Search - Dr. Kildare's Strange Case on DVD

Brain surgery, insulin shock therapy, and mild humor.

R. Christenson | Pine, CO USA | 10/21/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"In Dr. Kildare's Strange Case, Kildare (Lew Ayres) urges a diffident brain surgeon to operate on an unidentified accident victim. When the patient wakes, he rants about being in the wrong day: "You put me in Thursday - I need to be in Friday!" Failing to identify the man, Kildare assumes he was already insane before the operation and goes behind Gillespie's (Lionel Barrymore) back to administer insulin shock therapy - overnight to make sure the patient gets back in Friday where he belongs - to prove the brain surgeon wasn't at fault.

There are minor subplots with a moderate amount of humor and a bit of melodrama that would only interest fans following the series - like, will Kildare take a high paying job and leave the hospital? Barrymore's performance is as good as usual, and the rest of the cast competent.

The cast includes Nat Pendleton, who sometimes played a sergeant or cop in Abbott & Costello movies like Buck Privates."