The first of the seven "Doctor" films, based on Richard Gordon's novels and released between 1954 and 1970. Simon Sparrow is a newly arrived medical student at St Swithin's hospital in London. Falling in with three longer-serving hopefuls he is soon immersed in the wooing, imbibing and fast sports-car driving that constitute 1950s medical training. There is, however, always the looming and formidable figure of chief surgeon Sir Lancelot Spratt to remind them of their real purpose.

Dirk Bogarde
as Simon Sparrow

Muriel Pavlow
as Nurse Joy Gibson

Kenneth More
as Richard Grimsdyke

Donald Sinden
as Tony Benskin

Kay Kendall
as Miss Isobel Minster

James Robertson Justice
as Sir Lancelot Spratt

Donald Houston
as Taffy Evans

Suzanne Cloutier
as Stella

George Coulouris
as Briggs

Jean Taylor Smith
as Sister Virtue
CinemaSerf
Time hasn't been especially kind to this, but there is a strength amongst this pretty solid cast that, alongside some half decent writing that avoids the obvious smut and double entendre to be found in the "Carry Ons", makes it a passable watch. It centres around a group of medical students under th...