Dr. Gillespie Film Collection

Finally, we get Lionel Barrymore's Dr. Gillespie on DVD! In my review of THE DR. KILDARE FILM SERIES earlier this year, I voiced a wish that Warner Archive would issue the Dr. Gillespie series. I doubt that my wishing aloud had anything to do with this release, but I'm glad to see it nonetheless.Dr. Gillespie was Dr. Kildare's attending physician at Blair General Hospital, perfectly played by Lionel Barrymore. Crusty and curmudgeonly but with a heart of gold, he was the highlight of the Kildare series. At the height of that series, Lew Ayres was sacked from MGM and Gillespie moved to top billing for 6 additional films. He works with new "assistants" (interns/residents) in these films, notably Van Johnson and Keye Luke. The same supporting cast is back with guest bits from many up and coming MGM stars like Donna Reed.The pathology seems generally limited to "mental cases," but the series is entertaining. The 6 films are spread across 3 discs. The version of this set I purchased from Amazon is burned, but Warner Archive is also selling the set through their website and mentions that the initial run of the set is traditionally authored (pressed). The only extra features are trailers.It's fun to see these again as they've generally not been circulated except on TCM. By the last film in the series, Barrymore is almost reduced to an incidental character in a more or less film noir (DARK DELUSION, 1947).

When Lew Ayres moved on from his very popular movie series Dr. Kildare MGM was astute enough to know that his mentor Dr. Gillespie was popular enough with the movie going audience (and why not he was played by the incomparable Lionel Barrymore) that he could continue the series under his name alone. So They brought in a couple of contract players to be his foils (Keye Luke (Charlie Chan #1 Son) and future heart throb Van Johnson). They kept Nat Pendleton and his trusty tire iron and Alma Kruger (Molly Bird) as Gillespie's ever vigilant and crusty head nurse. With this team and a galaxy of visiting Doctors and great guest stars this series managed another six movies (the original Dr. Kildare did nine) and were almost equally popular.This is MGM studio movie making at it's best with all the social commentary (some of it not very P.C. these days) and focus on Family values not to mention the cutting edge of medical research at the time. The ensemble cast's chemistry carries the day and the stories are interesting and entertaining.You can't go wrong with this series, and besides, your Dr. Kildare collection will never be complete without it even if Dr. Kildare is gone!!

As I descended into the 40's world of Dr. Gillespie,Van Johnson: bobbysoxer's dream, andthe innocent, innocuous world of my childhood,I realized that for a 78 year old, I need to go backand not live in the present. Each movie wasenjoyable if you love the 40's style and havememories of this world. I definitely got into eachmovie very well and was able to see the MGMperfection that was status quo for the studio.Yes, this was a 40's soap opera that tried to bean A movie, what is wrong with a B movie.Some of them I remember even more thanthe A features I saw. Of course, in my childhood,Bela Lugosi was some kind of A movie starand I didn't see why this was not the case untilwell into the 50's. I am a retarded 40's personwho definitely has trouble living in the present.At 78, I make my own rules and so Dr. Gillespiemovies are definitely larger than life and I amnot ashamed of this.

The 6 Dr Gillespie features with Lionel Barrymore are finally out on DVD. MGM followed with these films when they lost Lew Ayres as Dr Kildare due to his pacifist leanings and he finally consented to go to war as a non-combatant medical orderly. As you may recall Ayres, a fine actor, was the star of Universal's 1930 hit, All Quiet on the Western Front. Barrymore continues the character he created in the Kildare series. Van Johnson came in to assist along with Keye Luke. I think this release marks the final 1930-50 MGM feature film series to DVD. This leaves, probably, the MGM Fitzpatrick Traveltalks color series that have not appeared on DVD in a special collection in the Warner Archive Collection and I look forward to those.

it arrived in good condition

Really liked this spin off from doctor Kildare movies Lionel Barrymore shines in these movies I only wish they had made more titles But the 5 video included Are all top notch This is the complete set of doctor Gillespie movies. I highly recommend them there are a lot of fun to watch

If you like Lionel Barrymore and mystery these movies are for you. I watched a few on TCM and had to have them! Great stories great morals great time for movies! The stories really paint pictures!

The DVDs were packaged well and were in great condition when they arrived. I have been waiting for this collection because I love both the Dr. Kildare and Dr. Gillespie movies. They are excellent movies and just aren't shown enough on television. Good movies like this just aren't made anymore and it is a darn shame.

I love these old movies

Excellent old fashioned movies...we might need a bit more of this kind of old fashion these days! The quality of the dvds is very good and I thoroughly enjoyed the acting (Lionel Barrymore in great form as Gillespie) and simple but engaging stories.