Joan Blondell (centre) and Barbara Stanwyck treat a gunshot wound. Image: Front Row Reviews
We often say old movies are much tamer than today’s movies.
But hang on a minute. We just screened a film from 1931 that is pretty darned salacious.
Night Nurse is a pre-code film about a young woman (Barbara Stanwyck) who graduates from a nursing program and takes a job as a night nurse to two rich, but ailing, children.
Now, if this description sounds dull, it’s because we didn’t mention the self-proclaimed dipsomaniac mother, the lecherous chauffeur, the family’s unscrupulous doctor, or the reason the children are being starved (yes, starved) to death.
It sounds tawdry, and it is. Just check out the original trailer that screams, “The Things She Knows!” and “At last! Behind The Scenes With Night Nurse!”
This film knows exactly what it is, and it delivers the goods: crime, violence, reckless behavior. In fact, it’s hard to think of a vice it doesn’t have.
Oh – and let’s not forget that fabulous early-1930’s Warner Bros. dialogue. For example, “You think just because you can strong-arm a couple of women you have the brains to pull over a racket like this? I had your number from the minute I stepped into this house.”
Despite all this scandalous business, the film does have some insights into nursing and medicine in the early 1930s.
The film opens as Stanwyck’s character is begrudgingly accepted into a hospital’s nursing program. A fellow student (Joan Blondell) is conscripted as her roommate and mentor. Blondell’s character, a gal who snaps her gum along with one-liners, explains the rules – then demonstrates how to break them.
As was the custom of the day, nursing students (called “practitioners”) lived in assigned quarters under the supervision of the strict head nurse. In Night Nurse, practitioners are to be in bed, Lights Out, by 10:00. Naturally, gentlemen callers are not allowed.
Blondell’s advice on the best way to escape nursing altogether is to marry a doctor or a rich patient. “You need to land an appendicitis case,” she says. “They’ve all got dough.”
Even though Blondell’s and Stanwyck’s characters are somewhat anti-establishment, they take their nursing duties seriously and seem to find satisfaction in caring for patients. The film also includes The Florence Nightingale Pledge in its entirety, a pledge that focuses on ethics and confidentiality.
The practitioners’ biggest test is also a demonstration of friendship between the two women. The pair is assigned to assist in a life-saving operation, and Blondell urges Stanwyck to Keep It Together, no matter how grim the surgery gets. When Stanwyck starts to feel woozy, Blondell grabs her wrist and squeezes hard. This forces Stanwyck to concentrate and and remain upright.
However, things do not go well for the patient. As the surgery begins, the patient snores loudly under anesthesia. But suddenly the breathing stops and someone shouts for more oxygen. Replacement equipment arrives, but it leaks, which means it’s useless. The patient, now dead, is covered with a white sheet and is wheeled out of the operating theatre.
Only after everyone else has left the room does Stanwyck collapse onto the floor.
Night Nurse is adapted from a novel by Grace Perkins, who wrote under the pseudonym Dora Macy. Perkins was a prolific writer of sensational novels, usually featuring courageous women battling unsavory circumstances at great personal cost.
This kind of determination translates well on film. When Stanwyck’s character realizes the children she’s caring for are slowly being murdered, she fights for their lives despite being dismissed as a “hysterical nurse”. Even when confronting the sinister chauffeur (a young Clark Gable), she displays a toughness that the children’s own mother lacks.
Night Nurse is an unflattering, yet fascinating look at corrupt medicine. If you have an interest in the history of healthcare, or are curious to see an infamous pre-code, you should set aside 70 minutes to watch this film.
♠
This is part of The MEDICINE IN THE MOVIES Blogathon hosted by Charlene’s (Mostly) Classic Movie Reviews.
Night Nurse: starring Barbara Stanwyck, Ben Lyon, Joan Blondell. Directed by William A. Wellman. Written by Oliver H.P. Garrett. Warner Bros., 1931, B&W, 72 mins.
Silver Screenings 
How disturbing…yet it’s going on my TBW list. Quite intriguing. Fantastic review. I’m sending this link to a friend of mine, too. Thanks!
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“Night Nurse” is intriguing, like you said. It’s a fast-paced film that doesn’t stop to catch its breath. I hope you get the chance to see it!
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I loved this film! I saw it when I was devouring every Joan Blondell film I could find. She’s great in it
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Joan Blondell is great in everything, isn’t she? She has an incredible on-screen presence.
I think I’m going to copy your idea and watch all of Joan B’s movies, too. There are so many I haven’t yet seen.
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Yes! I highly recommend it! 🙂 You will definitely find some under-appreciated gems in there. One of my favourites was “Stand In” with Leslie Howard. A genuinely sweet, funny flick where Joan got to be the leading lady.
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I LOVE “Stand In” and now want to see it again. Joan is utterly fab in that role. I’m really excited to scout out her films.
Also, wasn’t she great in “Nightmare Alley”? I wish she had a bigger role in that film. However, she made a huge impact, so maybe she didn’t need more screen time…?
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I think about that movie a lot. Nightmare Alley is such a brilliant, intense, unique, under-appreciated noir piece. Her chemistry with Tyrone Power is what stands out most in my mind about that film. Absolutely stunning and haunting film. I wish she got the chance to play more substantial/leading roles during her career – she was really something special!
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Great review. I’ve never heard of this one before. I love Stanwyck and am eager to check this one out for her performance. It must be tough to be in a surgical situation and having to overcome feeling faint or revolted by what you are witnessing; especially if this is your first time looking at things like this.
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Yes, Maddy, you in particular should see this film. All the performances are top-notch, but it’s a must see for Barbara Stanwyck fans, in my opinion. I’m already looking forward to your review! 😉
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Got to see especially as the film has Blondell as well as Stanwyck!
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I just learned Blondell and Stanwyck made 3 (THREE!) films together. (Sheesh! I didn’t know that & I call myself a classic movie blogger.) But you, dah-ling, must see this one. It’s a wild ride!
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I’m appalled by your admission!
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Until I saw Night Nurse I thought I was past the age of being shocked. What a picture!
If you get the chance, check out Joanie and Missy 30 years later in an episode of The Barbara Stanwyck Show called Sign of the Zodiac. They are pals, but one is doing the other dirt.
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Excellent! Thanks for the heads up re: The Barbara Stanwyck episode w/ Joan Blondell. I hope to find it on YouTube. They’re a great on-screen duo, no?
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This sounds like such an interesting film. I love the balance of drama and crime you described with the ethics and duty of health care providers that is displayed in the film. I need to see the film, and it sounds like this role really was made for Barbara Stanwyck. This was just the beginning of her career! I am also a huge Pre-Code fan – another reason to watch! Thank you for bringing this film to the blogathon!
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Charlene, I’d be very interested to see what you think after viewing this film. It had a good message about nursing and female friendship which, I fear, is sometimes overlooked when this film is discussed.
Thanks for organizing this blogathon! I’ll be catching up on the entries next week.
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Certainly one of the most famous Pre-Code films and it’s a special treat to watch a young Barbara Stanwyck, who was already a fine actress.
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You’re right – Barbara Stanwyck, in this film, seems like a far more experienced actress than she really was. She and Blondell are a treat to watch.
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A great account of a movie that I too like a lot — many thanks for the stroll down memory lane. My only complaint about the movie is, obviously, that there ain’t enough Joan Blondell in it!
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Haha! Not enough Joan Blondell is my complaint, too.
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No such thing as enough Joan Blondell . . .
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Night Nurse is a great movie – the GIF of Stanwyck punching Gable and him falling on the floor never fails to amaze me. Great review, my friend!
Kisses!
Le
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Thanks, Le. Gable’s character deserves a big smack-down in this film! He is absolutely despicable. But, even so, you can tell Gable was destined to be a big star, no?
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Sounds like something I’d like to watch. Thanks for posting this!
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It’s a wild ride. They crammed a lot of action into 72 minutes.
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It’s amazing how creatively they could get around the censors.
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Haha! You got that right!
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Seems like a good insight into the methodology of surgical practices of the 20s & 30’s!!!! I ought to check it out!!
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It’s a pretty salacious film, but it is interesting to see how medical practices were portrayed in the 1920s-30s. I also thought the first half of the film presented a good look at women’s friendship.
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I’m definitely going to have to watch this one
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I hope you get the chance to see it
Would be interesting to hear your thoughts on “Night Nurse”.
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