''Dr. Kildare's Wedding Day'' is a 1941 American drama film directed by Harold S. Bucquet, starring Lew Ayres, Lionel Barrymore, and Laraine Day. It is the eighth of a total of nine

Dr. Kildare Dr. James Kildare is a fictional American medical doctor, originally created in the 1930s by the author Frederick Schiller Faust under the pen name Max Brand. Shortly after the character's first appearance in a magazine story, Paramount Pictur ...

pictures made by the MGM studios. When MGM decided to move up-and-coming star Laraine Day out of the "Dr. Kildare" series, the studio did so in a startlingly dramatic fashion.''Dr. Kildare's Wedding Day''
Allmovie.com Adding extra interest to this film in the Kildare series, Barrymore composed the music credited to the Cornelia Bartlett character, and actor

Red Skelton Richard Red Skelton (July 18, 1913September 17, 1997) was an American entertainer best known for his national radio and television shows between 1937 and 1971, especially as host of the television program ''The Red Skelton Show''. He has stars ...

provides comic relief.

Plot summary

Dr. James Kildare is finally marrying nurse Mary Lamont and everyone at Blair General Hospital in New York is preparing for the wedding. The wedding engenders mixed feelings in his mentor, the gruff Dr. Leonard Gillespie, who realizes his protégé will have less time for him. Worried about his mood, superintendent of nurses Molly Byrd urges Gillespie to find a diversion to take his mind off Kildare. While attending a performance of ''

Die Walküre (; ''The Valkyrie''), WWV 86B, is the second of the four music dramas that constitute Richard Wagner's ''Der Ring des Nibelungen'' (English: ''The Ring of the Nibelung''). It was performed, as a single opera, at the National Theatre Munich on ...

'', Gillespie is invited to meet the conductor, Maestro Labardi, and notices that he has a physical problem. The next day Labardi comes to Gillespie for an examination. The maestro tells Gillespie that he is losing his hearing and the doctor becomes determined to help him save his career. Gillespie, who has been struggling with

melanoma Melanoma, also redundantly known as malignant melanoma, is a type of skin cancer that develops from the pigment-producing cells known as melanocytes. Melanomas typically occur in the skin, but may rarely occur in the mouth, intestines, or eye ( ...

for several years, is so intrigued by the case that he cancels a stay with his cancer specialist, Dr. Lockberg, who contacts Kildare at his wedding rehearsal in Connecticut. Kildare returns immediately and shames Gillespie into completing his appointment. While Mary continues with the wedding preparations, Kildare and Gillespie both try to solve Labardi's loss of hearing. Kildare must miss a surprise party for his stag night, so Mary goes instead. Tragically and unexpectedly, she is struck by a truck when she steps into the street with her mind on her happiness instead of traffic. Kildare rushes to her side when told of her accident and arrives just before she dies. Her last words: "This is going to be much easier for me than it is for you. Poor, sweet Jimmy.” Kildare is devastated and unable to continue his work. Gillespie, after a month at Lockberg's clinic, receives a call from Kildare's badly worried father. Gillespie decides to immerse Kildare in the Labardi case to take his mind off Mary's death. Kildare sees Gillespie in his mentor's childhood home and is told the story of a composer, Cornelia Bartlett, with whom Gillespie was in love years ago. She died from

yellow fever Yellow fever is a viral disease of typically short duration. In most cases, symptoms include fever, chills, loss of appetite, nausea, muscle pains – particularly in the back – and headaches. Symptoms typically improve within five days. In ...

before Dr.

Walter Reed Walter Reed (September 13, 1851 – November 22, 1902) was a U.S. Army physician who in 1901 led the team that confirmed the theory of Cuban doctor Carlos Finlay that yellow fever is transmitted by a particular mosquito species rather than b ...

could find a cure for it. It was Reed who convinced Gillespie to focus on medicine instead of his loss. Kildare reluctantly agrees to return to the hospital for a week, just to help out on the Labardi case. He has a breakthrough on the case, diagnosing a

Vitamin B1 Thiamine, also known as thiamin and vitamin B1, is a vitamin, an essential micronutrient, that cannot be made in the body. It is found in food and commercially synthesized to be a dietary supplement or medication. Phosphorylated forms of thia ...

deficiency caused by his diet as the source of the impaired hearing. They treat the condition and soon his problems are resolved. Kildare and Gillespie attend a concert where Labardi conducts music written by Cornelia. In a winking bit of cinematic self-reference, after the concert Gillespie can't help but mention that he might have helped Cornelia write the musical score. Kildare is convinced to go on with his life and career as a physician.

Cast

Lew Ayres Lewis Frederick Ayres III (December 28, 1908 – December 30, 1996) was an American actor whose film and television career spanned 65 years. He is best known for starring as German soldier Paul Bäumer in the film '' All Quiet on the Western Fr ...

as Dr. James Kildare *

Lionel Barrymore Lionel Barrymore (born Lionel Herbert Blythe; April 28, 1878 – November 15, 1954) was an American actor of stage, screen and radio as well as a film director. He won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in ''A Free Soul'' (1931) ...

as Dr. Leonard Gillespie *

Laraine Day Laraine Day (born La Raine Johnson, October 13, 1920 – November 10, 2007) was an American actress, radio and television commentator, and former Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) contract star. As a leading lady, she was paired opposite major film sta ...

as Mary Lamont *

as Vernon Briggs *

Alma Kruger Alma Kruger (September 13, 1871 – April 5, 1960) was an American actress. Career Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1871 (or 1868 according to other sources), Kruger had a long career on stage before appearing in films. From 1907 to 1935 ...

as Molly Byrd *

Samuel S. Hinds Samuel Southey Hinds (April 4, 1875 – October 13, 1948) was an American actor and former lawyer. He was often cast as kindly authority figures and appeared in more than 200 films until his death. Early years Hinds was born in Brooklyn, New Y ...

as Dr. Stephen Kildare *

Nils Asther Nils Anton Alfhild Asther (17 January 1897 – 19 October 1981)Swedi ...

as Constanzo Labardi *

Walter Kingsford Walter Kingsford (born Walter Pearce; 20 September 1882 – 7 February 1958) was an English stage, film and television actor. Early years Kingsford was born in Redhill, Surrey, England. Career Kingsford began his acting career on the Lo ...

as Dr. Walter Carew *

Emma Dunn Emma Dunn (26 February 1875 – 14 December 1966) was an English actress. After starting her acting career on stage in London, she became known for her works in numerous films and Broadway productions. Career Emma Dunn appeared onstage in ...

as Mrs. Martha Kildare *

Miles Mander Miles Mander (born Lionel Henry Mander; 14 May 1888 – 8 February 1946), was an English character actor of the early Hollywood cinema, also a film director and producer, and a playwright and novelist. He was sometimes credited as Luther Mile ...

as Dr. John F. Lockberg *

Nell Craig Nell Craig (June 13, 1891 – January 5, 1965) was an American actress. Partial filmography * '' The Triflers'' (1920) * ''The Desperate Hero'' (1920) * ''Passion's Playground'' (1920) * ''Her First Elopement'' (1920) * ''The Queen of Sheba'' ...

as Nurse Parker *

Frank Orth Frank Orth (February 21, 1880 – March 17, 1962) was an American actor born in Philadelphia. He is probably best remembered for his portrayal of Inspector Faraday in the 1951-1953 television series '' Boston Blackie''. Career By 1897, Ort ...

as Mike Ryan * George H. Reed as Conover *

Marie Blake Edith Marie Blossom MacDonald (August 21, 1895 – January 14, 1978), also known as Blossom Rock, was an American actress of vaudeville, stage, film and television. During her career she was also billed as Marie Blake or Blossom MacDonald. He ...

as Sally *

Margaret Seddon Margaret Seddon (November 18, 1872 – April 17, 1968) was an American stage and film actress. Biography She appeared in more than 100 films between 1915 and 1951. Her most memorable role was perhaps as one of The Pixilated Sisters, a come ...

as Mrs. Bartlett *

Olive Blakeney Olive Blakeney (August 21, 1894 October 21, 1959) was an American actress. Early years Blakeney was born in Kentucky and attended the Cincinnati School of Expression. Career Blakeney played as a super in visiting stage shows at $1 per perfor ...

as Mrs. Worth

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Doctor Kildare's Wedding Day 1941 films 1941 drama films American black-and-white films American drama films Films directed by Harold S. Bucquet Films scored by Bronisław Kaper Films set in New York City Films set in Connecticut Films set in hospitals Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films 1940s English-language films 1940s American films

Plot summary

Cast

See also

References

External links