3 Men in White

That was the first time Ava Gardner had been credited for a movie .Although Marilyn Maxwell plays the female lead,today everybody knows that the star is Ava .Fortunately ,it's her scenes which are the most endearing in a routine Kildaresque medical melodrama.All that concerns her disabled mama is moving if a bit implausible (dr Miracle) The main plot concerns an old doctor (that was the first time I had found Lionel Barrymore almost unbearable,probably because of a poor direction)who must choose an assistant and tries to decide between two enthusiastic young colleagues ;but both have more than one string to their bow. Van Johnson has also got to make up his mind ,because there are two ladies.

This is a rather annoying entry into the series. With Dr. Kildare persona non grata at MGM after Lew Ayres became a conscientious objector, the franchise now belongs to irascible Dr. Gillespie (Lionel Barrymore). Barrymore was a wonderful actor, but these were B movies slapped together probably in days, and it shows.

This particular film had Barrymore overplaying to the balcony at the top of his lungs. Van Johnson and Keye Luke are cute as the energetic interns vying to be his assistant (again) and each taking on a difficult case. Johnson, of course, also has to deal with a woman. This time, it's pretty Marilyn Maxwell.

The chief interest in seeing this film is for an early appearance by Ava Gardner as Jean Brown. She is flawlessly beautiful as a young woman caring for her arthritis-stricken mother.

I liked the Dr. Kildare series with Lew Ayres and Laraine Day much more, I have to confess.

An interesting curiosity for a number of things, including references to the war. The Barrymore character Dr. Gillespie, with his over-the-top snarling, snapping at people, rooting out mysterious cases and mocking of young doctors and their ill-informed diagnoses is a precursor of the Hugh Laurie character in the House television series. Most significantly, Ava Gardner's performance in her first significant role, where she is fifth-billed, is arresting. Her acting at 22 was still a work in progress, but her charisma and star quality is clear and shines through the journeyman quality of the filmmaking. The cast is an unusual mix of A- level players - Van Johnson, Keye Luke, Gardner and Barrymore - and barely adequate bit players, making for some unusual scenes.

The post-Lew-Ayres Dr. Kildare series sputters with Keye Luke and Van Johnson still competing to be Lionel Barrymore's assistant -- and each has to solve a medical mystery of his own choice. Meanwhile, various plots continue from earlier entries in the series, mostly comic. The series was winding down and only two more entries would come out, at two-year intervals.

This episode is better than a couple of the polished stinkers that immediately preceded it. The comic relief does not overwhelm the movie, the usual character actors are on hand in their series roles for your enjoyment and they also give you a young Ava Gardner, just another of the MGM contract players. Hubba Hubba.

But the principal reason to watch these movies is, of course, Lionel Barrymore, always an enormously enjoyable and expert performer for any role. Unfortunately, he suffered badly from rheumatism and so he spent this entire series sitting down in a wheelchair. But standing or sitting, he's always good to watch.

3 Men In White featured a trio of upcoming talent in the cast. Vying for the position of being the new assistant to Lionel Barrymore is up and coming Van Johnson. Vying for Van's attention is nurse Marilyn Maxwell and Ava Gardner who brings in the case of her mother who struggles with arthritis.

Walter Kingsford head of Blair General Hospital finally wants Lionel Barrymore to once and for all choose between Johnson and Keye Luke. When you think about it this whole thing is rather silly and stems for Dr. Gillespie's inability to make up his mind. Barrymore never showed a Hamlet streak in his crusty makeup before.

Despite a really contrived and silly plot the three up and comers were all shone to best advantage. For Ava Gardner this film marks her first real acting role and according to Lee Server's fine book on Gardner her then husband Mickey Rooney helped pull her through the film as she was having doubts about being able to cut it with the dramatics.

I get the impression that what Dr. Gillespie really wanted was for Jimmy Kildare to return and not to have to pick a new one.

Fans of the three upcoming stars should like this.