Remedy for Riches

Dr. Christian was a staple of network radio from 1937 to the mid fifties and along the way, the series spawned six films. As a radio show it stood alone as the only program to use listener submitted scripts. Each week one story would be broadcast from among thousands submitted. The stories were surprisingly good and kept listeners tuning in even after television has pretty much destroyed dramatic radio. The Dr. Christian movies were written by professionals. Perhaps the film-goers would have been better served if the amateurs had also been invited to write the movie scripts. "Remedy for Riches" is the fourth of the six "Dr. Christian" films. It's pleasant and predictable. The "Doc" saves the whole town--not using his medical skills, but rather by doing a bit of detecting-or "rat smelling" to be more precise. Included in the cast is Edgar Kennedy who starred in a bunch of short comedies in the 40's. Warren Hull is the male romantic lead. He gained fame as a radio announcer on a program called "Stike it Rich" and later took it to television where it was a top hit into the late 1950's. If you're an old radio buff, you will love "Remedy for Riches".

There's a lot going on in River's End. Dr. Christian's nurse, Dorothy Lovett, is dating the local druggist, Robert Baldwin. All the women are preparing cakes and flowers for the fair. To top it off, Baldwin's college friend, Warren Hull, shows up in town. He's a developer, heading on to the next town, but Baldwin talks him into staying over for a few days. This gives storekeeper Edgar Kennedy a chance to sell him some land. While the contractors are digging up the sites, they strike oil and everyone in town sees the chance of riches.

Longtime movie actor Jean Hersholt starred as canny and kindly Dr. Christian for fifteen years, on the radio, in television and of course in the movies. Of the role, Hersholt said "Dr Christian is such a sweet sentimental fellow, I'd hate to be stuck with playing him for the rest of my life." Yet he did, amidst various honors and having the Academy's humanitarian award named after him. He was that sort of man in real life.

The movies, released through RKO, were small-town affairs. This one is eked out with some comedy professionals. Kennedy, of course, does his patented slow burn over a mountain of canned goods that keep getting knocked down; Walter Catlett plays a self-important, slow-witted and fast-talking cop; and Maude Eburne plays Dr. Christian's housekeeper, who stuffs everyone with cake. It's a view of small-town America that pleased America, even though it seems strange to modern society's fast pace, and the slapstick chase sequence at the end, although not very well executed, was also a favored staple of the era.

Not any medicine is practiced by Jean Hersholt in Remedy For Riches. But Dr. Christian once again proves to be the salvation of the town of River's End when he questions a new found oil discovery on some worthless land belonging to Edgar Kennedy the grocer.

Warren Hull comes to town ostensibly looking to buy land to build a resort hotel, but he discovers 'oil' conveniently salted into the land by Hull and his partner Jed Prouty. He's an old friend of druggist Robert Baldwin from college and he uses his friendship with Baldwin to gain acceptance in River's End.

Not that Baldwin is suspicious at first, but when Hull starts cutting in on his time with Dorothy Lovett who is Jean Hersholt's nurse that sets Baldwin on edge.

Walter Catlett playing a sharp talking but not terribly bright policeman adds a lot to the comedy here. Catlett together with Edgar Kennedy brings more comedy than was present in the previous Dr. Christian films.

Some secondary comedy bits involve Jean Hersholt and Walter Catlett trying to bake a replacement cake after Catlett eats a big chunk of one that Maude Eburne who is Dr. Christian's housekeeper bakes. And there's a strutting rooster slated for dinner who becomes a pet of the two spinster Purdy sisters, Hallene Hall and Margaret McWade.

All in all a really nice and gentle film with the ever wise Dr. Christian showing himself to be like George Bailey, the indispensable man of his town of River's End.