Internes Can't Take Money

Summary

Internes Can't Take Money is a 1937 American drama film directed by Alfred Santell and starring Barbara Stanwyck, Joel McCrea, Lloyd Nolan and Stanley Ridges. McCrea portrays Dr. Kildare in the character's first screen appearance.[1][2] Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer continued the Dr. Kildare series with Young Dr. Kildare (1938) starring Lew Ayres as Kildare and Laraine Day as a nurse in love with Kildare. The film was released in the United Kingdom as You Can't Take Money.

Internes Can't Take Money
Theatrical release poster
Directed byAlfred Santell
Screenplay by
Story byMax Brand
Produced byBenjamin Glazer
Starring
CinematographyTheodor Sparkuhl
Edited byDoane Harrison
Music byGregory Stone
Production
company
Distributed byParamount Pictures
Release date
  • April 16, 1937 (1937-04-16) (USA)
Running time
78 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Plot edit

At New York's Mountview General Hospital, widow Janet Haley faints while intern Dr. Jimmie Kildare treats her for burns. Meanwhile, chief surgeon Dr. Henry J. Fearson fires intern Dr. Weeks for performing an experimental liver operation during which the patient died. Later at the bar where Jimmie is having a beer, Janet approaches gangster Dan Innes to find out how to get back her kidnapped daughter. Innes demands $1,000 for the information, but poverty-stricken Janet is unable to pay. When gangster boss Hanlon collapses at the bar from a knife wound, Jimmie performs an impromptu operation with Janet's help and saves Hanlon's life. The next morning, Janet goes to Innes' residence and he propositions her, but she refuses him. She then goes to work but discovers that she has been fired because of tardiness. Jimmie decides to visit Janet because she did not show up for her follow-up appointment. He first stops at the bar, where the bartender gives him $1,000 from Hanlon for saving his life. Later, Janet tries to steal the money, but Jimmie catches her and, disillusioned, leaves. Jimmie returns the money to Hanlon, explaining that interns are not allowed to receive payments for their services. Finally, Janet agrees to Innes' proposition and gives Jimmie an explanatory note. To repay Jimmie's favor, Hanlon rounds up his men and stops Innes and Janet before they leave town. Innes is shot, however, and Jimmie must perform the experimental liver operation. The operation is successful and Janet is reunited with her long-lost daughter.[3]

Cast edit

Reception edit

In a contemporary review for The New York Times, critic John T. McManus called the film "[a] nicely performed, well ordered and fairly rational reshuffle of the cinema verities (the chief of which are love, frustration, pathos, suspense, action and ambrosia)" and praised the lead actors: "Miss Stanwyck's work is pleasantly subdued, in contrast to the stormy time she has had in her last picture or so. Joel McCrea, as far as this reviewer is concerned, can do no wrong."[4]

References edit

  1. ^ Brand, Max (1994). The Collected Stories of Max Brand. ISBN 0803212445. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
  2. ^ "Critic's Notebook; Richard Chamberlain Returns to His Stethoscope". The New York Times. 5 October 1989. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
  3. ^ "Internes Can't Take Money".
  4. ^ McManus, John T. (1937-05-06). "The Screen". The New York Times. p. 23.

External links edit