Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- humane
- wry
- somber
- classic cinema night
- war drama viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly recognized the film's humane treatment of combat trauma and strong performances, while finding its blend of comedy and serious drama uneven.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Ward 7's narrative follows Colonel Bliss, Captain Winston, Corporal Tompkins, and other psychiatric patients alongside Newman and his staff.
Newman and Leibowitz repeatedly improvise solutions around military shortages, rigid rules, and limited treatment deadlines.
The central cases involve dissociation, catatonia, prolonged hiding behind enemy lines, and severe trauma after an aircraft is shot down.
Newman and his team understand that curing patients means sending them back to their units and combat.
Films like Captain Newman, M.D., and why
MASH
shared world war ii setting, military hospital drama, and humane dark comedy
Catch-22
shared wartime satire, ensemble camaraderie, and comedy grounded in institutional absurdity
The Best Years of Our Lives
shared military psychology, trauma, and compassionate examination of soldiers under pressure
The Caine Mutiny
shared wartime hospital setting, ensemble drama, and tension between duty and human vulnerability
Movie Details
- Director
- David Miller
- Release Date
- 1963-12-25
- Runtime
- 126 min
- Rating
- 6.7 / 10 (35)
Cast
- Gregory Peck
- Tony Curtis
- Angie Dickinson
- Eddie Albert
- James Gregory
- Bethel Leslie
- Robert Duvall
- Jane Withers
- Dick Sargent
- Larry Storch
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Captain Newman, M.D. about?
- A resourceful Army psychiatrist and his unconventional staff treat traumatized airmen while confronting the military system eager to send them back to war.
- What is Captain Newman, M.D. like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Captain Newman, M.D. as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Captain Newman, M.D. violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Captain Newman, M.D. as mild.
- What did critics think of Captain Newman, M.D.?
- Critics broadly recognized the film's humane treatment of combat trauma and strong performances, while finding its blend of comedy and serious drama uneven.
- Which films are like Captain Newman, M.D.?
- Films with a similar feel include MASH, Catch-22, The Best Years of Our Lives, and The Caine Mutiny.
- How long is Captain Newman, M.D.?
- Captain Newman, M.D. runs 126 minutes.
- Where can I watch Captain Newman, M.D.?
- In United States, Captain Newman, M.D. is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
