Film that still really hasn't gotten its due, a look at four nurses at a hospital and their various adventures. They have been well cast, look different - while acting ability varies all are beautiful and have screen presence.
Karen Carlson is the blonde one, who has a fling with a doctor - she accidentally sleeps with another doctor by mistake, but it's her decision, and she gets annoyed when the doctor is annoyed by it. She has a terrific character, a sex liking woman who dislikes death. She's anti abortion and clashes with her doctor boyfriend. This conflict is strong, well motivated, and empathetically depicted.
Barbara Leigh doesn't want to wear a bra and has a fling with new age druggie Richard Rust (a snob food eater). Rust has a decent role to play - a health food nut with his hippy drug dealing point of view, this is a three dimensional part. Their relationship is very believable. The whole abortion sequence is amazing - matter of fact, powerful. Leigh has to give evidence to a shrink, the head nurse is sympathetic ("get a good one), Carlson's doctor boyfriend helps upsetting Carlson. It's amazing filmmaking still so franky.
Brioni Farrell is a Latina and she gets political, having an affair with an activist. This is more standard. Her consciousness is raised... she gets radical. The political aspects are interesting. It's just more stock
Elaine Giftos is a sweet young thing who cares for a terminally ill patient. She has to run around a garden, they fall for each other. Again this feels a little more stock - nothing Giftos does wrong.
The running time is padded out with montages but they are of the time and place eg a music festival so it's of cultural interest.
The women are supportive of each other - Farrell and Giftos help Leigh have an abortion, which Carlson opposes but Carlson doesn't get angry at Leigh more her boyfriend.
Very satisfactory ending - Leigh becomes a nurse, Carlson dislikes it so decides to become a receptionist, Farrell goes on the run, Giftos goes to Vietnam. Farrell is the only one with a man and even that looks like it's going to be casual.
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