Search

» » Between Two Women (1937)

Short summary

Allen Meighan, an intern, assures himself residency at 'General Hospital', when he saves the life of a man trapped in an explosion. Allen is in love with student nurse, Claire Donahue, and she with him, but, she is married to Tom a physically abusive husband. Claire refusing to leave Tom, provokes Allen to marry Patricia, a women whose life he saved. Patricia becomes furious for Allen is spending too much time on his profession and not on their marriage. Her suspicions of Allen having an affair with Claire are furthered when Tom is brought to the hospital after a severe accident. Patricia leaves Allen for Dr. Tony Wolcott. After some time, a train wreck is reported and Patricia is brought into the hospital with severe facial disfigurement. Allen, now a successful doctor, and Paricia reconcile. Time passes, Patricia's injuries heal and Allen is still in live with Claire. He must now choose "between two women".

Re-titled 'Surrounded by Women' in order to avoid confusion with the similarly titled Between Two Women (1945), this film was initially telecast in Los Angeles Tuesday 18 February 1958 on KTTV (Channel 11), followed by Philadelphia Friday 9 May 1958 on WFIL (Channel 6), and by San Francisco 28 May 1958 on KGO (Channel 7). Its original title has since been restored, and it's presently in the Turner Classic Films MGM film collection.

The $1,100 Allan pays (in installments for the rings of $25/mo for 44 months sans interest) would equate to about $20,300 in 2018. Plus, by the date on the invoice, this film takes place in 1935.

User reviews


  • comment
    • Author: Acebiolane
    Franchot Tone and Maureen O'Sullivan are in love, but also enmeshed in unsuccessful marriages. The demands of their work together--he as a doctor, she as a nurse--draw them closer together as the plot unfolds, as do the failings in their personal lives, but these two noble healthcare professionals have enough on their hands and avoid straying into the messy business of an affair.

    There aren't any surprises in this picture, but there are exceptional performances from everyone involved and the script is tight and the plot engrossing. This picture is very similar to "Men In White" (1934), which starred Clark Gable and Myrna Loy, being about the dilemma a young surgeon can face making hard choices between personal and professional demands. But whereas the earlier picture sometimes came across as rather heavy-handed, with working in the hospital seeming unrelievedly oppressive, this picture is a bit lighter in treatment and makes good use of Leonard Penn's role as the irresponsible surgeon, Tony Woolcott, a dramatic foil to Tone's straight-and-true Meighan.

    Virginia Bruce is perfect as the high society playgirl who at first falls madly in love with Tone, but soon tires of his dedication to his work. Her beautiful face--especially her eyes--are center stage when that's all we see of her in her hospital bed. Tone and O'Sullivan are beautiful together as they convincingly play at being apart--it is impossible not to fall in love with Maureen O'Sullivan!

    Franchot Tone fans (myself included) who have been looking for a picture that allows this fine actor a starring role--finally!--to match his talents will enjoy this sentimental soap opera.
  • comment
    • Author: Whitehammer
    Franchot Tone is the doctor Between Two Women. He's a promising surgeon in love with nurse Maureen O'Sullivan, but she's married to Anthony Nace who is an abusive loser. But when he gets socialite Virginia Bruce as a patient her glamor bedazzles him. He's married to Bruce soon enough and there's O'Sullivan carrying around a Statue Of Liberty size torch for Tone.

    As by this time the Code is firmly in place there are certain parameters to be observed before true love finds a way. The whole film plays like an overlong episode from General Hospital. And speaking of hospitals sharp eyed movie fans will recognize the sets from Blair General Hospital in the Dr. Kildare series. No way Louis B. Mayer was going to allow those to stand idly by while they were between Kildare pictures.

    The three leads and the supporting cast MGM gave them do a fine job in this medical soap opera. We've seen it all before.
  • comment
    • Author: Ka
    Original story by Erich von Stroheim ?? According to wikipedia, he claimed to be a lot of things, so one is never too sure of what the truth is around him. This is the tale of the goings on at "General Hospital", where Doctor Allan Meighan (Franchot Tone) is trying to work his way up the ladder. Supporting roles by Maureen O'Sullivan and Virginia Bruce. Nurse "Claire" (O'Sullivan) gets knocked around by husband Tom, and there's no hiding the results. The trials and tribulations of the staff and the patients. It's mildly entertaining. Very similar to the Dr. Kildare films, which was also an MGM product, a year after this. Apparently this is the follow-up to MGM's "Men in White with Gable and Loy from 1934. These hospital films crack me up... everyone is flirting with everyone. And no wonder the insurance system is so "broke"... apparently you could stay in the hospital as long as you want, and get whatever med you want. And the hard-nosed head nurse Miss Pringle (Janet Beecher) has a heart after all, for a smidge of humor. Watch for Snoopy, played by Cliff Edwards; he turned out to be quite the personality. He was Jiminy Cricket and the voice of the crows. MY favorite role of his was as Banjo in "She Couldn't Say No" with Eve Arden. It's a fun one! The leads here in "Between" had all been working in Hollywood since the start of talkies, so everyone does a fine job. The script is just a tad slow at the beginning. at least by today's standards. One of my issues with the story is that the nurse's husband comes in as an emergency patient, they allow the hysterical woman to stay in the O.R. She rants, screams, and barks orders at everyone. Then one doctor knocks out another doctor with a punch. Such antics, which would probably only happen in a tiny, tiny clinic, or country hospital... and this hospital didn't look that small. It works if you buy into that. Directed by George Seitz... he seems to have croaked at 56; he had just directed another chapter in the "Andy Hardy" stories. Can't seem to find a cause of death anywhere. Whatever happened must have happened quite suddenly.
  • Complete credited cast:
    Franchot Tone Franchot Tone - Allan Meighan
    Maureen O'Sullivan Maureen O'Sullivan - Claire Donahue
    Virginia Bruce Virginia Bruce - Patricia Sloan
    Leonard Penn Leonard Penn - Tony Woolcott
    Cliff Edwards Cliff Edwards - Snoopy
    Janet Beecher Janet Beecher - Miss Pringle
    Charley Grapewin Charley Grapewin - Dr. Webster
    Helen Troy Helen Troy - Sally
    Grace Ford Grace Ford - Nurse Howley
    June Clayworth June Clayworth - Eleanor
    Edward Norris Edward Norris - Dr. Barili
    Anthony Nace Anthony Nace - Tom Donahue
    Hugh Marlowe Hugh Marlowe - Priest
    All rights reserved © 2017-2024 hd.thomson-multimedia.com