Cast:
Charles Russel (Peter Rogers)
DeForest Kelley (Bob Rogers)
Trudy Marshall (Ann Rogers)
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Douglass Dumbrille (Osburne)
Pierre Watkin (Blake)
Richard Loo (Wong)
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Plot Summary:
Peter and Ann Rogers wait outside a hospital room; the nurse comes
out to acknowledge that the patient is dead, and Peter faints. At
Peter's bedside, Doctor Blake reminisces about his acquaintance with
flamboyant, ambitious Peter Rogers and his quieter brother Bob (Kelley),
giving us flashbacks of their days as college football stars while
Peter pursues a law degree and Bob becomes a doctor, wishing to help
people. Peter, courting Ann, stops his car when he sees Bob walking
along and sneers at his brother that "yeah, they like to be alone,
he and his thoughts." Time goes on, Peter is established in Osburne's
legal office, marries Ann, and begins working night and day climbing
the law office ladder. Meanwhile, we see Bob on his first ambulance
case; when the driver states that "all the good ones are scared..
at first," Bob replies, "Then I sure must be a whiz."
As Peter chugs on up the legal ladder, Bob joins Blake's clinic and
struggles with his sense that they're treating the wrong people. He
is almost McCoyesque in handing a neurotic woman patient her pills
along with a lecture on how there's nothing wrong with her. At church
one Sunday, Bob is very taken with the sermon about calling on a power
"beyond our own"; Peter spends the sermon jotting notes
for work. Peter and Ann start their family with baby Shirley; Bob
visits to declare his intention to go to China as a medical missionary.
Peter protests that this was not what their mother had in mind in
leaving them the money for their education, but Bob is firm. Ann writes
to Bob in China, through the birth of their next child, Ronny, through
Peter's 3 years of service in the war, and Ann's concerns over Peter's
night-and-day work when he returns - until Ronny is killed by a car
at the age of 6. (Which is where we came in.)
Peter cannot recover from Ronny's death, and Blake recommends that
he go visit Bob in China. He does, and finds Bob beloved of his hospital
patients and happy in his work, despite the dangers of a war coming
ever closer. He also meets Bob's colleague, Jim Wong, once a wealthy
banker who lost everything - including family - in the war but has
found God and peace, and extolls Bob's work. Peter obsesses about
Bob having given up a great career, Jim convinces him of what Bob
has found. The war approaches; as Bob, Peter and Jim load the patients
onto a bus to evacuate to caves, Jim goes back into the hospital for
Bob's medical kit just as the hospital is hit by mortar. Bob goes
off for water, and Jim dies, telling Peter he is not afraid of "going
home." This is Peter's conversion experience, and he seeks the
altar amid the rubble for prayer. When the hospital is rebuilt, the
village elders present Peter with a family keepsake - a cross - in
gratitude for his risking his life for the children. Peter expresses
a desire to stay and work with Bob; Bob delivers a sermon to him,
pointing out that God's work is to be done everywhere, and Peter's
work for God is back home.
Notes:
Fun to see Kelley so early in his career, though the role is rather
bland for him - the earnest young medical missionary finding and sharing
his focus in life. Best bits are the few times he has something lively
to do - arguing with a patient, celebrating his decision to go to
China, and evacuating the hospital.
I don't know where I found the date on this; it's not on my copy
of the film itself.
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