Doctor at Sea (1955)

Bachelor Dr. Simon Sparrow (Dirk Bogarde) goes to sea to escape the boredom of shore practice, but studies the nurses more than medicine, and Hélène Colbert (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 general practitioner and unwanted womanly advances, young Dr. Simon Sparrow (Sir Dirk Bogarde) 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 (James Robertson Justice)) and gets involved in many an embarrassing situation (including seasickness). In Rio he gets to know Hélène Colbert (Brigitte Bardot) , a sexy young French singer and falls under her spell. When woman hater Hogg is forced to take on two female characters, Muriel Mallet (Brenda de Banzie), 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

Easter (Maurice Denham) reads a Diana Dors 3-D book in his bunk. Diana Dors appears (uncredited) in a short speaking role at the evening party on the deck of the ship earlier in the movie. NOTE: She does not, it is Jill Adams.

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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

Followed by Doctor in Distress (1963)

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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

" When one is forced into love the effort to escape must be doubled "

Among all of the film accomplishment of Dirk Bogarde, this one I can readily state is his least convincing. He has played many parts all of which stem from his fabulous ability to act mostly men of authority. In this story he is a new doctor driven to sea due to the unwanted advances of an unattractive daughter of his former employer. Signing on as a Ship's doctor, he realizes it's filled with men who are in their own way trying to escape life's problems. Nevertheless, it's interesting work and he's soon out to sea and away from his own home. That's when he learns of the ship's crew and his ability to sort them out one by one. The Captain (James Robertson Justice) is a tyrant at sea and like the rest of the crew proves to be a complex figure, To complicate things, the ship's owner insists one of his daughters and her companion travel on his ship with the Bachelor Captain. Thus Dirk Bogarde tries to do his best to entertain in more than one way. As a result, the audience is enthralled by him and the rest of the strange crew. However it's an interesting movie and one which generates many smiles. Brigitte Bardot and James Robertson Justice add to the fun. ***