Dr. Kay, Part III

Drs. Carol and Niles Nelson are up-and-coming physicians. They have a small private practice together, but are having problems making ends meet - primarily because Niles (John Eldredge) likes to bet on the ponies. But when Niles inadvertently tends to an accomplice of gangster Joe Gurney (Humphrey Bogart), they find themselves in the money. With visions of grandeur dancing in his head, Niles insists on moving their practice uptown. He continues, however, to fritter their earnings away gambling, while secretly working as private physician for Joe and his goons. Niles' death during a raid on Joe's hideout, however, leaves Carol (Kay Francis) in the lurch. Suspected of also being complicit in the gang's activities, Kay has a three months to clear her name with the medical board or lose her license, forcing her to seek out the King of the Underworld (1939).

This is a favorite film for me - it features Ms. Francis as a strong woman physician who uses her skill as a doctor to save the day. This was her third outing as a doctor, and perhaps her best. However, her star had declined at Warner Brothers, and only her co-star, the rising star Humphrey Bogart, was giving above-the-title billing. Regardless, Ms. Francis refused to walk out on her hefty salary from Warner Brothers, and just did her usual excellent work. She and Mr. Bogart got along quite well during the shoot, and his snipe at Jack Warner in a trailer may have been partially a response to Jack Warner's treatment of Ms. Francis (TCM article).

Bogart is impressive as the contradictory Joe Gurney. Joe is no brain trust - he thinks being called moronic is a compliment, but reads biographies of Napoleon. Joe was a poor kid, we learn, who became an expert criminal while in the Reformatory. This is a very a-typical gangster film, with no real "good guy," no moll, and a criminal who is truly stupid. Regardless, Bogart makes him a character who you have to watch - he's mesmerizing. Even lying back on a couch, he's scary.

Because of the strength of Bogart's performance, however, the other male leads - John Eldredge and James Stephenson (Bill Stevens) are almost invisible. Bill really is the "man in distress." When we first meet him, he faints. He's kidnapped by Joe, and has to be rescued (we won't go into detail here. Spoilers would ensue). Mr. Stephenson began his career on the British stage, and was 48 by the time he made his screen debut. He would work as second leads or as the lead in B pictures (like Calling Philo Vance (1940)). He was only 52, when he died of a heart attack in 1941.

We enjoyed the performance of Jessie Busley (Aunt Josephine). She initially comes across as skittish and weak, encouraging Carol to leave medicine and just lead a quiet life that doesn't involve gangsters. But, she is ultimately willing to move with Carol in her pursuit of the bad guys, and supports her throughout the process. She's even up to doing a little matchmaking on the side!

A loose remake of the Paul Muni film,  Dr. Socrates (1935), this film was originally titled Unlawful (AFI Catalog).  A script that is different from the one that you will see on screen is also in existence. And in that script, the ending of the film is far more "traditional" than the one that is one the film you can view today.  

We'll leave you with the film's trailer, with a brief glimpse of Ms. Francis, but no mention of her at all: