The Top 10 Best Movie Doctors
5. Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy- Star Trek, Star Trek Into Darkness, and Star Trek Beyond
Since I’ve already established a loophole on for this list of movie doctors, I’m going to toss old Bones McCoy on here as well. Before you accuse me of abusing my power, I’ll go ahead and say that it’s the Karl Urban version of the character that I’m including here. I might get some nerd rage for that, but I honestly think that his take on McCoy was one of the best parts of the new movies. Taking care of an entire spaceship filled with aliens, along with a Captain with a penchant for getting himself hurt, catching a ton of STDs, and getting red shirts killed has got to be a stressful job. Old Bones manages to always come through in the end though. Lucky for the Starship Enterprise.
4. Dr. Richard Kimble- The Fugitive
Anytime I get a chance to include Harrison Ford on a list, I’m going to do it. Luckily, he just so happens to deserve his place for his performance as Dr. Richard Kimble. The character is a vascular surgeon who finds himself on the wrong side of the law when his wife is killed by a one-armed man. Kimble manages to not only elude U.S Marshals but uses his medical knowledge to eventually track down his wife’s killer. He also happens to uncover a massive pharmaceutical conspiracy and take down an evil CEO in the process. Not too shabby, but I’d, personally, like to see him take on the infamous “Pharma Bro” Martin Shkreli next.
3. Dr. Hannibal Lecter- The Silence of the Lambs, Red Dragon, and Hannibal
The part where movie doctors swear to “do no harm” must have been lost on Dr. Lecter. The famed serial killer is actually a licensed psychiatrist and former surgeon, which only makes him all the more deadly. It’s fitting that such a man would be interested in knowing not just how the body works, but also the human mind. Imagine what could have been possible if he used his skills for good (though it could be argued that he does certain points). Anthony Hopkins gives the literary legend a face and does the character true justice with his portrayal. Despite his cannibalistic habits, there’s no denying that Lecter is an amazingly skilled doctor.
2. Dr. Stephen Strange- The MCU
Of all the movie doctors on this list, Stephen Strange is definitely the… Strangest. Don’t get me wrong, he was one of the world’s greatest neurosurgeon before he made the mistake of driving while intexticated. The crash crushed the bones in his hands, leading him down a painful, long, and ultimately futile road to recovery. Desperate to get his god complex back, er, be able to perform surgery again, Dr. Strange seeks “alternative” medical treatments. His journey ends with him discovering the existence of the mystic arts and finding a new purpose in life. Now he defends the Earth as the Sorcerer Supreme! While Dr. Strange might not be practicing anymore, I’m pretty sure his license is still instated and he could probably write you a couple of prescriptions if you needed.
1. Dr. Hawkeye Pierce- MASH
Before you throw your hands up in exasperation that I’ve included yet another TV doctor on this list, let me explain. Before MASH was one of the most successful television series of all time, it was a brilliant film starring Donald Sutherland. Dr. Pierce finds himself in the middle of a war he doesn’t believe in patching up soldiers he sees as dying for nothing. So, he does the logical thing and embraces the absurdity of it all. This leads to him constantly doing his best to get into trouble in the strangest ways possible (most likely in the hopes that he will be discharged). Despite his hatred for the war, he does his duty as a doctor and never stops helping those who need him. Now, if only he’d lay off the nurses.
Honorable Mention: Dr. Larry Arbogast- Junior
You know what isn’t great? Junior. You know what is great? The idea of Danny Devito as an OB/GYN. I mean, just stop and think about that for a second. Go on. Consider that the first thing some babies might see when they come into the world is human troll, Danny Devito. Don’t get me wrong, I love the man to death but he’s played a lot of disgusting characters and does look like the kind of guy who would make you solve a riddle before you could cross his bridge. Then there’s the idea that a woman is sitting “comfortably,” waiting for her new gynecologist, Dr. Arbogast, and Danny Devito strolls in. Seriously though, Dr. Arbogast was a part of the first male child-birth ever, which means he’s probably pretty good at his job. Besides, He’s just too memorable not to give an honorable mention.
Shout Out: Miracle Max- The Princess Bride
Not sure if Miracle Max actually went to fantasy medical school or not, but the guy is one hell of a healer. If you’ve got the scratch then you can buy yourself a genuine miracle from this tree-dwelling medicine man. He’s something between a wizard and a doctor, but I still think he at least deserves a shout-out for saving the life of one of the greatest swordsmen of all time for the sake of true love. When it comes to health care, you could do a lot worse…
Coming up with 10 movie doctors of note was a lot harder than rummaging through the long list of TV doctors out there. There were a few I left off there purposely, like Patch Adams and Dr. Zhivago. But I think it’s a pretty solid list overall. What do you think though? Be sure to comment below any movie doctors I might have missed or who your favorite is from the list above!