Reed was hardly in contention for a long-running role in the series, whose main characters were all members of the hospital staff, but her return was a sign of MGM's investment in her future. The film's trailer even listed her as one of the picture's "Stars of Tomorrow," appropriately placing her after Margaret O'Brien, who had already created a big stir in the World War II refugee drama Journey for Margaret (1942) and Van Johnson, who was just a few pictures away from his breakthrough role in A Guy Named Joe (1943).
The "Dr Kildare" series had been a money-maker for MGM ever since they bought the rights to Max Brand's characters from Paramount, which had made the first Kildare film in 1937, starring Joel McCrea (opposite Barbara Stanwyck) in Internes Can't Take Money. The official series bow was 1938's Young Dr. Kildare, which presented Lew Ayres in the title role and added his crusty mentor, Dr. Gillespie, played by Lionel Barrymore. Other regular cast members in the first film included Marie Blake as Sally, the hospital's talkative switchboard operator, Walter Kingsford as hospital head Dr. Carew and Nat Pendleton as dimwitted ambulance driver Joe Wayman. Later additions would include head nurse Alma Kruger and social worker Larraine Day, who would become Ayres' love interest until her death, right after their wedding. When Ayres announced that he was a conscientious objector at the start of World War II, MGM had to withdraw Dr. Kildare's Victory (1942) from distribution and cut him from the series. In his place Barrymore acquired two new interns, Van Johnson as Randall "Red" Adams and Keye Luke as Dr. Lee Wong How. All of the late series regulars would appear in Dr. Gillespie's Criminal Case.
The behind-the-camera talent were also familiar with the formula. Director Willis Goldbeck had written all 11 earlier entries before moving into the director's chair with the previous outing, Dr. Gillespie's New Assistant (1942). Of the three writers, Harry Ruskin had co-written all of the earlier films with Goldbeck and Lawrence P. Bachmann had contributed to several Kildare films. Only Martin Berkeley was new to the series, and he would return for 3 Men in White in 1944.
The premise of Reed's second outing in the series revolved around her character's desire to get married and her concern that news of her plans would cause trouble with her former love, now in prison despite Barrymore's urgings that he be sent to a mental health institution. As in other series entries, that was just one plot thread. In addition, Johnson tries to make time for a date with pretty social worker Marilyn Maxwell (in her fourth MGM film and the start of a recurring role in the series), Luke deals with an embittered soldier (William Lundigan) wounded at Pearl Harbor and both team up to deal with an outbreak of infection in the post-surgical ward that almost claims the life of a young patient (Margaret O'Brien). The main focus at this point, however, was Barrymore's Dr. Gillespie, as evidenced by the title. Working titles included Dr. Gillespie's Prison Story and Dr. Gillespie's Criminal Story.
Director: Willis Goldbeck
Screenplay: Lawrence P. Bachmann, Martin Berkeley, Harry Ruskin
Cinematography: Norbert Brodine
Art Direction: Cedric Gibbons
Music: Daniele Amfitheatrof
Cast: Lionel Barrymore (Dr. Leonard B. Gillespie), Van Johnson (Dr. Randall 'Red' Adams), Keye Luke (Dr. Lee Wong How), Alma Kruger (Molly Byrd), John Craven (Roy Todwell), Nat Pendleton (Joe Wayman), Margaret O'Brien (Margaret), Donna Reed (Marcia Bradburn), William Lundigan (Alvin F. Peterson), Marilyn Maxwell (Ruth Edly), Henry O'Neill (Warden Kenneson), Marie Blake (Sally), Frances Rafferty (Irene), Bryan Foulger (Father), George Irving (Rear Admiral), Milton Kibbee (Briggs), Aileen Pringle (Chaperon), Irene Tedrow (Nurse Katherine Dodd), Herb Vigran (Orderly), Grant Withers (Waddy).
by Frank Miller
