Florence Rice, Ann Rutherford, Alan Marshal, and Kent Taylor star in "Four Girls in White," an MGM B movie from 1939.
MGM's B movies were always more like A-, as they took great care with these films, used to groom future stars.
This movie follows nursing students through their years of training, particularly Norma and Patricia Page (Rice and Rutherford). Other students include Una Merkel and Mary Howard. Howard's character has a child she had to leave behind in order to become a nurse and make a better life for both of them.
Norma has her eyes on a doctor (Marshal) who, if he would go into private practice, could make a whopping $50,000 a year, which today would be over $800,000.
After they break up, she sets her cap (as my mother would say) for the grandson of the hospital's founder (Kent Taylor). When he invites her and her sister to go cruising in his yacht on their vacation, Norma is determined to go at any price.
Mildly entertaining though a little confusing for newer fans, as Alan Marshal and Kent Taylor were both in the Clark Gable mold and kind of looked alike.
The women have the stronger roles, and they're all good, including Jessie Ralph and Sara Haden. Buddy Ebsen is funny in the comedy relief part.
Florence Rice was a young beauty, but MGM at some point must have decided she didn't have much spark and didn't give her the opportunities. She did some radio and TV before entering into a happy marriage and retiring.
Dr. Kildare fans will recognize the sets.
