Dr. Gillespie's New Assistant

1942
Approved
1h 27m

IMDb RATING

6.2/10

256

YOUR RATING

Lionel Barrymore and Susan Peters in Dr. Gillespie's New Assistant (1942)

Medical Drama Comedy Drama Mystery Romance

Aging doctor Gillespie seeks a new assistant but is reluctant. He challenges three interns with complex medical cases, promising the one who diagnoses correctly the position.<Aging doctor Gillespie seeks a new assistant but is reluctant. He challenges three interns with complex medical cases, promising the one who diagnoses correctly the position.<Aging doctor Gillespie seeks a new assistant but is reluctant. He challenges three interns with complex medical cases, promising the one who diagnoses correctly the position.<

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.2/10

256

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Trivia
This film continued MGM's long-standing practice of developing its newest contract players by casting them in supporting roles in their various film franchises. In this case, a young Van Johnson is given a shot at replacing Lew Ayres in the role of Dr. Gillespie's protegé. Audience reaction to Johnson was so positive that within a film or two, he became a top-billed star in his own right - essentially a male pin-up to millions of teen-aged bobbysoxers.

Connections
Followed by Dr. Gillespie's Criminal Case (1943)

User reviews5

Review

Featured review

6/10

"What are you, anyway, one of those milquetoast namby-pambies who's afraid of being wrong?"

Overworked Dr. Gillespie (Lionel Barrymore) is forced to pick a new assistant. So he takes three potential candidates (Van Johnson, Keye Luke, Richard Quine) and gives each of them a case to see who will get the position. The main case involves a newly-married woman (Susan Peters) with amnesia.

Barrymore and the series regulars are great. Once again MGM seems to be trying to fill the void left by Lew Ayres. Robert Sterling and Philip Dorn didn't work, so this time they increase their odds. Although, really, only Van Johnson was a serious contender. He does fine. Richard Quine is ridiculous with the worst Australian accent I've ever heard. He would marry pretty Susan Peters after this film. Keye Luke is lots of fun, just as he was during his Charlie Chan years. He gets a lot of the wartime-flavored dialogue about Japs.

This isn't one of the better Gillespie films. The resolution to the main story is very weak. The addition of Johnson and Luke to the cast helps keeps things light (Quine's character thankfully leaves for Australia at the end). It's enjoyable enough if you're a fan of the series but not a good jumping on point for new viewers. Hilarious ending though.