Doctor in Distress – 1963 | 102 mins | Comedy | Colour

Plot Synopsis

Doctor in Distress is the fifth in the Rank-produced Doctor series, but the frivolous hospital franchise was clearly suffering from a joke deficiency, with Dirk Bogarde, in his last appearance as amorous medic Simon Sparrow.

Sir Lancelot Spratt (James Robertson Justice) returns to Hampden Cross Hospital from his holiday’s his usual irascible and discourteous self, but an accident during the laying of a foundation stone for the hospital’s new wing results in the stout surgeon requiring physiotherapy. When the usually ranting and raving Spratt returns to work with a gentle and considerate demeanour the patients and staff become positively alarmed, until Dr Simon Sparrow (Dirk Bogarde) diagnoses the trouble – love. When not playing Cupid between his pompous boss and physiotherapist Iris (Barbara Murray), Simon tries to sort out the romantic problems in his life. Consequently, Sir Lancelot enrols at Blacker’s (Dennis Price) health club in an effort to lose his excess pounds and woo the woman of his dreams.