This second installment of the Doctor series with Dirk Bogarde finds the young doctor a bit scared. His new private practice isn't all it's cracked up to be, as his partner makes him do all the work. But this isn't what scares him--it's the partner's unattractive and VERY frisky daughter who won't take no for an answer. In desperation, he signs up as a ship's doctor for a voyage--knowing it's a lot safer to hang out with a lot of butch men. But, oddly, the Captain of the ship turns out to be played by James Robertson Justice--the same guy who plays Bogarde's boss throughout the series! This IS confusing and strange and no mention is made that the two people look exactly like the other (since it is the same actor). What's also unusual is that this 'men's only' boat later turns out to accept some female passengers (much to the Captain's dismay)--one of which is the very young Brigitte Bardot--and is probably the first exposure most in the audience had of this future super-star. Her English was fairly good and she was adorable...but looked way too young for her scenes with Bogarde.
Overall, this film picks up very nicely after the second one--with equally good writing and production values. Unfortunately, the later ones seemed much more forced and silly, so this is the last of the series I heartily endorse as it is well made and enjoyable.
By the way, among the questionable medical practices I saw in this film were hitting a man in the back when he has back trouble and prescribing pretty much as many pills to the Captain as he'd like--and he swallows them by the handful.
Overall, this film picks up very nicely after the second one--with equally good writing and production values. Unfortunately, the later ones seemed much more forced and silly, so this is the last of the series I heartily endorse as it is well made and enjoyable.
By the way, among the questionable medical practices I saw in this film were hitting a man in the back when he has back trouble and prescribing pretty much as many pills to the Captain as he'd like--and he swallows them by the handful.