Carnaby, M.D. (1966)

"Doctor in Clover", a.k.a. "Carnaby, M.D." is another "Doctor" movie, but this time, Dr. Gaston Grimsdyke (Leslie Phillips) is the main doctor in the story, looking for love and romance ... See full summary »

Director:

Ralph Thomas

Writers:

Richard Gordon (novel), Jack Davies (screenplay)

Stars:

Leslie Phillips, James Robertson Justice, Shirley Anne Field

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Leslie Phillips	...	Dr. Gaston Grimsdyke
James Robertson Justice	...	Sir Lancelot Spratt
Shirley Anne Field	...	Nurse Bancroft
John Fraser	...	Dr. Miles Grimsdyke
Joan Sims	...	Matron Sweet
Arthur Haynes	...	Tarquin Wendover
Fenella Fielding	...	Tatiana Rubikov
Jeremy Lloyd	...	Lambert Symington
Noel Purcell	...	O'Malley
Robert Hutton	...	Rock Stewart
Eric Barker	...	Prof. Halfbeck
Terry Scott	...	Robert the hairdresser
Norman Vaughan	...	TV Commentator
Elizabeth Ercy	...	Jeannine Belmond
Alfie Bass	...	Fleming

Storyline

"Doctor in Clover", a.k.a. "Carnaby, M.D." is another "Doctor" movie, but this time, Dr. Gaston Grimsdyke (Leslie Phillips) is the main doctor in the story, looking for love and romance from the hospital nurses, much to the annoyance of main Administrator Sir Lancelot Spratt (James Robertson Justice), who wants his doctors to be one hundred percent focussed on the job. Numerous antics follow, with Dr. Grimsdyke getting Spratt fixed up with the new prim-and-proper Matron Sweet (Joan Sims), and his attempted failures to lure the hospital's beauty, the physiotherapist.

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Plot Keywords:

sequel | based on novel | independent film | 

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Taglines:

The Newest and Funniest 'DOCTOR" of them all!

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Genres:

Comedy

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

August 1967 (USA)

Also Known As:

Carnaby, M.D.

Filming Locations:

Wexham Park Hospital, Slough, Berkshire, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

The Rank Organisation, Betty E. Box-Ralph Thomas Productions

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor) (uncredited)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Elizabeth Ercy (Jeannine Belmond) received an "introducing" credit.

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Goofs

Whilst Dr Miles Grimsdyke is examining Tatiana Rubikov, alone, Tatiana after sniffing a hankerchief and smelling ether describes Grimsdyke with the words "you kinky thing" then when nurse Halliday enters the examination room a little later she copies Tatiana by also calling Grimsdyke "you kinky thing". How could nurse Halliday have known what grimsdyke had been called as nurse Halliday was not present.

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Connections

References Young Girls of Good Families (1963)

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Soundtracks

I'm Twenty One Today
(uncredited)
Written by Alec Kendal

User Reviews

Inoffensive forgettable stuff that might fit you for a weekend matinée

Dr Gaston Grimsdale is working in a prison looking after the prisoners who are sick and keeping off the blocks as a result; it is not a great career but he has settled into it. By chance he bumps into his former tutor Sir Lancelot Spratt who gruffly demands that Grimsdale give up his pathetic excuse for a job and come and learn what a real doctor is supposed to be doing. Grimsdale agrees to join Spratt (did he have a choice?) and finds that his cousin Dr Miles Grimsdyke also works at the hospital.

From the opening title sequence featuring wacky behaviour and simple slapstick it is clear that the Doctor series has decided to throw its weight behind the Carry On series in the hope that it could cash in on its success. The plot is pretty thin and really the only thing approaching a plot is the fact that Grimsdale has come to join the regular hospital staff and instead the aim just seems to be to facilitate as many of the usual scenes as possible. I suppose it does deserve credit for being a year before Carry On Doctor so it isn't like it ripped that film off but in essence the structure is the same with lots of minor scenes and comic threads that only last a short while and draw a few laughs. It isn't anything special at all and I rarely laughed throughout the whole film but it is all quite inoffensive stuff and I was glad that it never fell into crudity or lazy double-entendres.

The performances are of the same standard as the material which is to say that they are perfectly serviceable without ever threatening to be memorable. Phillips was a good addition to the cast in the place of the much less comic Bogarde and he does the best he can with the material. It is a shame that his scenes are all pretty basic and that he isn't as funny as his normal character can often be. Justice is as enjoyable as ever and his delivery is good fun. Fraser is as dull as dishwater and the film wisely keeps him on the sidelines where possible. Sims' Matron works reasonably well in the film even if her character is a bit basic and just what you expect it to be. Turns from Haynes, Field and others are quite good while there are a few cameos along the way.

Overall then this is an inoffensive piece of nonsense. It isn't hilarious but it isn't rubbish either and those looking for gently swinging comedy for a wet weekend might find this to hit the mark; just don't expect much from it other than to be mildly entertained.