His Only Patient

Dr. Schneider paces restlessly around his practice - hardly any patients come in. He is delighted when the letter carrier finally rings, but he is in perfect health. Then his cook appears with a tiny cut. Instead of a plaster, Schneider applies an oversized bandage and prescribes strict bed rest. Dissatisfied, he goes hunting for sick people on the street and even treats a passer-by until he flees, exasperated. In the end, only his cook is fit and lively at the stove again. A lost film.

Directed by Ernst Lubitsch, His Only Patient leans on a strong ensemble — Johanna Ewald, Ernst Lubitsch — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about screen titles of 1915.