3 Men in White (1944)

A Disappointing Continuation

Blending excellent reporting and strong storytelling, this is a disturbing film truly stranger than fiction

Mostly, the movie is committed to the value of a good time.

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

This is the third entry in the Dr. Kildare series in which Van Johnson and Keye Luke play residents vying to be Dr. Gillespie's assistant. Several other people have mentioned this, and I noticed it before I read anything here, so I don't feel bad mentioning it again. Did anybody else see the parallels between this film and House, M.D.? Think about it. A brilliant diagnostician with a foul disposition (Barrymore as Dr. Leonard Gillespie) and a crippling disability is ordered to get an assistant and makes it a competition among the hospital's best and brightest, with Red Adams (Van Johnson) and Dr. Lee (Keye Luke) being the finalists. Was Molly Byrd, head nurse and Dr. Gillespie's oldest friend who bears Gillespie's grouchiness and insults with humor, in fact a model for Wilson? There are the usual interesting medical cases interspersed with the personal dilemmas of the staff - mainly Red - that comprise the drama. One interesting thing to notice is how the war is brought into the film, in statements that seem over the top and even a bit silly today. For example, even though Keye Luke has been in previous films in this series, it is again stressed at the beginning of the film that he is Chinese, just so nobody thinks there might be anybody of Japanese descent in the cast. Both residents mention how they want the assistantship to Gillespie so they will have a leg up going into the medical corps. At this point the war is almost over. Where have they been all of these years? A very young and lovely Ava Gardner shows up where you least expect her, and she is a woman of mystery to Red. Is Red falling for her or is something else going on here? Watch and find out.

I see this as one of the more interesting in the series of Dr. Kildare films, although Dr. Kildare was long gone by this time. That's not to say that this is a great film, but it may be better than most of the Kildare films.Why do I find it interesting? Well first, Lionel Barrymore is a lion in this film...playing it to the max, and that's just darned fun to watch.Second, this is the point where MGM is trying to build Van Johnson into a star. It's only 2 years into his movie career (setting aside uncredited roles and shorts), and they are trying to make him a bit of a playboy here. He does nicely. It is also one of the earliest films in which Ava Gardner was credited, and while I am sure she later looked on this as a waste of her talent, I rather liked her here (and she is not always one of my favorites).Third, in how many films in that era (or even now) do you find an Asian in a starring role? Well, here Keye Luke is costarring at the same level of Van Johnson, and that's directly under Barrymore.The plot is decent -- 2 young doctors are literally vying to take the place of Dr. Kildare as Dr. Gillespie's assistant (Luke and Johnson). Each gets a case to solve as a test. Luke solves his, and helps Johnson solve his. So who wins? Well, Gillespie sort of arranges a tie. The acting is rather good here, but it's still a B picture...but a good one.So, these attributes make this a more interesting film than you might expect.

This entry in the Dr. Kildare series (without Dr. Kildare) was a pleasant entry. I missed Dr. Kildare, but MGM had to add new characters for its financially successful series to continue.In this entry, neophyte doctors Van Johnson and Keye Luke compete in a friendly and cooperative manner, showing decades earlier that different races need not be afraid of each other, long before we became more politically and socially correct. Both actors turned in believable performances. However, I did find Van's character to be a bit silly trying to steer clear of Marilyn Maxwell's romantic machinations. I know it was the 1940s, but his character acted as if he had never been with a woman on a date before.In this entry, I found Dr. Gillespie to be rather annoying and more puerile in some of his behaviors: throwing away an invitation since he would have to send a gift without even opening the invitation, dumping his waste basket on his desk and then blaming the janitor, not accepting the responsibility that he missed the said affair, despite the fact that he had been told several times of the correct date. I did, however, enjoy his sparring with Nurse Mollie Byrd.I also missed Sally the switchboard lady. Blossom Rock/Marie Blake (from The Addams Family) was always fun to see.And what's up with the title? Why did MGM not include any reference to Dr. Gillespie in its final three entries in the series? Wouldn't that have defeated the purpose of the series? Wouldn't they want fans to know it was part of the Dr. Kildare series?A treat to see was a young and beautiful Ava Gardner. She also turned in a nice performance, allowing me to hear strains of her future Julie from Show Boat.This may not be one of the best entries in the series, but it's worth the time to see it and take a trip back to 1944.

This is a rather annoying entry into the series. With Dr. Kildare persona non grata at MGM after Lew Ayres became a conscientious objector, the franchise now belongs to irascible Dr. Gillespie (Lionel Barrymore). Barrymore was a wonderful actor, but these were B movies slapped together probably in days, and it shows. This particular film had Barrymore overplaying to the balcony at the top of his lungs. Van Johnson and Keye Luke are cute as the energetic interns vying to be his assistant (again) and each taking on a difficult case. Johnson, of course, also has to deal with a woman. This time, it's pretty Marilyn Maxwell.The chief interest in seeing this film is for an early appearance by Ava Gardner as Jean Brown. She is flawlessly beautiful as a young woman caring for her arthritis-stricken mother.I liked the Dr. Kildare series with Lew Ayres and Laraine Day much more, I have to confess.