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:

A comedy that's all wet.

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

As of November 2020, Brigitte Bardot is the last surviving credited cast member.

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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 The Doctor Films: Dirk Bogarde Returns to Pinewood Studios (2000)

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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

oh .... Brigitte

An average, very English fifties comedy, set on a freight ship.

Nevertheless this movie offers two outstanding dimensions: the first is leading man Dirk Bogarde, who plays with his usual excellence.

The second is Brigitte Bardot, adding much charm by her English-with-a-French-accent.

By the way, the English film crew did a magnificent job on Brigitte: out of the many thousand of shots spanning her entire career, those from 'Doctor at Sea' are among the very best. For this reason alone it is really worth watching this movie.

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 February 1956 (USA)

Also Known As:

Doctor at Sea

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