The Courageous Dr. Christian [DVD] [1940]

The second entry in RKO Radio's "Dr. Christian" series, Courageous Dr. Christian was like the first inspired by the popular radio weekly. In this one, kindly general practioner Dr. Christian (Jean Hersholt) tends to the needs of a group of indigents, living in squalor in the town's shanty district. The local "landed gentry" is indifferent to the plight of the squatters, until an outbreak of spinal meningitis threatens the entire community. On a lighter note, Dr. Christian spends a good portion of his screen time fending off the romantic overtures of wealthy dowager Mrs. Stewart (Vera Lewis). Like the others in the "Christian" series, Courageous Dr. Christian is currently available from a wide variety of public-domain video sources.~Hal Erickson