Dr. Gillespie's Criminal Case (1943)

User Rating:

5.8/10   

Director:

Willis Goldbeck

Writers:

Lawrence P. Bachmann (writer)
Martin Berkeley (writer)
(more)

Release Date:

May 1943 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery

Plot:

When Roy, a homicidal maniac was put away for murder, Gillespie tried to get him committed to an insane asylum instead...

Plot Keywords:

Sequel | Prison Break | Birthday Party | Hospital | Doctor

Cast

Lionel Barrymore	...	Dr. Leonard B. Gillespie
Van Johnson	...	Dr. Randall 'Red' Adams
Keye Luke	...	Dr. Lee Wong How
Alma Kruger	...	Molly Byrd
John Craven	...	Roy Todwell
Nat Pendleton	...	Joe Wayman
Margaret O'Brien	...	Margaret
Donna Reed	...	Marcia Bradburn
Michael Duane	...	Sergeant Pat rick J. Orisin
William Lundigan	...	Alvin F. Peterson
Walter Kingsford	...	Dr. Walter Carew
Marilyn Maxwell	...	Ruth Edly
Henry O'Neill	...	Warden Kenneson
Marie Blake	...	Sally
Frances Rafferty	...	Irene
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ted Adams	...	Stapleton, Prison Guard (uncredited)
Margaret Adden	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Roy Barcroft	...	Prison Guard (uncredited)
Patricia Barker	...	Edith (uncredited)
Richard Bartell	...	Botsford (uncredited)
Barbara Bedford	...	Secretary (uncredited)
Karin Booth	...	Cashier (uncredited)
Don Cadell	...	Big Marine (uncredited)
Janet Chapman	...	Mary (uncredited)
Chick Collins	...	Convict (uncredited)
Nell Craig	...	Nurse 'Nosey' Parker (uncredited)
Richard Crane	...	Sailor at Dance (uncredited)
Boyd Davis	...	Mr. Coleman (uncredited)
Helen Dickson	...	Dowager Hostess (uncredited)
John Dilson	...	Green, Parole Board Member (uncredited)
Yvette Duguay	...	Aggie (uncredited)
Ralph Dunn	...	Tracy - Prison Guard (uncredited)
Edward Earle	...	Morris (uncredited)
Byron Foulger	...	Father (uncredited)
Almeda Fowler	...	Nurse Trippett (uncredited)
Douglas Fowley	...	Wallace (uncredited)
William Haade	...	Butch - Prison Driver (uncredited)
Gertrude Hoffman	...	Grandmother (uncredited)
Edna Holland	...	Nurse Morgan (uncredited)
George Irving	...	Rear Admiral (uncredited)
Jerry Jerome	...	Convict (uncredited)
Edward Keane	...	Stiles (uncredited)
Milton Kibbee	...	Briggs (uncredited)
Arthur Loft	...	Dr. Post (uncredited)
George Lynn	...	Mack (uncredited)
Matt Moore	...	Harper (uncredited)
Betty Jean Nichols	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Robert Emmett O'Connor	...	Samson (uncredited)
Lee Phelps	...	Bronson - Prison Gate Guard (uncredited)
Aileen Pringle	...	Chaperon (uncredited)
Marianne Quon	...	Lee Ti Fang (uncredited)
Lorin Raker	...	Price (uncredited)
Cap Somers	...	Prison Guard (uncredited)
Irene Tedrow	...	Nurse Katherine Dodd (uncredited)
Herb Vigran	...	Orderly (uncredited)
Grant Withers	...	Waddy (uncredited)

Directed by
Willis Goldbeck

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Lawrence P. Bachmann		writer
Martin Berkeley		writer
Harry Ruskin		writer

Original Music by
Daniele Amfitheatrof

Cinematography by
Norbert Brodine

Film Editing by
Frank E. Hull		(as Frank Hull)
Laurie Vejar

Art Direction by
Cedric Gibbons

Set Decoration by
Edwin B. Willis

Costume Design by
Irene

Art Department
Edward G. Boyle	....	associate art director
William Ferrari	....	associate art director

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1943) (USA) (theatrical)

Also Known As:

Crazy to Kill (UK)

Runtime:

89 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Quotes:

Dr. Lee Wong How: I'm small, but I'm from Brooklyn!

Movie Connections:

Follows Internes Can't Take Money (1937)

Lew Ayres Gets Slapped by MGM

This entry in the popular Dr. Kildare/Dr. Gillespie series, which was also a radio hit at the time, is somewhat of a sequel to "Calling Dr. Gillespie." The story of "mental case" Roy Todwell is continued and finalized. There are also several subplots from the extremely weak and saccharine children's ward melodrama featuring Margaret O'Brien to the more effective and interesting rivalry between Dr. Adams (Van Johnson) and Dr. Lee Wong How (Keye Luke) to be Dr. Gillespie's new assistant. One subplot, however, appears to be MGM's slap at Lew Ayres (Dr. Kildare) for declaring himself a conscientious objector which caused such an uproar and led to MGM dropping him. A veteran who has lost his legs in the bombing of Pearl Harbor is being fitted for new ones. He is extremely depressed and tells Dr. Gillespie that he never wants to walk again. Dr. Gillespie goes out of his way to help the vet, providing him with the best of everything, though he has little money. Dr. Gillespie gives a patriotic speech against the Japanese, even quoting the Bible. Though no reference is made to Dr. Kildare (Lew Ayres)by name, it is obvious why this subplot was inserted.

There is the usual mix of romance, humor, mystery, and the down-home philosophy of wheelchair-bound Dr. Gillespie (a father figure not unlike our President at the time who was also in a wheelchair) that made the Dr. Kildare/Dr. Gillespie series so successful. But this is one of the weaker entries. Be sure and see "Calling Dr. Gillespie," a much better movie, first. It makes viewing this one more palatable.