Film Snail

6.0

The Country Doctor

NR·1936·95m

Drama

Summary

A doctor has a rough time obtaining the money for his services in a lumber town until he delivers quintuplets.

Cast

Jean Hersholt

Dr. John Luke

Yvonne Dionne

Yvonne, a Wyatt Quintuplet

Annette Dionne

Annette, a Wyatt Quintuplet

Cécile Dionne

Cécile, a Wyatt Quintuplet

Émilie Dionne

Émilie, a Wyatt Quintuplet

Marie Dionne

Marie, a Wyatt Quintuplet

June Lang

Mary MacKenzie

Slim Summerville

Constable Jim Ogden

Michael Whalen

Tony Luke

Dorothy Peterson

Nurse Katherine Kennedy

Robert Barrat

MacKenzie

Jane Darwell

Mrs. Graham

John Qualen

Asa Wyatt

Frank Reicher

Dr. Paul Luke

Montagu Love

Sir Basil Crawford

David Torrence

Governor General

George Chandler

Greasy

Helen Jerome Eddy

Mrs. Ogden

Aileen Carlyle

Mrs. Wyatt

George Meeker

Dr. Wilson

J. Anthony Hughes

Mike

William Benedict

The Gawker

Stanley Blystone

Logger (uncredited)

Sven Hugo Borg

Logger (uncredited)

Harry C. Bradley

Clergyman (uncredited)

Richard Carlyle

Bishop (uncredited)

Horace B. Carpenter

Townsman (uncredited)

Mary Carr

Woman with Baby Clothes (uncredited)

William Conlon

Peg-leg Walter (uncredited)

Harry Cording

Logger (uncredited)

Gino Corrado

Logger (uncredited)

Sidney D'Albrook

Townsman (uncredited)

John Dilson

City Editor (uncredited)

James Dime

Townsman (uncredited)

Margaret Fielding

Sir Basil's Secretary (uncredited)

Jeanne Hart

Girl (uncredited)

Harry Harvey

Reporter (uncredited)

Payne B. Johnson

Boy with Quintuplets (uncredited)

Tom Kennedy

Logger (uncredited)

Claude King

Toastmaster (uncredited)

Wilfred Lucas

Proprietor (uncredited)

Margaret Mann

Townswoman (uncredited)

Tom McGuire

Dinner Guest (uncredited)

Paul McVey

Mark, a Logger (uncredited)

Edward McWade

Newspaper Editor (uncredited)

William H. O'Brien

Waiter in Restaurant (uncredited)

Dillon Ober

Piano Player (uncredited)

Garry Owen

Jerry (uncredited)

Thomas Pogue

Townsman (uncredited)

Patricia Reel

Child (uncredited)

Kane Richmond

Logger Paying Doctor (uncredited)

Florence Roberts

Grandmother (uncredited)

Joe Sawyer

Joe, the Logger Lifting Log (uncredited)

Phillips Smalley

Man on Dais (uncredited)

Marvin Stephens

Ham Radio Operator (uncredited)

Harry Strang

Logger (uncredited)

Monte Vandergrift

Townsman (uncredited)

Delmar Watson

Oldest Wyatt Boy (uncredited)

Cecil Weston

Mother of Dying Girl (uncredited)

Charles C. Wilson

George the Boat Captain (uncredited)

Harry Wilson

Married Logger (uncredited)

Crew

Director

Henry King

Screenplay

Sonya Levien

Story

Charles E. Blake

Reviews

dennyjt

January 15, 2024

The first of three films with the Fab Five, this also launched a series for Hersholt, who plays the wise, dedicated doctor. As ‘Dr. Christian’ he would become a welcome figure, dispensing comforting wisdom to those in need. The running time is filled out by an uncompelling subplot about reckless aviator Whalen’s wooing of Lang, to the chagrin of gruff father, Barrat. Director King was an old hand at depicting idyllic scenes of hard country life, so handles the atmosphere expertly. The Quints arrive eventually for some candid scenes of their early domestic life. Unashamedly sentimental, this wowed audiences when released, it does show some of the hysterical carnival-like atmosphere that the births spawned as reporters, sightseers and religious figures convened on the little shack in the woods, hoping for a glimpse of children.