Tammy and the Doctor ** (1963, Sandra Dee, Peter Fonda, Macdonald Carey, Beulah Bondi, Margaret Lindsay, Reginald Owen, Adam West, Alice Pearce) – Classic Movie Review 5512

Sandra Dee returns from Tammy, Tell Me True (1961) for the third Tammy tale movie Tammy and the Doctor (1963), her second and last appearance in the role, as Debbie Reynolds starred as Tammy in the original, Tammy and the Bachelor (1957), and Debbie Watson took over for Tammy and the Millionaire (1967).

Director Harry Keller’s 1963 romantic comedy Tammy and the Doctor finds the sweet-as-apple-pie country heroine Tammy Tyree (Dee) going to the city of Los Angeles and taking a job as a nurse’s assistant in a hospital so that she can stay there to hold the hand of a sick elderly rich friend Mrs Call (Beulah Bondi), whose heart condition needs surgery.

The 23-year-old Peter Fonda is making his film debut as Dee’s love interest, Dr Mark Cheswick, a young doctor who soon finds himself romancing Tammy. Adam West has a small role as Dr Eric Hassler.

Meanwhile Tammy plays matchmaker, as kindly head nurse Rachel Colman (Margaret Lindsay) is in love with another, older doctor, Dr Wayne Bentley (Macdonald Carey).

Oscar Brodney’s screenplay ensures that it is reasonably well written and neatly plotted, thanks in part to Cid Ricketts Sumner’s original stories, even if it comes out as low-charisma, high-sentimentality Fifties-style family-oriented schmaltz. It is also carefully crafted in Ross Hunter’s production, though it is retrograde, conservative material for the challenging era of the Sixties.

Adam West (1928–2017).

The trusty cast help: As well as Adam West (1928–2017), there are appearances from Reginald Owen, Alice Pearce, Joan Marshall, Doodles Weaver, Stanley Clements and Mitzi Hoag.

RIP Adam West (1928–2017).

RIP Peter Fonda (1940 – 2019).

RIP two-time Oscar nominee Peter Fonda: ‘A sweet and gracious man’ who became a voice of his generation with the groundbreaking Easy Rider, which he co-wrote, produced, and co-starred in. He died of lung cancer on 16 August 2019, aged 79. He was Oscar nominated for Best Original Story and Screenplay for Easy Rider (shared with Dennis Hopper and Terry Southern) and as Best Actor for Ulee’s Gold (1997).

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 5512

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com

Sandra Dee (1942–2005).