Our film opens with a young lady picking up a Marine in her car. He immediately asks if they might pick up another soldier down the road. The lady agrees, commenting, "I hear it's not too difficult". No sooner has the second Marine hopped in that he asks the lady the same question as the first soldier, leading her to declare: "What is this? An ambush?" The three Marines are named Tom, Dick and Harry, and share a surname. Smith.
II.
So begins Her Favorite Patient, a comedy that sometimes drives its tone of chirpy silliness right into the surreal. The lady transporting the three Marines turns out to be Dr. Hedy Fredericks (Ruth Hussey), who's on her way to Chicago, but has decided to stop off in her hometown, Blithewood. There she visits her uncle, J.H. Fredericks (Charles Ruggles), who also happens to be a medical doctor.
Dr. Fredericks certainly has his hands full with a busy practice, and tries to convince his niece to join him as a physician at the office. But Dr. Hedy declines the offer, being set on going off to big-city Chicago. What's Dr. Fredericks to do? Will he simply accept his niece's decision - no. Will he dream up a scheme to keep Hedy in Blithewood - of course.
The doctor's plan involves a pilot in town, Morgan Hale (John Carroll). Through a series of machinations, the doctor has Hale become his niece's long-term patient. Does Morgan Hale echo the looks of Clark Gable with his leading moustache - yes. Is there romantic intrigue developed between Morgan and Hedy - of course.
III.
Her Favorite Patient also goes by an alternate title, "Bedside Manner". It was directed by Andrew L. Stone, and released by United Artists. In 1945.
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