1937's "Wife, Doctor and Nurse" is a supposed comedy which often forgets about the humor to focus squarely on the soap opera life of Park Avenue doctor Judd Lewis (Warner Baxter), recently wed to somewhat spoiled socialite Ina Heath (Loretta Young), who tries to put up with his frequent absences performing surgeries at the hospital. Matters are further complicated by the fact that his devoted nurse Steve (Virginia Bruce) has been unknowingly in love with her employer for years, only realizing it now that he has married another. Incredibly, both females decide to leave rather than risk being a 'frustrated woman,' the indecisive finale proving not only improbable but also objectionable for the censors of the day, forcing studio chief Darryl Zanuck to bow to their demands for numerous cuts. Today's audiences will find little meat on these tired bones, so it's up to the cast to keep everything afloat, Baxter and Young an unlikely pair, an age difference of 24 years, Virginia Bruce coming off better on less to work with. Few among the supporting cast have moments to shine, small roles for Jane Darwell (as the doctor's housekeeper), Sidney Blackmer (as a fellow surgeon), and Elisha Cook as an interne. It's particularly disappointing for Lon Chaney fans, during his two year sabbatical as a Fox contract player, billed on screen as the doctor's chauffeur Scott, but around 80 seconds screen time and little dialogue. Unbilled in 20 of his 32 titles for Fox, this part turns out to be just another bit for an actor still awaiting his big break two years away from "Of Mice and Men."
