The Doctor Takes A Wife (1940)

 

The Doctor Takes A Wife - 1940

Coming up next is 1940's "The Doctor Takes A Wife", a film about two people who are forced to portray themselves as a married couple for the benefit of their respective careers.  While showing themselves as a happy couple, in reality they can't stand one another.

The film's cast includes Loretta Young, Ray Milland, Reginald Gardiner, Gail Patrick, Edmund Gwenn, Georges Metaxa, Irving Bacon, and Charles Lane.

Successful author June Cameron and Dr. Timothy Sterling, a teacher of neuro psychiatry, are forced to share a ride together from Massachusetts to New York City.  The couple have completely opposite ideas about the roles of men and women.  June has just written a book celebrating women who choose to remain single.

During a stop on the way home, their car is mistakenly attached with a "Just Married" sign.  Naturally, because June is famous, it raises some serious interest, and someone alerts the newspapers.

Once in New York, June and Tim have a spat about who should pay for what.  He insists that she cough up half of the money spent on the trip.  She refuses.  Tim decides to have a few drinks at her expense as a way of making her pay.  Naturally, he gets drunk and passes out.

June's publisher arrives and so does a reporter and photographer.  Having been tipped off in advance and arriving to see a man in her bedroom, they naturally put two and two together and come up with four.  Only June's publisher, John, believes her.

Knowing that a story about her marriage will kill June's book, they've got to think up something fast.  John tells her to keep up with the pretense of the marriage so that she can write a book about how wonderful the institution is.  Reluctantly, she agrees.  They just have to convince Tim.

Initially, Tim wants no part of it.  However, when the story breaks, he is offered a promotion at work because of the fact he got married.  Not wanting to turn down the job, he decides to keep up the charade.

He returns to June's apartment, where they hammer out the details of this "marriage".  It's agreed that after a specified period of time June will go to Reno to get a "divorce".

Only one person has some trouble with the idea.  That's Tim's fiancée Marilyn.  She gets a copy of the newspaper before Tim has a chance to explain the situation.

Married life and private life start to encroach on one another.  Tim and June have to host a gaggle of fellow psychiatrists at their apartment, while at the same time Tim has to entertain Marilyn at an empty apartment next door.

It's hilarious to watch him bounce back and forth between the two apartments, always entering and exiting through the kitchen window.

Eventually, living with one another causes great strain.  Each tries to manipulate the other into keeping up the charade.  After June gets angry at Tim, she says, "Now, you listen to me, my microscopic friend, you might be able to give orders to that barnacle you’re engaged to.  But the last time a man tried it on me, I was six and he was seven, and for one solid hour I beat him over the head with my all-day sucker!"

At the start of a weekend trip to a fellow psychiatrist's place, June and Tim continue to bicker.  "You know, Johnny and I were discussing only yesterday how quietly repulsive you are," she says.

They never make it to the psychiatrist's house.  A policeman pulls them over because he notices that Tim's license plates tell that he is a doctor.  There is an emergency he's needed at.  A woman is having a baby, her husband has broken his foot, and there is no doctor around to help.  Tim gets right to work, and June becomes his assistant.

The two of them start to realize their feelings for one another are turning to love.

By the time that they can separate and get on with their lives, both June and Tim are reluctant to end the relationship.  However, both stick to the bargain they made.  June makes plans to go to Reno, while Tim plans to go to a party hosted by Marilyn, where she intends to announce their engagement.

After he leaves, June gets a visit from a reporter who threatens to reveal that they were never married and the whole thing was a sham.  If she can prove that she and Tim are really married by midnight, then he won't print the story.  June has to do some quick thinking and fast work to stop Marilyn from announcing the engagement.

After a little misunderstanding, Tim is more than happy to marry June, this time for real and for keeps.

Cast rundown:

   Loretta Young.............................June Cameron

   Ray Milland.................................Dr. Timothy Sterling

   Reginald Gardiner........................John Pierce

   Gail Patrick.................................Marilyn Thomas

   Edmund Gwenn...........................Dr. Lionel Sterling

   Georges Metaxa..........................Jean Rovere

   Irving Bacon...............................Sam Appleby

   Charles Lane...............................Reporter

And that's it for The Doctor Takes A Wife.  Before its release, the working title for this film was "As Good As Married", and it was intended that Cary Grant and Irene Dunne would be the stars.  This film works brilliantly with the casting of Loretta Young and Ray Milland.  They have such great chemistry.  Also, snappy dialogue is always a plus in my book.

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The Student Prince (1954)

The Student Prince - 1954

Coming up next (and in memory of John Ericson, who passed away just a few days ago), we feature 1954's "The Student Prince", a musical about a prince who turns to university life in an effort to make him more human and approachable.  What he gets is a lesson in love that will change him forever.

The film's cast includes Ann Blyth, Edmund Purdom, John Ericson, Louis Calhern, S.Z. Sakall, Betta St. John, John Williams, Evelyn Varden, and John Hoyt.

Prince Karl Franz of Karlsberg does everything for his country.  His engagement to a foreign princess is also a form of duty.  His grandfather, King Ferdinand, advises him that the country of Karlsberg has survived because its men have married well.  The country needs the dowry that Princess Johanna of Nordhausen will bring desperately.

The next evening, Princess Johanna is presented to the court of Karlsberg at a grand ball in her honor.  She and Prince Karl lead the dancing.

They are watched by King Ferdinand and by Johanna's mother, Queen Mathilda.  "You know, Ferdie, I believe Karl is even better looking than you were at his age," smiles the Queen.  "Not at all," says the King.  "My dear Mathilda, it's just that time has dimmed your memory."

The Princess asks Karl to take her into the garden for a private moment.  There, she attempts to get to know him better.   But she finds he's all business and no pleasure.  She's not at all sure that Karl is the man for her.

In fact, Queen Mathilda tells the King as much later on.  Karl behaves too much like a Prussian war machine.  He's going to have to change if he wants Princess Johanna to marry him.

The King summons Karl to his room late at night.  He tells Karl something has to be done to change his manner.  He should pay more attention to things like dancing than to his military ways.  "What have you been doing with your time?" asks the King.  "Following your orders," replies Karl.  "Never mind my orders.  Just do as I tell you!" thunders the King in turn.

It's recommended that Karl attend the University of Heidelberg, where he'll be able to rub shoulders with ordinary people and smooth out his rough edges.  He goes with an alias.  His true identity is known only to those he is traveling with and the innkeeper and his niece.

The innkeeper's niece, Kathie, is quite popular with all the students at Heidelberg.  Her delightful singing voice and her pretty looks make her most agreeable.

Karl takes one look at her and seems to concur.  After she delivers an address to him, she shows him to his rooms.

In the privacy of his rooms, Karl takes certain liberties with Kathie, to which she does not respond kindly.  She doesn't hold back and lets him know what she really thinks.

All is forgiven, and Kathie advises Karl on which student club to join.  She tells him to join the Westphalians.  It's a group of commoners, but they are much more down to earth than the aristocratic Saxo-Borussians.

Karl takes her advice, and the Westphalians welcome him with open arms.  After a large quantity of beer, Karl makes another advance towards Kathie.  She, however, knocks him down.

The prince's handler, Lutz, goes to see Kathie's uncle, Joseph Ruder.  "Are we alone?" asks Lutz.  "Alone?  No.  We are together," says Herr Ruder.  Lutz tells the innkeeper that he can make things difficult for him because of Kathie's "assault" on the prince.  He's advised to send her away.

Kathie goes to get a job in a restaurant.  After learning of her new employment, Karl goes after her.

When she loses her job, Karl begs her to come back to Heidelberg.  On the way back, she begins to fall in love with him.

One night, Karl is having a good time with his fellow Westphalians.  The leader of the Saxo-Borussians learns his true identity and rushes to have him join their group.  Karl refuses, saying he is happy with his choice.

The Saxo-Borussian leader, Count von Asterburg, is insulted and challenges Karl to a duel.

The two find a space and commence the fight.  Karl ultimately wins, scratching the Count on the face.  The two shake hands and part as friends.

Kathie anxiously awaits the results of the duel.  When Karl comes out, she rushes into his arms.  And they sing of their love for one another.

At a carnival later on, the two make plans to run away together.  Each goes to their own rooms to pack their belongings.

Just as Karl is ready to go, the Prime Minister comes to him and tells him that his grandfather urgently requests his presence at home.  Karl goes to Kathie and tells her that he'll come back when the time is right.

King Ferdinand notices that Heidelberg has changed Karl and likes the new man he sees before him.  The King tells Karl that plans for his marriage to Princess Johanna are complete, and the wedding will take place very soon.  Karl tells his grandfather that he doesn't want to be king.  He wants to be a just a man.  The king gets angry and storms off.

When Karl confronts the Prime Minister and alleges that he tricked him into coming home, the Prime Minister tells him that the king is very sick, sicker than he realizes.  He, in fact, is dying, and Karl needs to be ready to assume the throne.

Ultimately, King Ferdinand does die, and the new King Karl of Karlsberg stands before his grandfather's coffin and sings the poignant song "I'll Walk With God".  Karl knows what he has to do.  He must sacrifice his love for Kathie for his duty and marry Princess Johanna.

The song is very beautiful, so I'll include the lyrics here.

I'll walk with God from this day on.
His helping hand I'll lean upon.
This is my prayer, my humble plea.
May the Lord be ever with me.

There is no death though eyes grow dim.
There is no fear when I'm near to Him.
I'll lean on Him forever,
And He'll forsake me never.

He will not fail me as long as my faith is strong
Whatever road I may walk alone.

I'll walk with God.  I'll take His hand.
I'll talk with God.  He'll understand.

I'll pray to Him, each day to Him.
And He'll hear the words that I say.
His hand will guide my throne and rod.
And I'll never walk alone while I walk with God.

On his way to get married, Karl stops at Heidelberg and sees Kathie.  She's heard of his upcoming marriage and wishes him well.  They part and lovingly say their goodbyes.

Karl continues on his journey, leaving Heidelberg a very different man than when he came.

Cast rundown:

   Ann Blyth......................................Kathie Ruder

   Edmund Purdom.............................Prince Karl Franz

   John Ericson..................................Count von Asterburg

   Louis Calhern.................................King Ferdinand

   Edmund Gwenn..............................Professor Juttner

   S.Z. Sakall.....................................Joseph Ruder

   Betta St. John................................Princess Johanna

   John Williams.................................Lutz

   Evelyn Varden................................Queen Mathilda

   John Hoyt......................................Prime Minister von Mark

And that's all for The Student Prince.  This film is a version of a famous operetta.  In the play, Princess Johanna is actually in love with a Count Tarnitz, and they must also sacrifice their love for duty.  Count Tarnitz does not appear in the film version.  The film version also takes place in months, while the play takes the span of two years.  This is the final film performance of S.Z. Sakall.

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