House Calls 1978

Charles Nichols is a respected doctor who has just become a widower. After returning to Los Angeles from a tropical vacation and a period of mourning, he finds himself propositioned by a number of women, pulling him into a web of temptation and professional tension that tests his judgment and his humanity.

The hospital where he works is poorly run, dominated by Dr. Amos Willoughby, a senile chief of staff. The staff’s incompetence is laid bare when a patient’s fractured jaw is treated with a crude device, and Charley must step in to free the patient, earning Willoughby’s wrath for “stealing” a case. Charley and his colleague Dr. Norman Solomon realize something must change, but the old guard clings to power. Despite their misgivings, Charley agrees to nominate [Dr. Amos Willoughby] for one more term as chief, a decision he later regrets. Ann Atkinson—divorced, vivid in conversation, and a gifted cheesecake baker—proves irresistible to Charley. With Charley’s help, she lands a job at the hospital, and their flirtation deepens, even as Charley remains wary of commitment in a crowded dating scene. Ann persuades him to try a brief trial period, hoping to see if they can build something lasting.

At the hospital, a botched diagnosis results in the death of a wealthy baseball-team owner. The widow, Ellen Grady, intends to sue for millions, signaling a turn toward high-stakes medical accountability. Charley attempts to charm her, and she reveals a shared background that fuels mutual interest, but she refuses to drop the lawsuit. Meanwhile, Charley neglects a date with Ann, arriving late with a weak excuse, and she responds by hiding his clothes while he showers. Ann also urges him to stand up to the hospital’s mismanagement and not nominate [Dr. Amos Willoughby] for chief of medicine, but he goes ahead with the nomination anyway. Willoughby then reneges on a promise to stop personally treating patients, forcing Charley to rethink his loyalties. In the end, Charley does his best to win back Ann, balancing his professional duties with his evolving personal desires.