Captain Newman, M.D. (1963)

In the tumultuous year of 1944, amidst the throes of World War II, Captain Josiah J. Newman, M.D. presides over Ward 7, the bustling neuropsychiatric ward nestled within the confinements of Colfax Air Force Base in the arid expanses of Arizona. The ward is a microcosm of the war's mental toll, swelling with patients as the base commander, Colonel Edgar Peyser, and Captain Newman wage their own battle over the number of airmen truly in need of psychiatric aid. Resource-scarce and duty-burdened, Newman masterfully navigates this challenging terrain, leveraging his wits, persistence, and a small but inventive staff. Among them is the energetic Corporal Jake Leibowitz, an unexpected addition to the ward, whose vibrant spirit and unorthodox methods bring a much-needed dash of levity to the somber reality of the psychiatric ward. Newman also skillfully secures the transfer of the radiant Lieutenant Francie Corum, a nurse whose beauty he believes possesses a soothing quality capable of calming the troubled minds of his patients. Their resilience and innovation are put to the test as they strive to either cure their patients within a tight six-week window or face the daunting task of sending them to another facility. Among the sea of faces in Ward 7, three distinct cases stand out: Colonel Norville Bliss, a man lost within his own mind, struggling to understand the cause of his mental dissociation; Captain Paul Winston, a catatonic officer haunted by the thirteen months he spent concealed in a cellar behind enemy lines; and the youthful Corporal Jim Tompkins, whose trauma from being shot down in his aircraft is concealed behind a façade of heavy drinking, bravado, and sleepless nights. Aided by an unexpected blend of personalities, Captain Newman's ward becomes an intricate dance of healing and hope against the backdrop of war. Yet, a bitter truth lurks beneath their successes - a healed soldier is a soldier ready to return to the horrors of the front line. "Captain Newman, M.D." stands as a poignant journey through the minds of men scarred by war, and the relentless doctor who fights to restore them.

Captain Newman, M.D. is a comedy movie featuring Gregory Peck.

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