Product Details

• Actors: Lew Ayres, Lionel Barrymore, Lionel Atwill, Helen Gilbert, Nat Pendleton
• Format: Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Roan Archival Group
• DVD Release Date: June 6, 2006
• Run Time: 90 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000EWBOGS
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #117,067 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "The Secret of Dr Kildare" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Young Dr. Jimmy Kildare is recruited by his cancer-stricken mentor Dr. Gillespie (screen legend Lionel Barrymore) to assist in a pneumonia study. Convinced Dr. Gillespie needs more rest to get over his illness, Kildare refuses to help and instead accepts a young heiress’s case of hysterical blindness. But fate has more tragic surprises ahead for Dr. Kildare as his father is diagnosed with a sudden and terminal illness.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The doctor has a secret..., April 14, 2004

By 

"ehsmith4" (Sheffield, IA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Secret of Dr Kildare [VHS] (VHS Tape)

In the 1930's & 40's, one of the most popular movie series was MGM's "Dr. Kildare" that starred Lew Ayres as the young intern James ("Jimmy") Kildare and Lionel Barrymore as his gruff but friendly mentor Dr. Leonard Gillespie as they encountered various patients and crises at Blair General Hospital, a New York City teaching hospital.

This film, number three in the series, is one of the best and perhaps the most representative of the entire series. Ayres and Barrymore play off each other beautifully, and they have fine support from the regular ensemble who played a major part in most of the other "Dr. Kildare" films, including Laraine Day as Nurse Mary Lamont, Alma Kruger as Head Nurse Molly Bird, Walter Kingsford as Hospital Director Dr. S.J. Carew, Nell Craig as Nurse "Nosey" Parker, Marie Blake (Jeanette MacDonald's older sister) as Sally the wisecracking switchboard operator, and Nat Pendleton as the slow-witted ambulance driver Joe Wayman.

"The Secret of Dr. Kildare" especially shows off the technique the series featured of the characters being involved in several intertwined plots. Dr. Kildare attempts to stop Dr. Gillespie from wrecking his health while working on a cure for pneumonia, and at the same time takes up the call for help of a Wall Street business magnate (Lionel Atwill) whose debutante daughter (Helen Gilbert) has begun to behave oddly and eventually develops psychosomatic blindness. While all this goes on, Dr. Kildare's parents (Emma Dunn & Samuel S. Hinds) come to New York supposedly for a friendly visit with their son, but more serious matters lie underneath.

This was Helen Gilbert's second feature film. She is unusual in Hollywood history having formerly been a cellist in the MGM studio orchestra, and even though she didn't achieve major stardom, I enjoyed her performance in this movie as Nancy Messenger.

The baby-boom generation may remember Richard Chamberlain on TV as Dr. Kildare, but for their parents as well as classic movie lovers, there will always be only one Dr. Kildare in Lew Ayres.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A classic classic, June 23, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Secret of Dr Kildare [VHS] (VHS Tape)

If you are a fan of classic movies this is one for your library. You have the richness of Lionel Barrymore as Dr. Gillespie, and the vulnerability of Lew Ayers as Dr. Kildare. The supporting roles help illuminate the danger in putting anothers well-being before your own. There is a drama with just enough humor relief to make for enjoyable evening watching old friends.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful entry in the series...marred by subpar DVD, November 11, 2011

By 

JDC - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Secret of Dr Kildare (DVD)

I love the Dr. Kildare movies, primarily because I have always been a fan of Lionel Barrymore's work. This is an excellent entry in the series, combining both medical drama and humor. You will find the movie itself quite enjoyable. Barrymore is on his game.

However, Roan has really done a poor job, both in finding a suitable source and in performing the transfer. Film damage is quite apparent at the front and back of each reel. The opening credits are particularly jumpy, as well. As for the transfer, there is a lot of softness to the picture, it is quite dark, and tends, in many portions, to have a greenish tint.

The "extras" on the DVD, if you wish to call them that, vary from worthless ("Radiation March"????) to poorly executed. To have Roan's President sitting next to a film historian, holding a portable camera in the historian's face, just seems really amateurish.

It would be nice if Warner (who now owns the rights) would release a box set of the Kildare movies. However, given that they have pretty much given up on classic films (outside of their make-to-order DVD-R's), it is doubtful we will ever see this movie in a quality release.

If you enjoy Dr. Kildare like I do, go ahead and get this release. Just don't expect too much. Two and a half stars.