Doctor in Distress

I was given this film on DVD as a birthday present, so sat down and gave it a go. I had seen a few of the other Doctor films and thought them gentle, inoffensive but ultimately unfunny. This one is very similar.

James Robertson Justice's irritable surgeon Sir Lancelot Spratt is the central character, with Dirk Bogarde as Dr Stephen Sparrow hovering about. It's really James Robertson Justice's performance that makes this film, with his wonderful fruity bark, and seeing him given the chance to show off other sides of his acting ability, coming over as a rather affable chap now and again.

Like a lot of these British comedy films, the plot is wafer-thin, you really have to suspend your disbelief, and ultimately it isn't really very funny at all.

But for me I came away with a satisfied smile on my face, having enjoyed the film for other reasons. The supporting cast is a real who's who of British screen acting, with people like Timothy Bateson, John Bluthal, Donald Houston and many others. Being a fan of Flanders and Swan, it was a nice surprise to see Michael Flanders as the food writer at the health farm.

My favourite scene is at the railway station, where rail buffs can ooh and ahh at British Railways-era carriages and locos, the history buffs at the posters for milk and rail rovers. There's also lots of street shots full of classic British cars, black-and-white striped sign posts and cafés where you can get beans on toast for 10d and fried egg, beans, chips and fried bread for the princely sum of 2/6! Not a great film, you sometimes find yourself pushing the fast forward button. But for James Robertson Justice, and as a kind of time capsule of early 60s Britain it's perfect.

Doctor in Distress is directed by Ralph Thomas and adapted to screenplay by Nicholas Phipps and Ronald Scott Thorn from the Doctor series of characters that feature in the novels written by Richard Gordon. It stars Dirk Bogarde, James Robertson Justice, Samantha Eggar, Donald Houston, Barbara Murray and Mylène Demongeot. Music is by Norrie Paramor and cinematography by Ernest Steward.

Sir Lancelot Spratt (Justice) injures his back and finds himself a patient at his own hospital. Falling in love with his physiotherapist Iris Marchant (Murray), Spratt turns to senior doctor Simon Sparrow (Bogarde) for some lady wooing advice when Iris blows him off. But Simon has his own matters of the heart to contend with, his relationship with aspiring actress Delia Mallory (Eggar) is about to be challenged by a acting assignment in Italy.

The fifth of seven "Doctor" movies, Distress sees Bogarde return after missing part four of the series. The truth is that as a series it was never high end comedy anyway, more a case of solid light entertainment and a chance to spend some time in the company of some fine British actors. The Box Office take in the UK was as usual very healthy, but as amiable as it all is, it feels tired, like an auto-pilot production, where really there's only enough good material to have filled out an extended TV episode (Spratt trying to lose weight and following Iris when he learns another man is in the frame for her affections).

The makers try to invigorate this instalment by shifting the focus from Bogarde's Dr. Sparrow to Justice's irascible Spratt. Which while it undoubtedly is no bad thing having more of Justice's bluster to enjoy, the film wastes Bogarde (who would not return for parts six and seven) and the central joke just isn't strong enough to carry a running time of an hour and forty minutes! The girls are lovely and sexy (Murray impressive), but in the case of Eggar and Demongeot they are short changed by a screenplay that asks practically nothing of them.

Is it a good afternoon by the fire movie? Yes, absolutely, the cast (and the ream of cameos by notable British stars of film and TV) ensure that is the case. But don't be surprised if you find yourself looking at your watch after the hour mark has passed. 6.5/10

This movie sees the return, after an absence of six years, of Dirk Bogarde to the role of Doctor Simon Sparrow. But for a change, the movie's main emphasis is not placed on the young, bungling medic, but, refreshingly, focuses on the wonderful James Robertson Justice as Sir Lancelot Spratt.

Because of this, 'Doctor In Distress' is my personal favourite of the 'Doctor' series. It's a joy to see James Robertson Justice take centre stage for a change, whether bashfully admitting his childhood nickname of 'Porker' or visiting a health farm; he never fails to raise a smile.

To be honest, Bogarde is largely wasted in this film; still it is nice to see Simon Sparrow for one final time. Indeed, 'Doctor In Distress' does have a feeling of closure to it, with Sparrow no longer a hapless young medic but instead an established colleague and friend of Sir Lancelot. It is a real pleasure to see these two fine actors reunited once again.

Sadly there would be eventually two more 'Doctor' movies made, of variable quality, but 'Doctor In Distress' sees out the classic 'Doctor' movies with style.

The usual formula for this series featuring the urbane Bogarde, the irascible Robertson-Justice and - pardon my political incorrectness - some top notch tottie.

Probably considered quite risque in its time but hardly likely to provoke an "ooh err, missus!" these days, it mostly raises smiles rather than laughs although the odd bits of slapstick made my 7 year old son laugh.

Perhaps the most fun is to be had spotting future starts down the cast list: Richard Briers (The Good Life), John Bluthal (Vicar of Dibley), the uncredited Denise Coffee (Do Not Adjust Your Set), Ronnie Barker (Two Ronnies) and Derek Fowlds (Yes, Minister) are all here, not to mention Frank Finlay (Casanova) and Leo McKern (Rumpole of the Bailey). No Richard Wattis or John Le Mesurier though - they must have been working on 5 other British comedies that week.

We have Dirk Bogarde doing his gentle, sensible young doctor character again. He has a polite, gentle romance with Samantha Eggar amidst the medical high jinks.

This is my favourite of the Doctor In The House series, though, because it's the one which gives most screen time to James Robertson Justice as the impossible Professor Lancelot Spratt. He is, for most of the picture, a patient, and given how he behaves when he's a consultant surgeon, it is hardly surprising that he is the most unco-operative and demanding patient in the annals of medical science.

JRJ makes full use of the opportunities offered, playing every scene for all it is worth (but, thank goodness, *only* for what it is worth - he doesn't extravagantly overplay it) and with obvious relish.

The job of the rest of the movie is to provide the canvas for him to display on, so it's not as though it's anything difficult or consequential.

Enjoyable fare for a weekend afternoon.