A country doctor playing God in order to keep his quaint New England town practically perfect becomes an unforgettable late acting role for Bing Crosby who with a very trim figure and an imposing beard seems to be playing a part that might have fit Boris Karloff back in the 1930's or 40's. At times, he even resembles his old singing and dancing partner, Fred Astaire ("Holiday Inn"/"Blue Skies"), but until you hear his speaking voice, it's difficult to even realize that it is Bing Crosby, the all-American great crooner who dominated the pop charts in the 1930's and introduced many classic American songs. There's no singing for Crosby here, but his character better be singing "Nearer My God to Thee" as he deals with his conscience in taking the lives of some of the town's less likable citizens. As mentor to a young medical student (Frank Converse), he is thrilled with Converse returns for a visit, but it will be very difficult for both of them when Converse begins to investigate the sudden deaths of various patient's of Crosby's, including the town's recently deceased wealthy miser who wouldn't lift a finger to do anything to improve their community.A very beautiful Blythe Danner is an old classmate of Converse's, and the daughter of Crosby's latest patient/victim, an old man whose breathing problems lead to an obvious mercy killing. Converse sneaks into Dr. Cook's files and finds out the truth about his one letter reference system, meaning one thing allegedly for the beautiful flowery plants in his gorgeous garden, and another thing for his patients. Crosby utilizes his customary charm to make the character likable, but he holds back in other areas to give the character a little bit of sinister mystery which when it explodes reveals this character to be quite diabolical in a passive/aggressive manipulative way. Little bits of detail show other hypocrisies of small town living, especially a rather absurd church sermon where the preacher utilizes a rather judgmental comparison of other towns to this one, calling it practically perfect. But like Peyton Place, beautiful in the opening credits, all that glitters isn't always gladiolas, and like King's Row (another film where a doctor with a dark secret mentored a younger man), it is not necessarily the best place to raise your children, as the town sign in "King's Row" sign, that is, until a new doctor comes in to treat their patients correctly.

When kindly old Dr. Cook (Bing Crosby) is ailing, Dora contacts Dr. Tennyson (Frank Converse). After all, he is a young doctor who grew up in the same town and she is worried about Dr. Cook's heart. Naturally, Tennyson comes and offers to help out...but Cook assures him everything is fine. However, when he is home visiting, Tennyson notices something very odd...quite a few folks in the town have died from coronaries in recent years and none of them had cardiac histories. What's more telling...all the dead folks were jerks! Someone might be thinning the garden, so to speak...as the jerks do seem to have very short life expectancies! And, if this IS the case, kindly Dr. Cook is the likely culprit. This makes it tough...as Tennyson adores the man and owes him so much. This film is worth seeing just because it's Crosby's last film--and he was an amazingly underrated actor. It also worth seeing because it is a very compelling film--much like the classic Warner Brothers film, "Kings Row". However, with "Dr. Cook's Garden", you have a nice, well-meaning killer doctor instead of the angry, vengeful doc in "Kings Row". He kills because the folks he bumps off are vicious, vile people who he simply deems unworthy to live!! However, once discovered, he's apparently willing to keep killing just to keep his secret...which doesn't exactly make him like Mother Theresa! I was impressed that Crosby would choose such a difficult role instead of playing something nice or safe.Overall, this is a terrific installment of "The ABC Movie of the Week". A great story and filled with unusual twists! And, with a really cool ending!

A very popular series of the time was 'Marcus Welby' where the all wise, all knowing doctor educated his patients out of their pride, prejudice, and folly in resisting his counsel. The doctor is wise. The doctor is all knowing. The doctor is only here to help. 1971, and indeed, the era of the Warren Court represented a high water mark of the notion that we can have a perfect society if we just turn loose experts and therapists guided by the social sciences on our problems. The intelligentsia then were absolutely certain of the ability of the social sciences to rehabilitate all criminals, to end poverty, to end racial inequality, to make a perfect land. All we had to do was use the tools of the social sciences to fix the 'root causes'.This film was a marvelous criticism of that zeitgeist. Dr Cook is the ultimate therapist. He is only there to help.

I'm sure that this was not intended to be Bing Crosby's swan song to feature films, but that's what it turned out to be.Crosby is cast against type here. He's the kindly old country doctor in this story who lives and practices in a Norman Rockwell like small town. But Crosby is the town's terrible secret. Unbeknownst to the residents, old Doctor Cook has been euthanizing those he feels have no positive contribution to make. The old mostly, but even younger ones like a crippled child whose medical bills are breaking his parent's finances. A young colleague, Frank Converse, discovers what he's doing and the rest you have to see for yourself.It's an interesting vehicle for a man who was known as THE Catholic entertainer. And it has Bing's one and only screen death in his career. Solid acting by Bing and the cast.