Van Johnson wasn't excited about starring in this spin-off from MGM's recently concluded Dr. Kildare series, but his bosses bet how his "bobby soxer" appeal could invigorate the franchise once more. Here, crusty old mentor Dr. Gillespie (Lionel Barrymore) is watching over the goings-on of Dr. Red Adams (Johnson), an intern juggling the attentions of two women: socialite Ruth (Marylin Maxwell) and nightclub singer Edna (Gloria DeHaven), whose strange inability to eat attracts the doctor's attention. The publicity department labored heavily to plant the idea of Johnson as a new exciting talent in the minds of moviegoers, but it would have been all for naught without Johnson's innate doc-next-door appeal. Even though this picture wasn't his first choice, the end result showcased the boyish charm that made Johnson special, lifting him out of budget productions and into meatier movies like The Caine Mutiny (1954). Also starring perennial Chinese-American actor Keye Luke as Red's compatriot Dr. Lee.

By Violet LeVoit