Major Walter Reed of the United States Army works to diagnose and treat yellow fever (called “yellow jack”) in Cuba at the end of the 19th century. U.S. Army Medical Corps doctors study the theory of Cuban doctor Carlos Finlay that the disease is caused by bites from infected Aedes aegyptimosquitoes, a concept that had previously been ridiculed. Soldiers volunteer to be research subjects by allowing themselves to be bitten and contract the deadly disease, for which no cure was known.[4][5]
The original Broadway play, which opened in 1934, was produced and directed by Guthrie McClintic and costarred James Stewart and Sam Levene.[6] Stewart's performance as Sergeant John O'Hara attracted the attention of Hollywood along with an MGM contract. However, when Yellow Jack was filmed, Stewart was unavailable and replaced by Robert Montgomery. Sam Levene was the only member of the original Broadway cast to also appear in the film.
Reception
In a contemporary review for The New York Times, critic Frank S. Nugent wrote that the film "... is a superior job of picture making, well written, well directed and generally well played."[1]
