her love for Morgan and they have their first kiss.

Cast

as Morgan Hale *

as Dr. Hedy Fredericks, MD *

as Dr. J.H. "Doc" Fredericks *

as Lola Cross *

Esther Dale Esther Dale (November 10, 1885 – July 23, 1961) was an American actress of the stage and screen. Early years Dale was born in Beaufort, South Carolina. She attended Leland and Gray Seminary in Townshend, Vermont. In Berlin, Germany, she stud ...

as Martha Gravitt * Grant Mitchell as Mr. Pope *

as Pvt. Harry Smith *

Vera Marshe Vera Marshe (July 15, 1905 – March 25, 1984) was an American film and television character actress. Biography Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on July 15, 1905. She began her career by appearing in a number of short films during the 30 ...

as Mrs. Mary Hastings *

as Tanya Punchinskaya *

as Stella Livingston *Joel McGinnis as Pvt Tommy Smith *John James as Pfc. Dick Smith *

Bert Roach Egbert "Bert" Roach (August 21, 1891 – February 16, 1971) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 320 films between 1914 and 1951. He was born in Washington, D.C., and died in Los Angeles, California, age 79. Selected filmogra ...

as George Hastings

External links

* * *

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bedside Manner 1945 films 1945 comedy films American comedy films American black-and-white films Films based on short fiction Films directed by Andrew L. Stone United Artists films 1940s English-language films 1940s American films