White Corridors is a 1951 British drama film directed by Pat Jackson and starring Googie Withers, Godfrey Tearle, James Donald and Petula Clark. It is based on the 1944 novel Yeoman's Hospital by Helen Ashton. The film is set in a hospital shortly after the establishment of the National Health Service.

Plot

The day-to-day life of the staff and patients at a city hospital. The central story is that of doctors Sophie Dean and Neil Marriner, who are in love, and their fight to save the life of Tommy Briggs, a little boy with blood poisoning.

Cast

Production

The film marked Googie Withers's return to acting after 13 months off following the birth of her child. John Mills at one stage was announced to play the male lead. Bombardier Billy Wells, the man who bangs the gong on the Rank trademark, had a small role. Pat Jackson claims making the film was "a joy" and says it was shot in five weeks.

Reception

Box office

White Corridors was the 8th most popular film at the British box office in 1951.

Critical

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "The material of White Corridors is not distinguished, and its episodic structure emphasises that the characterisation is mainly one-dimensional; the interweaving of a series of glimpsed characters needed a firmer conception if real depth were to be given to them and thus to the whole background of the hospital which the film sets out to explore. But on a surface level the film is remarkably successful, due to the persuasive talents of its director, Pat Jackson." The Radio Times Guide to Films gave the film 3/5 stars, writing: "While it may sound like a hokey soap opera, it is actually a well-made British A-feature, realistically played by a large and excellent cast that includes a number of well-known faces." Leslie Halliwell said: "Competent multi-drama which found a big audience." In British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 David Quinlan rated the film as "very good", writing: "Intelligently handled, episodic medical drama always carries energy at its core."

Accolades

At the 1951 BAFTAS it was nominated for Best Film and Best British Film. Petula Clark was nominated for Best Supporting Actress.