The Secret of Dr. Kildare (1939) - full transcript

Dr. Gillespie's cancer has gotten worse, and to force him to take a rest instead of pursuing a sulfa-drug/pneumonia study, Kildare refuses to assist Gillespie, and instead accepts a case of hysterical blindness. She's also the daughter of a millionaire who could help the hospital.

Blair General Hospital Emergency.

I'm Paul Messenger.

- Yes Mr. Messenger, Dr.
Carew's expecting you.

Use the first elevator.

Thank you.

Say, ain't that the Wall Street guy,

the bozo with all the dough in the world?

Yes, it is.

You know, he didn't
have on a diamond ring.

Oh, diamonds on men are vulgar.

I wish I was vulgar.



- Before we go in Mr.
Messenger, let me prepare you.

Dr. Gillespie is an inspiration

to the whole medical profession,

but physically he's worse off
than most of his patients.

His legs are hopelessly crippled.

I'll take care of it,
Dr. Carew, right away.

I want to see...

Oh, I want to see Dr. Gillespie.

I'm sorry, Dr. Carew, he has a patient.

Well, but I...

We'll wait.

Here's the pamphlet, Dr. Gillespie.

Mrs. Roberts, you're
going to have a baby.

Why, what's the matter?



I'm afraid.

Afraid?

Yes.

Why?

Women die.

Well, suppose your mother
felt that way about it.

My mother had courage, I'm a coward.

Mrs. Roberts, nature is
a very wonderful thing.

It takes the food you eat and changes it

into the particular
substances our body needs.

If we break a bone, why,

nature will provide the extra
calcium to mend that bone.

If anything, it'll be
stronger than it was before.

You understand that, don't you?

Yes, Doctor.

Well now, that's just
what's going to happen

when you have your baby.

Nature will see that you have

the strength and courage you need.

Come on over here to the window.

Now, you see those people down there?

Those thousands of them?

Yes.

Well, the mothers of
every one of those children

felt exactly the same way you do

and so did their mothers.

And those generations really
had something to worry about

because we doctors hadn't
progressed very far.

They were in real danger.

Maybe it sounds silly to
you, this horrible worry,

but I couldn't help it.

My husband's worried, too.

Well, you go on home

and tell your husband you're
going to be all right.

With modern methods we
seldom lose a mother,

and we've no case on record
where we've ever lost a father.

Thank you, Doctor,
I feel so much better.

Sure you do.

Now, you take this pamphlet
and follow the instructions.

Take good care of yourself

and come back here and see
me any time you want to.

What's your first name, Doctor?

Leonard.

Leonard.

Leonard, that's nice.

Goodbye.

Goodbye.

Oh, my middle name is Barry.

Thank you.

No, Carnover, I won't let
you have another nickel.

Aren't you ashamed of yourself,

an intelligent adult like you,

gambling your wages away week after week.

But someday I'm gonna win it all back.

Well, in the meanwhile find
another sap to borrow it from.

Someday I'm going to sit
down and prove to you

you can't win money in a crap game.

Get out.

Yes sir, I guess
maybe you is right, sir.

I've often thought I'd give up gambling

and just stick to playing the races.

Ah!

Nurse!

Yes, Dr. Gillespie, Dr. Carew wants to...

Never mind Dr. Carew,
where's Dr. Kildare?

I don't know, isn't he here?

If he was here do you think
I'd be asking about him?

I don't know.

I've worked for you for so long

nothing you'd say would surprise me.

- Nurse Parker, Dr.
Kildare is my assistant,

he's here every morning
promptly at eight o'clock.

It's now six minutes past
nine and no Dr. Kildare.

What do you deduce from these facts?

I guess Dr. Kildare's late.

Oh jumping Jehosaphat,
will you find Dr. Kildare?

Where shall I look?

Well, where do you think he'd be?

I don't know, you keep your stethoscope

in the wastebasket and your
checkbook in the bathroom.

How should I know where to
look for your assistant?

Dr. Carew wants...

If Dr. Carew wants anything out of me

tell him to come down here and ask me.

Oh, he is here.

Well, show him in, show him in.

Why didn't you say so?

Yes, Doctor.

Dr. Carew?

Ah, Carew, come in, come in.

Must be something very important

that brings the head of the hospital here.

Leonard, this is Mr. Paul Messenger.

Paul Messenger?

Do you mean to tell me I'm
actually in the presence

of how many millions of dollars?

Leonard!

Well, make it 18 million.

A sucker, huh?

Where'd you get him?

What can I do for you, Mr. Messenger?

Dr. Gillespie, I've come
here because I need your help.

Well, that's very fine,

but did you notice the
room full of patients

waiting at my door?

Why, yes.

I've only one rule:
first come, first serve,

rich, poor and in the middle.

Leonard.

Dr. Gillespie's quite right,

I'm sorry, I'll take my turn.

Well, wait a minute,
might be three hours.

I'll wait.

Leonard, Mr. Messenger's
a very important man.

So am I.

Let him wait.

Nurse!

Send in the next patient.

No, no, no, wait a minute.

Hold the next patient.

Come in here, come here.

Hold the next patient.

I think I'll grab about
five minutes sleep.

Fix the alarm clock will you?

Mind you, I said five minutes.

Send the next patient in

as soon as you hear the alarm go off.

Nine minutes past nine,

that's a nice round time to come to work.

I thought you were asleep.

I never sleep.

Seems I can't say as much for you.

I guess it's the country boy in me.

Now listen, son, as my assistant

you naturally have certain
privileges around here,

but sleeping till noon is not one of them.

Dr. Kildare?

Well, Nosey, what do you want?

Dr. Kildare's breakfast is here.

Breakfast?

I didn't order any breakfast.

I did.

You worked here all night
and I figured you'd need it.

What's the idea, Jimmy?

Er, getting those pneumonia statistics.

They done?

All done.

Well, it's very plain
you're trying to make it

more and more difficult for
me to get along without you.

Trying to make it impossible.

You have made it impossible, Jimmy.

There's so much work to do
and so little time to do it.

Thank you.

Oh, and you know, Doctor,
when I finished medical school

I only knew that I wanted
to do something in medicine.

Then I met you and
everything was crystallized.

Now I have what I wanted, the
privilege of working for you

and learning at firsthand
what only you can teach me.

And carrying my work on after I'm gone.

Oh, that won't be for a long while yet.

That's not true and you know it.

Nurse!

Next patient, please!

Ah, Mr. Finch!

Sit down.

Jimmy, have they told you
yet who's outside there

waiting to see me?

No, sir.

Pulse irregular, rapid.

Mr. Paul Messenger, the
United States Mint in person

is outside there waiting to see me.

Cough.

And he's going to wait three hours.

Cough.

Blood pressure 172 over a hundred.

Go on, put your shirt on.

Yes, sir.

No! No, no, no, no.

No.

Wait a minute, I want to talk to you.

Say, we don't want to
let him get off the hook.

Nurse!

Yes, Doctor?

Is Mr. Messenger still out there?

He's still there, Doctor.

Well, that's fine.

Mr. Finch, you've been drinking again.

It seems to me I remember
a promise you made me

a couple of months ago.

Doctor, I tried to
stop, but I can't do it.

It's not my fault.

My father was the same way.

You understand, don't you, sir?

No, I don't.

You're a fool and there are a
million other fools like you.

They want to drink so
they believe a legend

started by a bigger fool that
you can inherit drunkenness.

Well, that's a lot of baloney.

You can inherit a
tendency towards diabetes

or red hair, but if you
drink it's your own fault

and you can't blame your poor ancestors.

But I always heard that...

Yeah, and you were glad to hear it

because it gave you an excuse for

sticking a bottle in your silly face.

Now, go on and get out of here.

And don't come back until
you've stopped kidding yourself.

Yes, Doctor.

Next patient!

No!

No, bring in Mr. Messenger.

Yes, Doctor.

Mr. Messenger.

Come in Mr. Messenger.

Come in, come in.

Sit down Mr. Messenger, sit down.

This Dr. Kildare, my assistant.

How do you do?

How do you do?

You know, there are
still a lot of people

ahead of me, Doctor.

Aha, but there's not
one of them I can charge

as much as I'm going to charge you.

That's fair enough, if you can help me.

Uh-huh.

Well, you look well enough,

but I can find something wrong with you.

Worse comes to the worst,

we can always take out your appendix.

What can we do for you, Mr. Messenger?

Well, I came here to ask your advice

about my daughter, Nancy.

Oh, well that's easy enough,

just bring her in, we'll
have a look at her.

I've tried to urge her for
six months to see a doctor.

Well, only two kinds of people
don't want to see doctors:

those that know they're well and

those that know they're not.

Something has happened to her.

It doesn't seem to be
physical and yet it must be,

because she can't possibly
have a care in the world.

What you mean is that
in a thousand and one

baffling little ways,
your daughter's changed.

That's it.

That's exactly the situation.

Uh, just what kind of
changes, Mr. Messenger?

Well, she always was fond of dancing.

But now she wants to go
out all night, every night.

Oh, that doesn't mean a thing.

They call them jitterbirds.

Jitterbugs, Dr. Gillespie.

She's engaged to a splendid
young man who adores her

and all of a sudden she's
started to treat him abominably.

Well, perhaps it isn't important,

but when she sleeps she
keeps the lights burning.

Ah.

Well, that's bad.

But there's not a thing in
the world a doctor can do

for your daughter if she
won't see him, Mr. Messenger.

You were just about my last hope.

I'm going to let you have Dr. Kildare.

Jimmy, tonight you disguise
yourself as a potted palm

or something and find
out what's the matter

with Miss Messenger.

If it takes all night.

If it takes a dozen visits or a hundred.

Excuse me, the expense isn't important.

No, but a thousand lives
a month are important.

Tomorrow Dr. Kildare
and I are starting out

on a long-planned experiment.

This is sulfur pyridine.

Before it was discovered,

the death rate of pneumonia was 25%.

Sulfur pyridine's
brought it down to seven.

My wife was one of those 25%.

- Well, tomorrow, Dr.
Kildare and I are going to

start trying to find out
why those 7% still died.

I understand.

I'll send my car for you at eight o'clock.

Goodbye.

Goodbye, sir.

And thank you both.

Mm-hmm.

Kildare.

Oh, I'm sorry, sir.

I was thinking of...

Yes, I know what you were thinking.

You were thinking, "Now tonight
I can't go out gallivanting

"with that pretty nurse, Mary Lamont."

Gallivanting?

You know how much gallivanting
I can do on my salary.

I read in the paper the other day

there's a doctor in Europe
who claims love is a disease

and that he can vaccinate you against it.

Mm-hmm.

Interns on $20 a month won't
need any of that vaccination.

Leonard Gillespie, you've done a lot of

crazy things in your life, but
this time you've certainly...

Oh.

Well, what are you
stalling around here for?

Go eat your breakfast.

What do you mean busting
in on me like that?

You can't have anything
confidential to tell me!

I know everything that everybody's doing

in this shooting gallery,

especially the things
they're trying to hide.

You mean you have a lot of
stooges telling you things.

Ah!

Molly, you hurt me.

Well, let me tell you something.

My stooges know every
move your stooges make.

My stooges are people of honor,

which is more than you can say

for that bunch of loafers
that report to you.

You bought an airplane.

For 20 years we've worked together

and now you start spying on me.

Well, what in the name of common sense

are you going to do with an airplane?

Well, I just thought
it'd be nice to have

in case of fire.

Ah, come here, Molly.

I only borrowed the plane.

It's to fly Jimmy Kildare back and forth

while we're trying to work out

this sulfur pyridine business.

Well, at least there's one blessing.

You're not planning to do that
part of the work yourself.

Leonard?

Huh?

You're tired, aren't you?

Oh, a little bit.

Well, why don't you
take a nap right now?

Well, just to get rid of you,

I'll grab five minutes sleep now.

Yeah.

Fix the clock for me?

Yeah.

- Dr.
Young wanted in surgery.

Dr. Young wanted in surgery.

Dr. Young wanted in surgery.

Dr. Young wanted in surgery.

All right, come on,
fellas, where's my hat?

Hat?

Yeah, quit clowning,
where did you put it?

Have you a picture of
the hat, Dr. Kildare?

Well, is there a hat?

Our records show no entry
of a hat in this hospital.

Where's my hat?

Er, it was never x-rayed.

What was wrong with
your hat, Dr. Kildare?

Did it need an operation?

Say, why don't you
try the maternity ward?

Maybe it's gonna have a little baby hat.

All right, you asked
for it, so don't blame me.

Um.

Dr. Joiner.

Hmm?

There is working in this hospital

a very beautiful young
nurse named Miss Lopez.

Hmm.

She has big brown eyes,

she wears her uniform
just a little tighter

than all the other nurses.

Well, sir, the other day I
was up on the fourth floor

and I just happened to
pass that little room

where they keep the flowers, you know?

Well, what do you think I saw...

Oh, well now, wait a minute.

Shut up, here's your blamin' hat.

Say, wait a minute!

Don't hold out on us.

What was he doing with Miss Lopez?

Oh, well, Miss Lopez was alone.

I can't help it if Dr. Joiner
has a guilty conscience.

Money! Money, money, money!

Bates.

There it is, a half
month's salary, 10 bucks.

Collins.

Eight years grammar school,
four years high school,

two years pre-med, four
years medical school,

then if you're lucky you
get a job here as an intern

where every single month
they force 20 bucks on you.

Oh, well, that doesn't stop Kildare.

He still rushes Mary Lamont.

Maybe he's in love with her money.

After all, you know, she's a nurse.

She makes 85 bucks a month.

Ah, a gigolo!

Dr. Kildare wanted at
Emergency entrance right away.

Thought this was your night off?

Yeah, well, that's what he thought,

but Dr. Gillespie
changed his mind for him.

Say, look, if you've gotta work tonight,

why can't I take out Mary Lamont?

Well, I don't know why,

but I bet she can think of a reason.

Blair General Hospital.

No, mister, I can't tell you that.

I'm just the telephone operator here.

Of course I work in a hospital,

but I don't understand medicine.

My brother's been managing
a chicken farm for 10 years,

but he still can't lay an egg!

Sally.

Have you seen Mary Lamont?

She said for you to
pick her up at 41st Street

and Gaylor Avenue.

Mr. Kildare here yet
or do you want me to

ride around the block again?

I'm coming.

Where'd he get that bus?

It was for first prize in a

mind your own business contest.

There she is on the corner.

Yes, sir.

Hello, cutie!

Hey, you in the blue hat.

How 'bout a little ride, sugar?

Listen, you half-baked
street corner Romeo,

if I ever decide to take a ride...

Oh, Jimmy.

Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't recognize you.

I thought I saw a pretty girl

and I was trying to grab her off.

Sure, grab her off,
rush her to the hospital,

and take out her tonsils.

Yeah, step
in and find out different.

Just a minute, young man.

What do you think you're
trying to get away with?

Picking up girls on my beat?

Oh, I wasn't picking up any girls...

Don't tell me.

I heard every word you said.

Can't I ever meet my boyfriend

without you sticking your nose in?

Besides, how do we
know you're an officer.

Well, because I...

Oh, fight it out among yourselves.

Get inside before anything else happens.

Well, I suppose the car oughta slay me,

but I bet it belongs to one
of Gillespie's rich patients.

I'd have borrowed his
yacht, only it wasn't raining.

Oh, I'm awfully sorry I
have to work tonight, Mary.

That's all right, Jimmy.

I guess there's nothing
we can do about it.

You're a nurse, you know there isn't.

I'm sick of being a nurse.

The next time I'm born, I
want to be a pretty thing

with an empty head and a
cash register for a heart.

Hmm.

Well, you can always quit
the hospital, can't you?

Why don't I?

I don't know.

I guess because you're crazy
enough to want to be a nurse.

You're a little crazy
yourself, you know?

I know it isn't ethical to ask
a doctor about his patients,

but where are you going?

Well, it isn't ethical,
but I can tell you this:

It's 53 blocks to the home of
the gent that owns this car.

Here we are.

Hmm?

Ah!

Well, that's the shortest
53 blocks I've ever seen.

Say!

Hmm?

Oh, in case you're not impressed,

they tell me that Paul Messenger is the

seventh richest man in America.

Jimmy! And he's your patient!

No, not Mr. Messenger, his daughter.

His daughter?

Uh, the one that's in the
newspapers all the time?

The glamor girl?

I guess so.

What's the matter with her?

That's what I'm trying to find out.

Goodnight, Mary.

I'll wait.

Oh, well, I don't know how long I'll be.

Well, my evening's ruined anyway.

I might as well wait.

But it might take hours.

You aren't going to
operate on the girl, are you?

No, she doesn't even know I'm a doctor.

Say, what is this?

Nothing.

As a matter of fact, Dr.
Gillespie said to find out

what was wrong with her
if it took all night.

All night?

Yes, well, it's all right
because her father knows

I'm going to work on her.

Oh, her father knows.

Yes, you see, she's been
acting peculiarly of late

and Mr. Messenger doesn't
care what lengths we go to

as long as we fix her up.

Well, I've heard a lot
about how debutantes carry on,

but I've never heard of one
having her father's permission.

Now, stop kidding me.

You mustn't be prejudiced
against Miss Messenger

just because she's rich.

You mustn't be prejudiced just because

she's young and beautiful.

Blair General Hospital, please.

And although Nancy's been
conducting herself on the whole

as I outlined to you and Dr. Gillespie,

to my amazement at dinner tonight

she was her own normal sweet self.

Nancy?

Dad, come in.

Dad, you're just in time to tell me how...

Oh.

This is Mr. Kildare, the
son of an old friend of mine.

How do you do, Miss Messenger?

Hello, Mr. Kildare.

The Carter party, remember?

Oh, but don't look at my costume now.

Wait till I get the headdress on.

You two go downstairs and
I'll make a grand entrance.

All right, dear.

You're the loveliest thing I've ever seen.

Just like your mother.

Yesterday she said she wouldn't go to this

stupid fancy dress party
under any circumstances.

Let's wait and see.

Don't shoot, Mr. Messenger.

It's me, Charlie.

If there's ever any doubt in your mind

about my loving your daughter,

remember I put this outfit
on because she wanted me to.

Well, once for love I went out

as the back half of a horse.

Mr. Kildare, Mr. Herron,
my daughter's fiancee.

Mr. Kildare.

How do you do?

Why, Nancy!

Excuse me.

Hello, Nancy.

Oh.

You'll have to excuse me, Charlie,

I'm not going to the party.

You're not going?

No.

No, I don't want to go.

If I don't want to go, I don't have to go,

so I'm not going.

I'm getting a little tired
of this merry-go-round, Nancy.

Goodnight.

Goodnight.

It doesn't seem more than six months ago

that you told me your entire life

was wrapped up in that boy.

I do love him.

You see?

Now what?

I don't know.

Now, I suppose, the lights
will be blazing all night

in her room and I'll be pacing this floor,

wondering how I could help her.

Mr. Kildare?

You must think me a pretty
terrible sort of person.

Why, no.

Dad.

That's all right, Nancy.

Well, as far as I'm concerned,

there are no excuses necessary.

You're very kind.

Why, not at all.

If you don't want to do a
thing and you don't have to,

why should you?

Them's my sentiments, anyway.

Of course.

Only, sometimes it's a
little hard to explain.

Then why try?

You know, back home in my father's office,

there's a motto hanging that says, uh,

never explain.

Your friends don't need it and

your enemies won't believe you anyway.

Do you get away with it?

Well, oh, I seem to.

At least I never make a date in advance.

I didn't even tell your father I was

coming here this evening,

simply because I might
have suddenly wanted

to change my mind and go out and

come home with the milkman.

You see, Dad?

I know exactly how you feel.

By the way,

what kind of a milkman do
you have on this block?

A very charming gentleman.

Well, why can't I meet him?

Wait right here.

I'll slide into a dress.

Remember, Dad, it was his
idea and you brought him here.

I see what your plan is, Doctor,

but haven't you been able to arrive

at any immediate conclusions?

Only the obvious ones.

She does love Herron.

She's heartbroken at
what she's doing to you

and she's doing her best
to seem perfectly normal,

but uh...

Mr. Messenger, this is
a very delicate point,

but I must know.

Does your daughter ever have
any reason to hate her mother?

Hate her mother?

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Why do you ask?

Well, no reason now.

Well, remember, this party's on me.

Sunrise.

Why did you want to bring me up here?

Oh, it's just that we've
had an exciting night

and I thought perhaps you'd
like to see the daylight come.

Do you watch for it often?

Yes.

Yes.

Wouldn't it be a wonderful world
if it were always daylight?

I've thought of that.

It's funny how the
night affects some people.

Me, for instance.

I don't like it.

A grown man afraid of the dark?

Well, I'm not afraid,
exactly, it's just that,

well, when night falls
something happens to me.

Yes.

Yes.

Look, if you're going to stay in New York

will you come to see me?

If you want me to.

We've been out since
nine o'clock last evening

and you've never once
looked at your watch.

You may not know it,

but you get along with me
better than anyone I know.

Hmm.

Anyone excepting Mr. Charles Herron.

There's no one on earth
like Charlie Herron.

Oh, I could see you
felt that way about it.

When's the wedding?

I'm tired.

Please take me home.

Of course.

Well, what'd you find
out about Miss Messenger?

Only that she's a very complicated case.

It may be weeks before we get the answer.

I told you that yesterday

without even seeing her.

Uh, I don't suppose you
found time this morning

to read the weather reports?

No, sir.

Well, that cold polar
wave we've been waiting for

has reached Canada and in
its wake will come pneumonia.

Thousands of cases.

You're going to fly
North tonight to meet it

and then you'll check all the cases,

wherever you happen to find 'em

and then you'll hop in a plane

and bring me back the blood cultures.

Well, I'll be camping right here,

day and night, doing the laboratory work.

And then, Jimmy, maybe
in a couple of months

we'll find out why that 7% still dies.

Pardon me, sir, don't
you think we ought to

rest a few days before we go on?

Rest?

What?

What do we want with rest?

Nurse!

Parker!

Come in here!

Pneumonia.

It strikes so quick and we work so slow.

Why, we ought to be ashamed of ourselves.

This is the 20th Century!

We ought to be able to cure anything.

And yet we let this white death,

this invisible killer,
run riot as though we were

still living in the Dark Ages.

Get me a hypo of adrenaline, quick.

Leonard Gillespie, I have
a bone to pick with you

and you stay your end...

Well, what happened?

Tell me, quick.

He fainted.

Get outside there,

act as if nothing has happened.

Give me that adrenaline.

Adrenaline, yes.

Oh!

He ought to know you can't
burn the candle at both ends.

He'll bounce back quick after this.

It's just exhaustion, that's all.

That's not all.

And if you don't know what
I mean, it's time you did.

So you know, too?

I know everything about him.

When you were running around in diapers

I was watching over him,

listening to him recommend
eight hours of sleep

for everyone else and getting
along with two himself.

His legs were good once, but they wore out

trying to keep up with his will power.

He had resistance,

but he loaned it to his
patients and never got it back.

Now his time is getting short.

I didn't think he'd
want anyone else to know.

Well, the first day
I came here he asked me

about a discoloration on his finger.

Kept hounding me until
I said it was a melanoma

and that it meant cancer.

Then why didn't you
keep him from starting

this sulfur pyridine business?

Me tell him what not to do?

What's going on here?

You gave me a hypo, didn't you?

Yes, sir.

Adrenaline.

Good enough.

Now, what are you fussing around me for?

Well, I came in here looking
for trouble

and I found it got here ahead of me.

You go on back to your nurses.

Not till you quit talking and go to bed.

Oh, so you're a doctor now, huh?

When did you start practicing?

Kildare, call Dr. Carew, will you?

Carew?

Sure, he's the best doctor
in this bowling alley.

That's the reason he's head man.

He'll have me skipping
rope in five minutes.

Dr. Carew, this is Kildare

and Dr. Gillespie has just
had a slight collapse.

He wants you immediately.

Collapse?

I didn't have any collapse.

I've got the constitution of a horse.

I just get tired once in a while, I do.

Well, even a horse gets tired.

I'm gonna send your patients home.

Come back here.

I'm going to send them home.

And when I see you skipping rope,

I'm gonna run around town with a basket

and collect them again.

Dr. Gillespie will see no one today.

Everybody will be notified
about new appointments.

Yes, Miss Byrd.

25 years ago I took you out to dinner.

I might have known that sooner or later

you'd take advantage of it.

And you shut up or I'll tell Dr. Kildare

how you tried to put your arm
around me in the lunch wagon.

Leonard.

I'm so sorry.

Now, look, I've got a couple
of mourners here already.

What I need is a doctor.

You, listen to a doctor?

Don't make me laugh.

Well, I sent for you, didn't I?

Now, listen.

I passed out.

Kildare injected adrenaline.

I came to.

Pulse 78, general feeling of lassitude.

Now, take it up from there
and stick to medicine.

If you still remember any.

Cancel Dr. Gillespie's appointments

for the rest of the day.

Already canceled.

Get his bed ready and
bring me three grains

of sodium amytal.

Yes, Doctor.

I don't need any dope.

I can sleep without it.

But you won't.

I give you my word of honor.

I don't believe you.

Are you doubting my word?

I certainly am.

Wait a minute.

Oh, this Nebutin will do just as well.

Now, uh, you take those and don't argue.

Yes, Doctor.

Now go to bed.

You're too late, Miss Efficiency.

Our corner druggist here gave
me something just as good.

Well, that's fine.

Then off to bed you go.

Take your hands off my chair!

Conover!

Now, get out of here, you meddling female

and never dare to show your
nose in my office again.

You're fired.

I am not.

I don't work for you, I
work for the hospital,

thank goodness.

Well, then what are
you doing in my office?

Go on, beat it.

Oh, get him to bed, Conover.

Conover, don't you pay
any attention to her.

No, sir, I won't.

Why, you disloyal, miserable,

double-crossing...

Yes sir, that's what I
am, but you's going to bed.

Well, I'd better get
my own work cleared up.

Just in case.

Oh, uh, by the way, Kildare,

Mr. Messenger rang me up this morning.

From his daughter's mood
he feels sure that with

a little time you might gain
her complete confidence.

Dr. Carew, I...

I understand.

Naturally, you don't want to think about

anything else at a moment like this.

Of course, I don't have to tell you

that any hospital is like
a family of children,

always out at the elbow
with winter coming on

and no coal in the cellar.

Mr. Messenger's a very rich man.

Dr. Carew, I...

You're perfectly right.

Forget about it tonight.

We'll talk about it later.

Kildare.

The old fussbudget gone?

Well, he is, but, Dr. Gillespie, you...

Hey, do you know something?

Patients will hold a pill in their mouth

until after you've gone
and then spit it out

the way I did.

You promised Dr. Carew
that you'd go to sleep.

Oh, forget it.

He broke a promise he
made me back in 1921.

Now, Dr. Gillespie, you and I both know

that there's one particular reason,

one inescapable reason why you
must conserve your strength.

You didn't tell Carew, did you?

Oh, no.

No, I knew you hadn't.

I know you won't.

Jimmy Kildare, out there pneumonia's

starting on the rampage.

Tonight you're going to hop a plane.

Well, Nosey, what do you want now?

Dr. Gillespie, are you all right?

A full report of my mental
and physical condition

will be made out for the files.

I'll see that you get a copy.

Yes, Doctor.

Dr. Kildare, your mother and father

are downstairs in the reception room.

Oh?

My mother and father here?

Yes, Doctor.

Well, isn't that nice?

Give 'em my best regards.

Be back at three o'clock, Jimmy.

We'll need a good,
solid six hours together

if you're going to go out tonight.

Mm-hmm.

Oh, Jimmy.

You needn't bother telling
your mother about the flying.

I wrote to her all about it last week.

Oh, I wrote to her, too.

She says yours is a
very remarkable letter.

She did, eh?

Mm-hmm.

Well, there's no trick
to writing a good letter.

She even sent me the
letter she got from you.

Yeah?

Uh, "Enclosed find coupon and $3.

"Please send me one
pair of your loaded dice

"in a plain wrapper.

"Very truly yours, Leonard B. Gillespie."

I must have put this
letter in the wrong envelope.

Oh!

Mother!

Hello, Dad.

How are you, Jimmy?

Oh, I'm fine.

Gee, this is a treat.

I knew I needed something,
now I know what it was.

Let me get a good look at you.

I brought your heavy overcoat,

your winter underwear,
and a chocolate cake.

Don't let her kid you, son.

The cake is for herself.

It's her birthday.

Oh, don't tell me, I know.

I sent her a wire this morning.

Happy birthday, Mother.

Well, what are you two
doing in New York anyway?

Well, this trip's to
see the Fair and you,

it's my birthday present from Father.

And we wouldn't have
been able to make it

if Jerry Coburn hadn't sold his farm

and paid for that baby he had in 1927.

What about his ulcers?

Did he ever pay for those?

Don't start that again, Jimmy.

That's all I heard on the way down here.

I made Father buy a new suit, too.

See, he's getting stout.

Where do we celebrate?

How about Mike Sullivan's cafe?

Swell food and it's
right across the street.

Mrs. Kildare, the
first time I saw your son

I knew his mother'd be
a fine-looking woman.

Well, she's the prettiest
one I could find, Mike.

That's why I married her.

Why not?

A man goes into a store to buy a shirt,

he picks the best looking one.

When he wants a wife, what should he do?

Shut his eyes?

You'd better be careful, Mike.

Much more talk like that
and you will spoil her.

Well, that's the way it should be.

Say your prayers, pay your bills,

be good to your mother and you can walk up

to anybody in the world
and spit in his eye.

Hey, Mike.

Uh, coming!

I'll take this over to
the bar and eat it there.

Thank you.

Well, I promised Jim
Galt I'd buy him a sunlamp.

He wants to try it for his arthritis.

Oh.

I'll see you back at the
hotel at three o'clock.

Bye, sonny.

Goodbye, Steven.

Goodbye, Mike.

Goodbye, sir.

Drop in tomorrow for lunch, it's Friday.

We have three elegant kinds of fish.

And we also have roast beef

in case you bring a heathen with you.

Goodbye.

Goodbye.

That's funny.

I was just going to invent an excuse

to get rid of your father.

Why?

So you could tell me your troubles.

Oh, there's no use for Father or me

to try and keep anything
from you, is there?

No.

I know the minute your
father enters the house

if he's worried by the
way he hangs up his hat.

He's worried about something now, too.

How can you tell?

Mind reading?

No.

Just love and understanding.

Now, tell me your problem.

If you want to.

All right.

I have to keep someone
from doing something.

There just isn't any way to do it.

You mean you haven't seen the way yet.

Nothing's impossible, son,
unless you stop trying.

But this is different.

Because what this person wants to do

is something that should be done.

It's for the good of the whole world.

Hmm.

There isn't very few
men left like that now.

Why do you want to stop him?

Because if he keeps on it'll kill him.

I'm afraid I'm not going
to be much help to you.

I've never had to decide big things.

With you or your father I've
always been able to manage

by talking a little
plain, good horse sense.

Except the one time I did tell him a lie.

He'd been working in the garden too much

and I knew it was bad for his Rheumatism,

but nothing could stop him.

So I hid his tools and told
him a tramp stole them.

That stopped him.

Well, Mother, I...

Hey, wait a minute.

You took away his tools?

Yes.

Well, I think you've
shown me just what to do.

I hope I'm right.

Well, that isn't a big problem.

I've always taught you right from wrong

by the power of prayer

and the back of a hairbrush.

But if I do what I think I should,

I'm going to look like
a snake in the grass.

Jimmy, it's Dr. Gillespie
you've been talking about,

isn't it?

Well, uh...

Yes.

Yes, he's in bad shape.

On this particular job he's doing

I'm pretty sure he can't
go ahead without me.

I see.

And if you quit him,
he'll have to take a rest.

But son, wouldn't it
almost break your heart

to leave him?

I uh...

It means the finish of all
I've hoped and dreamed.

God bless you.

Don't feel too badly, son.

You may be the only one that knows

you're doing the right thing.

It's an awfully nice feeling.

Oh well, I guess it doesn't matter

what the rest of the world thinks.

If I were you I wouldn't read anymore.

If I were you I'd keep my mouth shut.

Leonard, please.

Ah.

Well, maybe I don't feel so good.

Your nurse will be here in a minute.

Nurse?

Now, look here, Molly Byrd,

I won't have any of your frozen faced,

mealy-mouthed nurses around me.

Who'd you get?

Mary Lamont.

And there's no use trying to soft soap her

because I've told her exactly what to do.

Oh, we'll see about that.

Hello, honey!

I had a heck of a time
getting you assigned to me.

Miss Byrd here wanted to
send in one of her favorites,

but I told her unless I
had that very beautiful

Mary Lamont, I wouldn't play.

Didn't I?

You did not.

And don't forget, Lamont,

in his office he may be a doctor,

but here he's a patient.

Leonard.

Please take care of yourself.

Goodbye.

I'd like a cigarette, please.

Never mind that chart,
give me a cigarette.

No cigarettes.

Are you going to mind me
or that fool piece of paper?

No cigarettes.

Now look here, Mary,

you're a very nice girl and I like you.

I'm going to give you a little advice.

The great secret to
being a successful nurse

is to obey the rules,

but at the same time
keep the patient happy.

My book only says
obey the rules, period.

What do you want to know about me?

I'll tell you.

It's time for your dinner.

Let's see...

Ah, now you're talking.

Order me a small steak,
some mashed potatoes,

and a piece of apple pie and some cheese

and a cup of coffee.

Hello.

I'm ordering Dr. Gillespie's dinner.

Please send up a small
cup of gruel, some junket,

wheat tea, no cream or sugar.

Thank you.

Oh, that's fine.

And after dinner you might
order me a postage stamp.

I'd like to do a little reading.

What do you expect to do with that thing?

I'm going to take your temperature.

Any temperatures taken
around here, I'll take 'em.

What are you laughing at?

Something you said last week.

"There's no patient in the world

"as ornery as a sick doctor."

Ah.

And if there's going to be
any talking done around here,

I'll do it myself.

Well, I'm not interested.

What about?

Jimmy Kildare.

Mm.

I might have expected that.

98, write it down.

Say, what are you writing there?

Temperature uncertain.

Patient stubborn,
bad-tempered, and childish.

Oh, give me that.

What about Jimmy Kildare?

Well, you should have
heard him talk this morning.

He was spending a
multimillionaire's money last night.

A steak sandwich, two bucks,
and what does Jimmy think?

Boom, there goes a couple of shirts.

$5 to the waiter?

Bang, a new pair of shoes.

Will the orchestra leader
please play "Boo Boo Ba-Doop"

for Miss Nancy Messenger?

Give him $20, Jimmy.

Wham, suit in full.

With an extra pair of pants.

Throwing all that money around last night

and next morning coming
back to $20 a month.

After all, everybody's human.

Mm-mm, not everybody.

You're right.

You're not.

The way you treat Jimmy,
I mean, Dr. Kildare.

Taking away his evening's off and

working him 18 hours a day.

I work 18 hours a day.

Oh, I'm sorry, Dr. Gillespie.

I shouldn't be talking
to you like this when

you're not feeling

very well.

Hello, Mother.

Hello.

Did you get the sunlamp?

No.

They didn't have exactly what I wanted.

Jimmy looks fine, doesn't he?

Yes.

I've never seen him look any better.

Stephen, when you
suggested coming down here,

I thought there was something
the matter with Jimmy or

that he was in some kind of trouble

and that you two were keeping it from me.

You know, don't tell
Mother, she might worry.

Nothing like that at all.

I know that now.

Well, do you feel better?

No.

Because now I know it's you.

Me?

You've been unhappy for days.

If it isn't Jimmy, it must be you.

Why don't you tell me?

You're going to in the end anyway.

From Dr. Jack Carboise.

Just the last paragraph,
the rest is all technical.

"I think it's corollary disease

"and dear Steve, it's a very
unpleasant duty to tell you,

"but I think you may live 10 seconds

"or 10 years.

"Come and see me and we'll
talk over the details."

He says 10 seconds!

Or maybe 10 years.

Oh, Steve!

Now, Mother.

I'm going to see another doctor.

That's why we came to New York.

But we mustn't tell Jimmy.

Martha,

we've been married a long, long time

and every day has been a happy one.

I had hoped that it might
go on for 20 years more.

You're not
going to be foolish enough

to tell me that you don't mind dying.

Or that we can think of some philosophy

that will make it easier for either of us.

No, dear.

I just wanted to say that
medicine might not do any good,

but we know that tears won't.

But there is one thing left.

The same help and comfort we got the night

that Jimmy had typhoid fever

and we waited, not knowing.

You remember?

I remember.

He marks the sparrow's fall.

Stephen, I'm going to take
you to every heart specialist

that's listed in the
New York telephone book.

I know He marks the sparrow's fall.

But I remember, too,
that the Lord helps those

who help themselves.

Yes?

Dr. Kildare to see you.

Send him in.

Good morning, Kildare.

Good morning, sir.

Dr. Carew, what have you done
about the Messenger case?

Nothing, nothing at all.

I'd like to take it.

You would?

Yes, sir, I think it's too
big an opportunity to miss.

Oh, but uh, does Dr. Gillespie know?

No.

No, not yet.

Well, I...

I'd hesitate to take you away from him

without his knowledge and permission.

Well, Dr. Carew, I have made up my mind.

If necessary I'll hand in my resignation.

Oh, no, no, no.

Yes, Dr. Carew?

I'm assigning Dr. Kildare
to be on the Messenger case.

Make out an order and I'll sign it.

Oh, Dr. Carew, please,

I'd rather tell Dr. Gillespie myself

than have him learn it
through an official order.

Oh, yes, yes, of course.

Yes, sir?

Don't put through that
order about Dr. Kildare

until I let you know.

Well, this is all very fortuitous.

Solving the Messenger case
will be a prize possession

to you when you're ready to
go out into private practice

and uh, of course, it won't
do the hospital any harm.

I've taken that all into consideration.

Mm.

What's the latest
report on Dr. Gillespie?

Oh, there it is.

Haven't you seen him?

No, Nurse Molly Byrd
asked me not to go in.

We're not very happy
about his condition.

I can see that.

Wait outside, Mary.

I don't want you to hear what I got to say

to the head of your hospital.

What's this I hear about you
taking Kildare away from me

and putting him on the Messenger case?

Why?

Who told you?

Oh, I knew about it before
the echo of your voice

giving the order died away.

What have you been saying to my boy?

I've told you 10,000
times to run your hospital

and let my office alone.

It wasn't anything he said, sir.

I made up my own mind.

That's absolutely true, Leonard.

Get outta here.

Are you crazy?

You know I can't go along
with our work alone.

I'm sorry, sir.

But, Jimmy...

You're tired.

Take the day off.

Go out and get some relaxation.

You'll feel differently about it tomorrow.

No.

Messenger's too big a chance to give up.

Oh, I don't see any
reason why I should go on

working 24 hours a day on
something that won't pay me a cent

when I can get in with one of
the richest men in New York.

So, Dr. Kildare!

Mr. Messenger waves a
checkbook in your face

and you drop me like a hot potato.

I've waited 20 years for an assistant

and I find I've picked a
common little money grubber.

What did you want to study medicine for?

You've had made a swell pawnbroker.

Mary.

Take me back, will you?

I'm tired.

Here's your fishing rod, Doctor.

Fishing rod?

When did I get a fishing rod?

Remember that fellow that we cured?

The one that had the misery in his back?

He gave us this.

What are you grinning about?

Well, I'm going to have to go away.

I mean, I'm glad you're sick enough

to be well enough to go...

I mean, if you're getting some
sleep, it'll give you some...

Well, this is a fish
basket, take it with you.

That isn't mine.

Oh, yes it is.

I had meant to give it to
you for a Christmas present

last year, but I forgot all about it.

Molly, you're lying.

You can't prove it.

This is nice to keep hot coffee in.

Where did that come from?

It had the hospital's name on it,

but I scratched it off.

Well, under those
circumstances, I'll take it.

Well!

For years I've known you've
had stooges reporting to you,

but this is the first I've heard

you have them stealing for you!

Nurse Lamont, write
this into your report.

My patient was feeling fine until 15 to 20

chattering females descended on him.

Goodbye, quick.

I guess I can take a hint.

I'll see you before you
leave tonight, Leonard.

I'll be at the train, Doctor.

- Should I go help Dr.
Kildare pack his things, sir?

Conover.

No.

The idea!

After all you've done for him.

Leaving you for a hypochondriac debutante

with blonde hair and lots of money.

Uh-oh, another county heard from.

What do you mean?

I forgot about the time
we were worried about Jimmy

and a redhead.

You've been in love with him ever since.

That's not true.

Oh, let's stop kidding ourselves.

We're both sunk.

So that's the reason as
soon as I got to New York

I telephoned your father.

You're lunching with him, aren't you?

Yeah.

Will I see you later?

Of course, we have date
for a walk, haven't we?

Right.

Dad!

If Jimmy's late, you'll
charge it to my account.

I will not.

I'll take it out of your allowance.

Come in, Jimmy.

Sit down.

I know nothing definite yet.

Human behavior, especially
unexpected behavior,

is very often the outcome of
some fixation in childhood.

What are you driving at?

Well, some instinct, and
I can't rationalize it,

keeps bringing me back to Nancy' mother.

Don't you know anything...

That was over 12 years ago.

There was never any divorce,

but Mrs. Messenger and I had
separated for several years.

And you have no direct
information of your wife

and daughter during those years?

No, I was in Europe.

Mrs. Messenger died of pneumonia, hmm?

Yes, she'd been ill for some time

with a complication of ailments,

but the end came through pneumonia.

Where?

At our Long Island
place, out near Eastbury.

You understand that at the
time I got back to this country

it was all over.

The funeral, everything.

I haven't been to Eastbury since.

Does Nancy ever visit
the Long Island home?

I imagine so.

You see, Mrs. Messenger
requested that Nancy's nurse

should occupy it as long as she lived.

Nancy's nurse?

Yes, a woman named Nora.

I'd like to talk to this Nora.

That could be easily managed.

I'll telephone.

No.

No, let me see if I can't
arrange to meet Nora

without anyone, even
Nancy, suspecting anything.

Isn't this much nicer
than a walk in the park?

Oh, of course.

But you certainly changed your mind fast.

Oh, it wasn't merely a whim.

When I got out of my shower

there was a phone message
calling me to Long Island.

So here we are.

There's the house.

Nora!

My little lamb!

Nora, this is Mr. Kildare.

Pleased to meet you, sir.

How do you do?

Well, come in, come in.

Well, now, let me take your things.

Oh, my!

This is the nicest surprise I've had

since the last time you came.

Surprise, Nora?

Why, it was your message that brought me.

What message?

I didn't send you any message.

Well, that's funny.

Well, what did the message say?

It said to come to
Long Island immediately.

But maybe they took the message wrong.

I'll ask the service when I get home.

Well, old fella!

Well!

- What's wrong with you?
- Petey!

Poor thing's been limping
around here for a week.

Aww.

Well, Pete, you have a bad shoulder there.

You found out quick enough.

Oh, I just happened
to hit the sore spot.

Looks to me like you were

asking questions with your fingers.

The way doctors do.

Well, what's wrong with doctors, Nora?

What's right with them?

Nora.

They stood by and let your mother die

right before your eyes, didn't they?

Nora, please!

I'm sorry, darling.

What's the matter, Nancy?

It's one of those headaches again.

Headaches?

Well, how long have you
been having headaches?

I don't know.

For months.

Nancy, are you going to keep
on tearing yourself apart

with these headaches?

Or once and for all are
you going to see him?

I don't know.

Him?

Well, who's him, Nora?

A doctor?

No, he's too good to be a doctor.

He cures people instead
of letting them die.

Friend of yours, Nora?

Mr. Archley is a friend of
everybody who believes in him.

Nancy, you must see him.

Now, today.

When the blindness comes
even he can't help you!

Nora, don't!

Don't!

Nancy.

Nancy, why not do as Nora says?

Oh, what's the use?

Nobody can help me.

Oh, please, Nancy.

I'll go with you.

Just come and talk to him.

Why, I don't know who the
man is or what he can do,

but every day miracles happen
that no one can explain.

Anyone as young as you, Miss Messenger,

is not meant to suffer pain.

But you do, don't you?

Violent headaches, I can see that.

Mr. Archley,

Miss Messenger has just
had a very severe attack.

Don't you think she should
lie down and rest awhile

before you proceed?

Yes.

Yes, an excellent idea.

Nora, would you take her, please?

In here, my dear.

What was your idea in doing that?

You see, I know that Nora has told you

all about Miss Messenger.

Which is, of course, what
she should have done.

We're all only concerned
with making Nancy well again.

Of course, of course.

Just what is your connection
with the case, Mr. Kildare?

Isn't it enough that I
induced her to come and see you?

After all, Nora wasn't able to, was she?

Obviously, I am in your debt.

What's worrying you?

As an old friend of the family,

I know more about Miss
Messenger's case than Nora does.

Is that so?

What, for instance?

Well, six months ago,
Nora revealed to Nancy

the true cause of her
mother's death, right?

Suppose I tell you Nora was wrong.

Wrong?

But uh...

The mother's symptoms, as
Nora describes them to me,

sound very conclusive.

Symptoms?

Oh, well, headaches, blindness.

Why couldn't they indicate
a dozen different things?

Meningitis, for instance.

Meningitis?

Ah, Doctor, you must understand

I'm only trying to help you.

And help Nancy.

If that's what you all believe,

Nancy has inherited her mother's trouble,

we must be sure we're on the right track.

Mr. Kildare, unless you have
some specific information,

I must believe that periodic headaches,

plus muscular imbalance, plus blindness,

can mean only one thing.

Muscular imbalance?

Well, uh, suppose I'm wrong.

Just how do you propose
to treat Miss Messenger

for this uh, brain tumor?

The first principle of my treatment

is to cleanse the mind with truth.

I then cure the body with natural methods

and electro-vibrations.

Well, you're not going to tell that girl

she has a brain tumor.

Of course.

It's essential to my course of treatment.

But you mustn't tell her.

You'll excuse me now, Mr. Kildare.

I must attend to my patient.

Look here, Archley,

that girl's half out of
her mind with fear already,

with nothing more than her own
suspicions to frighten her.

She doesn't know that Nora's
told you the whole story,

so if you diagnose her
trouble as brain tumor,

she's liable to lose her mind entirely.

I don't agree, Dr. Kildare.

Oh, yes, you're a doctor.

Well, I don't have to be a doctor

to see what your game is.

You're going to tell her she has a tumor,

knowing full well that she hasn't,

so that you can pretend to cure something

that doesn't exist.

Well, I'm sorry, but
I'm not going to let you

tell her anything like that.

Nora, Miss Messenger,

I'm convinced I can bring
you back to perfect health,

but Dr. Kildare here seems
to think differently.

Doctor?

It's true, Nancy.

I'm sorry you had to learn it this way.

There's no use keeping
it a secret any longer.

I'm a doctor.

You, Jimmy?

You, a doctor?

Enough of a doctor to know
that you're not going blind

and you're not going to die

because you don't have a brain tumor.

Oh!

Nancy, I'm a pretty good doctor

and every instinct I have tells me

there's nothing wrong with you,

nothing but grief and fear
and brooding imagination.

Since you're a doctor
you oughtn't be the one

to drive this poor child
stark raving crazy.

Did you mean that?

Hasn't she got any tumor?

Now you need a little rest, dear.

Hello, Nancy.

Will you leave us alone, please?

But you can't...

Oh, Nora, please.

Sorry to follow you here, Nancy,

but I had to get things settled.

Settled?

You realize, of course,

that you haven't let
me see you for a week?

Although I've called at the
house at least every day.

I...

The situation is very obvious, Nancy.

You just don't love me anymore.

But you're too nice to tell me so.

I realize now that it's up to
me to make it easier for you.

Goodbye, Nancy.

You'll never see me again.

I'll never see him again.

Nora!

Nora!

Emergency call, Blair General
Hospital, New York City.

Oh, hello, Dr. Kildare!

No, Joe Wayman's not on duty tonight.

He finally promised to buy me a dinner

and he didn't seem feverish
when he said it, either.

Hey, did you say Dr. Kildare?

Oh, excuse me, Doctor, here he is.

Hello, Doc, this is Joe.

Oh, Joe.

Joe, I'm in a spot and I need action.

I want you to bring me an ophthalmoscope

and a perimeter out to
Long Island right away.

Yeah, grab the first bus.

I'm on my way.

I didn't have anything
important to do tonight anyway.

Where are you?

Okay, Doc.

I'm sorry about that
dinner, tonight, Sally.

My system must be wrong.

Other girls get diamond bracelets

and I can't even promote
a cheese sandwich.

Are buses usually right on time here?

On the dot.

Take it easy, brother,
you got 25 minutes yet.

There's the bus schedule.

Fire!

Hope it's my house.

Just paid the insurance yesterday.

Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah!

21 miles in 19 and a half minutes.

I'd have made it sooner,

only it makes me nervous to go fast.

How'd you get the ambulance?

Well, you're my pal and
you said you were in a hurry.

I am.

The gadgets are in the back.

Well, let's get going.

Nora, I...

Go away, Doctor.

Well, I have to see her.

You're not going to.

But she hasn't a brain
tumor, I'm positive she hasn't.

If I could only see her
and examine her eyes,

I know I can convince her.

You've done enough harm already!

Nora, you must let me see her.

Adam!

Well, baby, the moment
we got that phone call

I knew I'd be needing ya.

Oh, excuse me a minute, Doc.

I wanna take a look at that back tire.

Hey, Doc!

Doc, how do you like that?

These yokels don't fight fair.

This guy tried to pull a hammer on me!

Nancy?

Nancy.

Look, I know how you feel about me,

but I want to help you.

I'm sure you don't have a brain tumor.

I'm positive we can
straighten everything all out.

Oh, please, Nancy, please look at me.

Jimmy, I can't see you.

I can't see anything, Jimmy.

I'm blind.

Conover!

Do you realize that every year

millions of men abandon their sweethearts

and wives and families just to go fishing?

Any excuse is better than none.

And what've they got to show for it?

This!

Throw him back in.

Do unto others as you'd
have 'em do unto you.

Amen.

Fish don't agree with me anyway.

You call this a vacation, Conover?

I wish you wouldn't move that umbrella

so the sun hits my neck through that hole.

Sun'll do you good.

Violet rays.

Oh, violet applesauce!

I'm too doggone healthy now.

If you hadn't come
on this here vacation,

it's two to one right now

I'd be walking slow behind you.

Why, I'll bet you would...

Conover, betting is gambling.

And gambling is illegal.

Furthermore, it's foolish
because you can't win.

I've had it in my mind
to teach you something

about gambling for some time now.

Out of the dim past I seem to remember

that if you get a seven
or an eleven you win.

Yes, Doctor.

And if you get a two,
three, or twelve, you lose.

I'll roll you for a dollar.

Hit it!

Lucky seven, you win.

Doctor, let me breathe
on 'em once for luck.

Go on, breathe away.

Conover, how much money you got on you?

I's carryin' $4.

$4, huh?

Snake eyes!

I win!

Double sixes!

I win!

How much money do you owe me now, Doctor?

$22.

Now, that shows you what
a fool a man is to gamble.

Those dice I brought with me are crooked

and still I couldn't win.

No, Doctor.

Here's your dice.

I switched on you when I
breathed on 'em.

There's a man walking towards us.

Probably somebody from the hospital.

Tell him I'm asleep.

Howdy, Dr. Kildare!

Hello, Conover.

Uh, may I speak to you for
a moment, Dr. Gillespie?

Can't you see I'm asleep?

I uh, I hate to be a nuisance, sir,

but, well, I'm at the end of my rope.

Mm, so you hung yourself, huh?

Well, it's about the Messenger girl.

She's in the hospital.

She's totally blind.

Blind?

Dr. Gillespie, Miss
Messenger's optic nerve

seems entirely normal.

There's no sign of deterioration.

By every test she should be able to see.

But she's blind.

Please, Dr. Gillespie,

if you can't come back to the hospital,

I'd like to bring her here to see you.

Now, young Dr. Kildare, you
dug this pit for yourself.

Get yourself out of it.

Goodbye.

Well, when's the next
train leave for New York?

About a half an hour.

Well, what are we waiting for?

My lecture today deals with
a type of human suffering

that invariably baffles the young doctor.

And a great many old doctors as well.

This is difficult to diagnose
because it conceals itself

under the symptoms of every known disease.

There was, for instance, a
woman, totally bereft of speech.

Shrewd investigation finally revealed

that she'd called out
to her little daughter,

who, running across the street in answer,

had been struck down by a car and killed.

The subconscious realization
that her own voice

had called the child to its death

paralyzed the mother's vocal cords.

Even psychoanalysis
failed to effect a cure.

We were forced to pretend
to operate on her throat.

And by this means, convince her

that we'd restored her speech surgically.

Evidently, Dr.
Kildare regards our kindergarten

as beneath his notice.

Who is it?

Dr. Kildare.

Nancy, I have found out
what's wrong with your eyes

and I can cure you.

It's been nothing but a
simple little myopic strain

that always responds to a minor operation.

Always?

Always.

Next patient!

I'm pretty sure I know
that the trouble is...

Don't you tell me what the trouble is.

I'll tell you what the trouble is.

But, Doctor...

Go on, get in there in the next room

and take off your clothes.

Huh?

Go on, don't argue with me.

Get in there!

Go on, get in, that's it.

Next patient!

Oh-ho, well, good morning.

Good morning.

Sit down.

Thank you.

Well, I know you.

Of course you do.

I'm Jimmy Kildare's mother.

Yeah, a very bullheaded young man.

Well, how are you?

I suppose you've come to
ask me to take him back.

Nothing of the sort.

Why?

Don't you want him to be my assistant?

I want him to be what he wants to be.

And when he makes a mistake,

I want him to find out why he made it

so he won't do it again.

Suppose he fails?

I'm his mother.

I can't even imagine it.

Dr. Gillespie, will
you examine my husband?

Why, what's the matter with him?

I'll never be satisfied till
you tell me what you think.

I...

Oh, I'll wait till you finish reading.

No, go on talking.

I can't stand people who can't do

more than one thing at a time.

I don't want Jimmy to
know anything about this.

Oh, you don't suppose
I'd tell him, do you?

Ah, I see.

Well, bring him in Monday
morning at eleven o'clock.

Oh, thank you very much.

You are very kind.

No, no, this way, Mrs. Kildare.

I'm very sorry about you and Jimmy.

Your son is a natural
born objector, madame.

He doesn't care which side
of an argument he takes

as long as everybody else
is on the other side.

Goodbye.

Goodbye, Mrs. Kildare.

Hey, you!

Come on out!

Now I'll listen to you.

What's the matter with you?

Nothing at all.

I never was sick a day in my life.

I just come here to repair your telephone!

I've already explained my belief

that when Miss Messenger
experienced several

commonplace headaches, Nora,
ridden by fanatic fears,

convinced the girl that
she had a brain tumor

inherited from her mother.

But now my conclusion is that the factor

which directly induced
Nancy's mysterious blindness

was Mr. Herron's words, "You
will never see me again."

Will you come in now, please?

Has Dr. Kildare made it clear

that Miss Messenger
has been led to believe

that an operation has
been performed on her

for a trivial eye ailment?

- Yes, sir.
- Oh, yes.

Nancy?

Nancy, I'm going to take the bandage off

and you're going to be able to see.

Then you'll know, as I know,

that there isn't a single
thing wrong with you now.

I'll do that.

I'll believe everything.

If only I can see.

Well, I'm so sure of
it that I've arranged

a little surprise for you.

Surprise?

Mm-hmm.

The first thing you'll see will be, uh...

Nancy.

Charlie!

Charlie!

Now the room is full of sunlight.

Charlie!

Nancy, darling!

Oh, dear!

Oh!

Thank God.

Fine work, Doctor.

We'll talk about
gratitude some other time.

Do you think I might go
in to see her, Doctor?

Why, yes.

Be a good idea to knock first.

Oh.

Dr. Kildare.

Dr. Gillespie would
like to see you at once.

You sent for me, sir?

I sent for a lot of unimportant people.

You just happened to get here first.

Uh-huh.

Well, uh, Dr. Gillespie,
without knowing it

you've done me a very great service.

You'll be happy to hear
that Miss Messenger is not...

I don't want to hear anything
about your diamond studded

millionaire patients.

I got a couple of pretty
good patients myself.

Parker!

Send in those patients!

You know, the funny thing is,

ever since you left here everything's been

running like clockwork.

What patients?

Those two people!

The man and the woman, you nitwit!

Oh, why didn't you say so?

It isn't her fault.

I don't talk loud enough.

Mother!

Dear.

Dad.

What are you two doing?

Say, what's the matter?

Is something wrong?

Dad, are you ill?

No, Jimmy.

Oh, Mother.

I have a right to know.

We were worried about
your father's heart, Jimmy.

Oh, why didn't you tell me?

But we know it's all right now.

Dr. Gillespie, they're
trying to make me think

there's nothing serious.

My diploma's over there.

Have a look at it.

Well, are you sure, Dr. Gillespie?

Did you look for any signs of thrombosis?

You little whippet!

Are you questioning my diagnosis?

I beg your pardon,
sir, I didn't mean that.

Oh yes, you did, too.

Ever since you started
your Park Avenue practice,

you don't trust any doctor

unless he wears a high hat and spats.

I'm sorry, sir.

Here.

Now, you should have told me.

Well, it was our worry until
we had to tell you, Jimmy.

And stop fretting about it.

It's all over now, isn't it?

Yes, but the past two minutes

I've been doing some fast thinking.

About what?

My week off next month.

I was going to spend it
in the research clinic,

but now I'm coming home
and staying with you.

Oh!

Oh, we'd like that, son.

I want to tell you how
happy you've made us, sir,

but I don't know what to say.

Well, why don't you
say something stupid?

You usually do.

Well, Stephen, are you
going to stand around here

gossiping with Dr. Gillespie all day?

Huh?

This is a place for
sick people, isn't it?

Oh, yes, yes.

Doctor, I said everything
I could think of in there,

but I'd like to say it again.

Oh, write me a letter about it.

See you later, son.

Well, we're going to have
dinner together, aren't we?

Uh-huh.

Goodbye.

Goodbye, son.

Now, let's see, who are you?

Oh, yes, I remember.

A Irish pawnbroker named Kildare.

I'm still grateful for what
you've done for my father.

Are you still here?

Well, I just want a minute more, sir.

The Messenger girl is cured,

thanks indirectly to you.

To me?

Yes, and to the happy coincidence

that your lecture gave me the clue.

Happy coincidence.

Isn't that splendid?

The first happy coincidence
was that I happened to

come back from my vacation
on that particular day.

The second happy coincidence was

that I happened to lecture
for the first time in a year.

And the third happy coincidence was

that I picked that particular subject.

Happy coincidence.

Why, you stupid little tadpole.

I've been leading you around
like a pug dog on a string.

Well, I don't know.

I don't know what to say.

Oh, you've said that before.

As regards the Messenger case,

even good doctors often forget

that fear is a tyrant over
the body as well as the mind.

People can acquire the evil results

of every disease just through fear alone.

I had an instinctive
feeling about that case

from the beginning.

You should have been
positive, young Dr. Kildare.

There's nothing new about it.

Why, way back in the middle ages,

when the black plague killed
half the people in Europe,

there were thousands of folks
that died from the disease

and didn't have it at all.

And I thought I was so smart.

Ah, there's only one
really smart guy around here

and that's me.

I know everything.

Mm, I'm convinced of that.

Yeah.

I know even more than you think I do.

For instance, I know that you
didn't quit your job with me

on account of Paul Messenger's money.

What? Why...

Easy now, Jimmy, easy.

You knew I'd have to stop and take a rest

if you walked out on me.

So you walk out on me.

I'll never forget that, Jimmy.

Oh, how did you find out?

Who could've told you?

Well, nobody told me.

I figured it out for myself.

That is to say, I figured it out after I'd

wangled around with your
mother for a while.

Mary Lamont, come here.

How did you know I was here?

I've got an extra eye
in the back of my head.

I heard everything.

Mary, that's one of the things

you'll have to learn if you're going to be

in love with a doctor.

Uh, I've gotta do something.

None so blind as those that won't see.

Uh, excuse me, I have
something to do, too.

No, you haven't!

Tonight you've got a date with an airplane

and a bottle of sulfur pyridine.

Well!

Don't let the local
doctors give you any guff.

I'll try not to do anything wrong.

Suppose we do everything wrong?

Someday some fellow smarter than we are

will look it all over and say,

"Well, thank heaven I
don't have to waste my time

"finding that out."

He'll find the real
answer to pneumonia and...

He'll get the real answer to
pneumonia that much sooner.

Yes, sir.

Goodbye, sir.

Goodbye, son.

Hey, you nincompoop!

Look out what you're
doing with that umbrella!

Goodbye!

I sure hope you folks
find a cure for pneumonia

real quick.

Why, what's it to you?

'Cause I's gettin' it right now.