Doctors' Wives (1971 film)

Doctors' Wives
Doctors' Wives
Directed by	George Schaefer
Screenplay by	Daniel Taradash
Based on	(From the Novel); (Doctors' Wives by); Frank Slaughter; (as Frank G. Slaughter)
Produced by	M.J. Frankovich
Starring	Dyan Cannon; Richard Crenna; Gene Hackman; Carroll O'Connor; Rachel Roberts; Janice Rule; Diana Sands; Cara Williams
Cinematography	Charles Lang
Edited by	Carl Kress
Music by	Elmer Bernstein
Color process	Eastmancolor
Production; company	Frankovich Productions
Distributed by	Columbia Pictures
Release date	February 3, 1971;
Running time	102 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Doctors' Wives is a 1971 American drama film directed by George Schaefer^[1] and starring Dyan Cannon, Richard Crenna, Gene Hackman, Carroll O'Connor, Rachel Roberts, Janice Rule, Diana Sands and Cara Williams. It was based on a novel by Frank G. Slaughter.^[2]

The theme song, "The Costume Ball", was sung by Mama Cass Elliot.

Plot[]

While playing cards with her girlfriends, all of whom suspect their doctor husbands of having affairs, Lorrie Dellman volunteers to seduce each of them to find out more.

The plan backfires when Lorrie is caught in bed with Paul McGill by her husband, brain surgeon Dr. Mort Dellman, who shoots them both.

Dr. Pete Brennan is able to save McGill's life, but Lorrie is dead. Brennan is fed up with wife Amy and her migraines. He is having an affair with Helen, a nurse.

Dr. Dave Randolph is a psychiatrist. His wife, Della, is frigid. Randolph discovers that she's had a lesbian relationship with the late Lorrie.

Maggie, an alcoholic, is found face-down in her swimming pool by Dr. Joe Gray, her husband.

With all of their lives in turmoil, they attend Lorrie's funeral, where Helen reveals that her young son needs a brain operation. The doctors agree that Dr. Dellman is the man best suited to do the surgery, but Dellman is in jail for having shot his wife.

The district attorney, Douglas, agrees to release the surgeon for a few hours to perform the surgery, under a police guard. He is unaware that Dellman has made a deal with Lorrie's wealthy father, Jake Porter, to help him flee to Mexico as soon as the operation is done.

Cast[]

Dyan Cannon as Lorrie Dellman
Richard Crenna as Dr. Peter Brennan
Gene Hackman as Dr. Dave Randolph
Carroll O'Connor as Dr. Joe Gray
Rachel Roberts as Della Randolph
Janice Rule as Amy Brennan
Diana Sands as Helen Struaghn
Cara Williams as Maggie Gray
Richard Anderson as Dist. Atty. Douglas
Ralph Bellamy as Jake Porter
George Gaynes as Paul McGill
John Colicos as Dr. Mort Dellman
George Gaynes as Paul McGill
Marian McCargo as Elaine McGill
Scott Brady as Sgt. Malloy
Kristina Holland as Sybil Carter
Anthony Costello as Mike Traynor
Mark Jenkins as Lew Saunders
Vincent Van Lynn as Barney Harris
Ernie Barnes as Dr. Perfield
Paul Marin as Dr. Deemster
William Bramley as Dr. Hagstrom
Jon Lormer as Elderly Doctor

Reception[]

Doctors' Wives has a 4.3 out of 10 on IMDb.^[3]

References[]

^ "Doctor's Wives". TCM database. Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved February 20, 2016.
^ Greenspun, Roger (1971-02-04). "Schaefer's 'Doctors' Wives':Dyan Cannon Portrays Unfaithful Spouse 4 Other Features Bow in Local Showings". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-08-19.
^ Doctors' Wives, 12 March 1971, retrieved 2020-08-19

External links[]

This 1970s drama film–related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by .

[Doctor's_Wives-1] "Doctor's Wives". TCM database. Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved February 20, 2016.

[2] Greenspun, Roger (1971-02-04). "Schaefer's 'Doctors' Wives':Dyan Cannon Portrays Unfaithful Spouse 4 Other Features Bow in Local Showings". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-08-19.

[3] Doctors' Wives, 12 March 1971, retrieved 2020-08-19

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