Doctor in Trouble * (1970, Leslie Phillips, James Robertson Justice, Harry Secombe, Angela Scoular, Irene Handl, Robert Morley, Simon Dee, Freddie Jones, Joan Sims) – Classic Movie Review 3144

‘Laughs a Minute on the High Seas!’

Alas, Doctor in Trouble is right. Leslie Phillips is back as Dr Tony Burke, who is in love with Ophelia O’Brien (Angela Scoular), who promptly leaves for a cruise to the Mediterranean. So we’re back roughly where we were in Doctor at Sea in 1955. And at the age of 46 Phillips is still being the eager young doctor and director Ralph Thomas is just as eager in his seventh and final Doctor film in 1970, Doctor in Trouble.

James Robertson Justice is still going strong too as top surgeon Sir Lancelot Spratt. As he would say, ‘What’s the bleeding time? Oh, is it that already? I must be going!’

Sir Lancelot arranges a cruise for his patient, TV star Basil Beauchamp (Simon Dee), on a ship captained by Lancelot’s brother George Spratt (Robert Morley). But then Dr Burke (Leslie Phillips) becomes a stowaway by mistake when chasing Ophelia aboard the ship to propose to her.

Justice was set to play the two roles, Sir Lancelot Spratt and his twin Captain George Spratt. Sadly, though, shortly before filming Justice had a cerebral stroke and was rushed to Aberdeen for brain surgery. He recovered but had an uncontrollable tremor in his right arm. So Robert Morley was offered the Captain Spratt role, and Justice still played Lancelot. Producer Betty Box said: ‘It must have taken every ounce of energy he possessed to do it. We knew he needed the money and paid him for both parts. He certainly deserved it for long and loyal service.’

Jack Davies takes over again as screen-writer for a vulgar, charmless, sexist and dated farce, with a marvellous comedy cast working hard as ever and a dismally feeble script based on Richard Gordon’s novel Doctor on Toast (and you can see why they changed that!) about Dr Burke stowing aboard Ophelia’s cruise ship and working as steward to the very stubborn captain.

It is Leslie Phillip’s third appearance in a Doctor film. His Dr Tony Burke character is the same as in Doctor in Love, though in Doctor in Clover he plays Dr Gaston Grimsdkye.

Also in the cast are Harry Secombe as Llewellyn Wendover, Irene Handl as Mrs Dailey, Robert Morley as Captain George Spratt, Joan Sims (Russian captain), Simon Dee, Freddie Jones, John le Mesurier, Fred Emney, Graham Stark, Graham Chapman, Jimmy Thompson, Jacki Piper, Yutte Stensgaard, Tom Kempinski, Anthony Sharp and John Bluthal.

After this, they called it a day for the movies and long-running TV series of Doctor in the House followed that year. The film was in production concurrently with the first TV series of the Doctor in the House, in which Yutte Stensgaard (Eve) had a recurring role and Graham Chapman (Roddie) was one of the writers.

Robert Morley, who plays Lancelot Spratt’s brother George, was the original choice for Lancelot in Doctor in the House (1954) but had wanted too much money.

Betty Box felt Morley’s casting undermined the film. ‘Situations which would have been hilarious with James were just mildly amusing with Morley, and the whole point of the piece was lost. The entire project was doomed from the day a real life surgeon said the world “Scalpel” over dear James’s unconscious bulk.’

It is Angela Scoular’s first film with Leslie Phillips. They later fell in love and married. Scoular moved in with Phillips in 1977 when she was pregnant by another actor. She and Phillips brought up her son and she married Phillips in 1982.

Richard Gordon’s Doctor series films: Doctor 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).

The cast are Leslie Phillips as Doctor Anthony Burke, Harry Secombe as Llewellyn Wendover, Robert Morley as Captain George Spratt, James Robertson Justice as Sir Lancelot Spratt, Simon Dee as Basil Beauchamp, Angela Scoular as Ophelia O’Brien, Irene Handl as Mrs. Dailey, Janet Mahoney as Dawn Dailey, Freddie Jones as Master-at-Arms, Joan Sims as Russian Captain, John Le Mesurier as Purser, Graham Stark as Saterjee, Graham Chapman as Roddy, Jacki Piper as Girl in taxi, Fred Emney as Father, Yuri Borienko as Sick Russian, Gerald Sim as 1st Doctor, Yutte Stensgaard as model Eve, Jimmy Thompson as Ship’s Doctor, Sylvana Henriques as Model, Marcia Fox as Jean, Tom Kempinski as Stedman Green, Anthony Sharp as Chief Surgeon, Marianne Stone as Spinster, and John Bluthal as TV Doctor.

© Derek Winnert 2015 Classic Movie Review 3144

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