Internes Can't Take Money

Internes Can't Take Money is a 1937 American drama film directed by Alfred Santell and starring Barbara Stanwyck, Joel McCrea, Lloyd Nolan and Stanley Ridges. McCrea portrays Dr. Kildare in the character's first screen appearance. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer continued the Dr. Kildare series with Young Dr. Kildare (1938) starring Lew Ayres as Kildare and Laraine Day as a nurse in love with Kildare. The film was released in the United Kingdom as You Can't Take Money.

Plot
At New York's Mountview General Hospital, widow Janet Haley faints while intern Dr. Jimmie Kildare treats her for burns. Meanwhile, chief surgeon Dr. Henry J. Fearson fires intern Dr. Weeks for performing an experimental liver operation during which the patient died. Later at the bar where Jimmie is having a beer, Janet approaches gangster Dan Innes to find out how to get back her kidnapped daughter. Innes demands $1,000 for the information, but poverty-stricken Janet is unable to pay. When gangster boss Hanlon collapses at the bar from a knife wound, Jimmie performs an impromptu operation with Janet's help and saves Hanlon's life. The next morning, Janet goes to Innes' residence and he propositions her, but she refuses him. She then goes to work but discovers that she has been fired because of tardiness. Jimmie decides to visit Janet because she did not show up for her follow-up appointment. He first stops at the bar, where the bartender gives him $1,000 from Hanlon for saving his life. Later, Janet tries to steal the money, but Jimmie catches her and, disillusioned, leaves. Jimmie returns the money to Hanlon, explaining that interns are not allowed to receive payments for their services. Finally, Janet agrees to Innes' proposition and gives Jimmie an explanatory note. To repay Jimmie's favor, Hanlon rounds up his men and stops Innes and Janet before they leave town. Innes is shot, however, and Jimmie must perform the experimental liver operation. The operation is successful and Janet is reunited with her long-lost daughter.

Cast

 * Barbara Stanwyck as Janet Haley
 * Joel McCrea as Dr. Kildare
 * Lloyd Nolan as Hanlon
 * Stanley Ridges as Dan Innes
 * Lee Bowman as Jim Weeks
 * Barry Macollum as Stooly Martin
 * Irving Bacon as Jeff McGuire
 * Steve Pendleton as Dr. Jones (billed as Gaylord Pendleton)
 * Pierre Watkin as Dr. Henry J. Fearson
 * Charles Lane as Grote
 * Ellen Drew as Nurse (uncredited)

Reception
In a contemporary review for The New York Times, critic John T. McManus called the film "[a] nicely performed, well ordered and fairly rational reshuffle of the cinema verities (the chief of which are love, frustration, pathos, suspense, action and ambrosia)" and praised the lead actors: "Miss Stanwyck's work is pleasantly subdued, in contrast to the stormy time she has had in her last picture or so. Joel McCrea, as far as this reviewer is concerned, can do no wrong."