''Dr. Kildare's Wedding Day'' is a 1941 American

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. The drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular ...

directed by Harold S. Bucquet and starring

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 Fro ...

, Lionel Barrymore, and Laraine Day. It is the eighth of a total of nine Dr. Kildare pictures made by the

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, commonly shortened to MGM or MGM Studios) is an American Film production, film and television production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered ...

. 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 Bernard Skelton (July 18, 1913September 17, 1997) was an American entertainer best known for his national old-time radio, radio and television shows between 1937 and 1971, especially as host of the television program ''The Red Skelto ...

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''), Wagner-Werk-Verzeichnis, WWV 86B, is the second of the four epic poetry, epic music dramas that constitute Richard Wagner's Literary cycle, cycle ''Der Ring des Nibelungen'' (English: ''The Ring of the Nibelung''). It was ...

'', 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 is the most dangerous type of skin cancer; it develops from the melanin-producing cells known as melanocytes. It typically occurs in the skin, but may rarely occur in the mouth, intestines, or eye (uveal melanoma). In very rare case ...

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 before Dr.

Walter Reed Walter Reed (September 13, 1851 – November 23, 1902) was a United States Army, 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 ...

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 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

as Dr. James Kildare * Lionel Barrymore as Dr. Leonard Gillespie * Laraine Day 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, Kruger had a long career on stage before appearing in films. From 1907 to 1935, she featured in theatre plays on Broadway, ...

as Molly Byrd * Samuel S. Hinds 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 1881 – 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 L ...

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, writer, director and producer in the post-war period of early British cinema during the 1920s to mid-1930s, as well as a playwright an ...

as Dr. John F. Lockberg * Nell Craig as Nurse Parker * Frank Orth as Mike Ryan * George H. Reed as Conover * Marie Blake as Sally * Margaret Seddon as Mrs. Bartlett * Olive Blakeney as Mrs. Worth

References

External links

*
''Dr. Kildare's Wedding Day'' at AllMovie
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Doctor Kildare's Wedding Day 1941 films 1941 drama films American black-and-white films American drama films Films about surgeons 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