- Doctor in Distress (film)
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Doctor in Distress 
Directed by Ralph Thomas Written by Nicholas Phipps
Richard GordonStarring Dirk Bogarde
James Robertson Justice
Samantha EggarDistributed by The Rank Organisation Release date(s) 30 July 1963 Running time 102 minutes Country United Kingdom Language English Doctor in Distress is a 1963 British comedy film directed by Ralph Thomas and starring Dirk Bogarde, James Robertson Justice, and Samantha Eggar. It was the fifth film in the Doctor Series. After a one-film absence, it marked the final return to the role of Simon Sparrow by Dirk Bogarde, and the return to the series (although in a different role) of Donald Houston.
Plot
Simon Sparrow, now a senior doctor at St Swithins, falls in love with Delia, a model and aspiring actress. They eventually move in together, but then she goes to Italy to try out for a film.
Meanwhile, Spratt injures his back in a fall. Placed under the care of physiotherapist Iris Marchant, he is initially hostile, but soon succumbs to her charms. He turns to his friend Simon for advice. Simon sends him to a nature cure clinic in a vain attempt to help him lose weight. Spratt has Iris followed, and, when his private investigator turns up at St Swithins as a patient, follows her himself (terrorising a nervous train passenger in the process). He proposes to her, but is eventually rejected in favour of another of her patients, retired army Major Tommy Ffrench.
Delia returns in England, having somehow acquired an expensive Italian car (a Maserati Sebring) and expensive clothes, though she did not land a part in the film. It is implied that she and Simon get together again.
Cast
- Dirk Bogarde as Dr. Simon Sparrow
- James Robertson Justice as Sir Lancelot Spratt
- Samantha Eggar as Delia Mallory
- Barbara Murray as Iris Marchant
- Mylène Demongeot as Sonia, a foreign masseuse who sublets Delia's flat and briefly becomes Simon's girlfriend, and Helga, her sister
- Donald Houston as Major Tommy Ffrench
- Jessie Evans as Mrs. Parry
- Ann Lynn as Mrs. Whittaker
- Leo McKern as Harry
- Dennis Price as Dr. Blacker
- Rodney Cardiff as Dr. Stewart
- Fenella Fielding as Train Passenger
- Jill Adams as Genevieve
- Paul Whitsun-Jones as Grimes
- Michael Flanders as Bradby
- Amanda Barrie as Rona
- Reginald Beckwith as Meyer
- Bill Kerr as Australian Sailor
- Michael Goldie as Physical Training Instructor
- Ronnie Stevens as Hotel Manager
- Peter Butterworth as Ambulance Driver
- Derek Fowlds as Gillibrand
- Timothy Bateson as Mr. Holly
- Joe Robinson as Sonja's Boyfriend
- Ronnie Barker as Man at Railway Station Ticket Counter
- John Bluthal as Railway Porter
- Marianne Stone as Cafe Waitress
- Denise Coffey as Food seller at Railway Station
- Richard Briers, Christopher Beeny, Johnny Briggs and Rene Setan as Medical Students (uncredited)
- Jeanette Landis as Rosie
- Margaret Boyd as Lady Willoughby
- Frank Finlay as Corsetiere
- David Weston as Dr Bell
External links
- Doctor in Distress (film) at the Internet Movie Database
- Doctor in Distress (film) at the TCM Movie Database
Books Doctor in the House (1952) · Doctor at Sea (1953) · Doctor at Large (1955) · Doctor in Clover (1960) · Doctor on Toast (1961) · Love and Sir Lancelot (1965) · Doctor on the Boil (1970) · Doctor on the Brain (1972) · Doctor in the Nude (1973) · The Sleep of Life (1975) · Doctor on the Job (1976) · Doctor in the Nest (1979) · Doctor's Daughters (1981) · Doctor on the Ball (1985) · Doctor in the Soup (1986)Radio FilmsDoctor in the House (1954) · Doctor at Sea (1955) · Doctor at Large (1957) · Doctor in Love (1960) · Doctor in Distress (1963) · Doctor in Clover (1966) · Doctor in Trouble (1970)TV series Doctor in the House (1969-70) · Doctor at Large (1971) · Doctor in Charge (1972-73) · Doctor at Sea (1974) · Doctor on the Go (1975-77) · Doctor Down Under (1979-80) · Doctor at the Top (1991)The films of Ralph Thomas 1940s 1950s The Clouded Yellow (1950) • Appointment with Venus (1951) • Venetian Bird (1952) • A Day to Remember (1953) • The Dog and the Diamonds (1953) • Doctor in the House (1954) • Mad About Men (1954) • Above Us the Waves (1955) • Doctor at Sea (1955) • The Iron Petticoat (1956) • Checkpoint (1956) • Doctor at Large (1957) • Campbell's Kingdom (1957) • A Tale of Two Cities (1958) • The Wind Cannot Read (1958) • The 39 Steps (1959) • Upstairs and Downstairs (1959)1960s Conspiracy of Hearts (1960) • Doctor in Love (1960) • No Love for Johnnie (1961) • No My Darling Daughter (1961) • A Pair of Briefs (1962) • Carry On Cruising (1962) • The Wild and the Willing (1962) • Doctor in Distress (1963) • Hot Enough for June (1964) • The High Bright Sun (1964) • Doctor in Clover (1966) • Deadlier Than the Male (1967) • Nobody Runs Forever (1968) • Some Girls Do (1969)1970s Doctor in Trouble (1970) • Percy (1971)• Quest for Love (1971)• The Love Ban (1973)• Percy's Progress (1974) • A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square (1979)Categories:- British films
- English-language films
- 1963 films
- 1960s comedy films
- Films directed by Ralph Thomas
- Hospital films
- Doctor in the House
- 1960s British film stubs
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