Doctor at Sea (1955)

A bachelor doctor goes to sea to escape the boredom of shore practice, but studies the nurses more than medicine, and Brigitte Bardot is around.

Director:

Ralph Thomas

Writers:

Richard Gordon (by), Richard Gordon (adapted for the screen by)

Stars:

Dirk Bogarde, Brenda de Banzie, Brigitte Bardot

Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Dirk Bogarde	...	Dr. Simon Sparrow
Brenda de Banzie	...	Muriel Mallet
Brigitte Bardot	...	Hélène Colbert
James Robertson Justice	...	Capt. Hogg
Maurice Denham	...	Easter
Michael Medwin	...	Sub-lieutenant Trail
Hubert Gregg	...	Archer
James Kenney	...	Fellowes
Raymond Huntley	...	Capt. Beamish
Geoffrey Keen	...	Hornbeam
George Coulouris	...	'Chippie' the Carpenter
Noel Purcell	...	Corbie
Jill Adams	...	Jill
Joan Sims	...	Wendy Thomas
Cyril Chamberlain	...	Whimble

Storyline

With a view to escaping both boredom as a junior G.P. and unwanted womanly advances, young doctor Simon Sparrow becomes a medical officer on "the Lotus", an all-male cargo ship. As soon as he sets foot on board, Simon encounters various eccentric characters (including quick-tempered, authoritarian, whisky- addicted captain Hogg)and gets involved in many an embarrassing situation (including seasickness). In Rio he gets to know Hélène Colbert , a sexy young French singer and falls under her spell. When woman hater Hogg is forced to take on two female characters, Muriel Mallet, the daughter of the shipping company and her friend ... Hélène on his freighter, Simon is delighted!

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Plot Keywords:

doctor | nurse | sequel | based on novel | 

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Taglines:

HILARITY ON THE HIGH SEAS! (original print ad - all caps)

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 February 1956 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Noiva do Comandante

Filming Locations:

Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Group Film Productions Limited

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the scene where the crew is temporarily in jail, George Coulouris (playing the chippie (carpenter)) starts to sing "When August suns are shining, and August raindrops fall, the owl..." This is the Manchester Grammar School school song. Coulouris was an alumnus of MGS.

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Goofs

Simon sees his name plate altered from "MD" to "BF". As a newly qualified doctor he would only have been a Bachelor of Medicine ("MB"). The joke would have been better made by deleting the "M" and adding an "F".

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Quotes

Dr. Simon Sparrow: A Rolls Royce is the ambition of almost every newly qualified doctor.

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Connections

Featured in Hollywood U.K.: Northern Lights (1993)

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Soundtracks

Je Ne Sais Pas
Written and Composed by Hubert Gregg
Performed by Brigitte Bardot (dubbed by Jill Day) (uncredited)

User Reviews

Laugh On The Ocean Wave

One year after the highly successful 'Doctor In The House', Bogarde is back as the hapless medic Doctor Simon Sparrow. Unusually, 'St Swithins' is nowhere to be seen, neither are most of the supporting from the first movie. Even the great James Robertson Justice is playing a different character (a 'Doctor' movie without Sir Lancelot? Unthinkable!)

That said, it's pretty much business as usual, as Doctor Sparrow runs away to sea and gets himself involved in several embarrassing situations, while James Robertson Justice roars and blusters as Captain Hogg.

One shapely distraction is none other than Brigitte Bardot, in her first English-speaking role. A shower scene especially raises our hero's temperature!

Veteran actor Maurice Denham makes the most of a supporting role, while familiar British faces fill out the rest of the cast.

While not as good as the first movie, it never outstays it's welcome and is good fun.