The penultimate Lew Ayres Dr. Kildare movie was awaited with great anticipation by fans eager for the foregone conclusion of the long-building romance between Kildare and faithful Nurse Mary Lamont (Laraine Day). If only those eager fans could have been privy to the behind the scenes discussions at MGM, where executives fretted that budding property Day was being wasted in a series - perhaps she could be wriggled out of her commitment? Nevertheless, life at Blair Hospital continues unaware, with Dr. Kildare ministering to an orchestra conductor (Nils Asther) slowly losing his hearing, and Dr. Gillespie (Lionel Barrymore) grousing about how now he'll have to share the attentions of his protege with his new bride. The fan reaction to this movie's denouement was so swift and vitriolic that MGM quickly pushed Fingers At The Window (1942) into theaters, hoping that seeing Ayres and Day together again would soften the blow. No dice - the Kildare series suffered through one more installment (Dr. Kildare's Victory (1942) before Ayres's WWII draft scandal killed the series for good.

By Violet LeVoit