Review of The Doctor Takes a Wife

Populated with familiar faces from films of the 1930s, "The Doctor Takes a Wife" is both predictable (not necessarily a bad thing) and charming. Ray Milland plays the professor aspiring to greater things but thwarted by his bachelorhood (the dean wants only married men in the professoriate). The lovely Loretta Young is the author of feminist books on the glories of spinsterhood. Reginald Gardiner, a first-rate second fiddle, plays her publisher and love interest. Through a contrived mix-up, the small world inhabited by this film comes to believe that Young and Milland are married (when they are not). Milland's fiancé shows up and understandably does not understand the platonic relationship. Lots of slapstick ensues owing to the tangled web that has been woven, threaded with misunderstandings. To no one's surprise (except the character's) Milland and Young's characters fall in love, but there are complications. Are these complications worked out?--of course. Young's character is both sharp-tongued and vulnerable--clearly the more intelligent of the two. Milland plays the beleaguered male, trapped by circumstances,but basically honorable, in a 1930s sort of way. There are many films much worse than this that have glowing reviews; it's an undiscovered classic, terra incognita for the aficionado of film from generations past.