The Carey Treatment

PG

Released Mar 29, 1972

1h 41m

Mystery & Thriller

List

60%

5 Reviews

Tomatometer

29%

100+ Ratings

Audience Score

Dr. Peter Carey (James Coburn) moves to Boston, where he becomes a pathologist at a prominent hospital and gets involved with Georgia Hightower (Jennifer O'Neill). Soon the teenage daughter (Elizabeth Allen) of the chief doctor comes into the hospital with severe injuries from a failed illegal abortion. After she dies, Carey's friend, Dr. David Tao, is arrested for performing the surgery. Carey knows that Tao is innocent, and he uses forceful detective tactics to determine who is guilty.

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Nick Pinkerton

Film Comment Magazine

The Carey Treatment ... belongs to its period more than to all time, but its ineffaceable qualities prove that [Blake] Edwards could never be reduced to quack or hack.

Feb 25, 2014

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

It's given an enormous lift by James Coburn.

Rated: 2.5/4

May 16, 2022

Full Review

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

...at its best in its deliberately-paced yet mostly watchable first half...

Rated: 2/4

Mar 24, 2021

Full Review

Raquel Stecher

Out of the Past

Despite its flaws The Carey Treatment (1972) is a fun movie. It oozes with 1970s cool and has some great dramatic sequences

Mar 2, 2019

Full Review

Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

Shallow character study murder mystery, that seems like a made for TV film.

Rated: C

Jul 27, 2011

Full Review

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Steve D

Ok story surprisingly respectful.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

08/02/23

Full Review

william s

A made for TV movie that impersonates as a studio release.Should be quickly out of mind.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Director Blake Edwards disowned this film after battling the producer. The film tells the tale of Dr. Carey, James Coburn, working to clear the name of a fellow doctor, James Hong, of murder charges stemming from an illegal abortion. The film is based upon a novel written by Michael Crichton under the pseudonym Jeffery Hudson, though the film lacks the fun techno babble and scientific minutia of Crichton's best novels. The film kind of works as a mystery and Coburn is great as always, but the film does have many dull stretches where nothing in particular seems to happen. The only thing that makes this film worth watching is for is the political context of illegal abortions playing an important role in the plot in a pre-Roe v. Wade United States, though this film is not at all a political film and is at it's heart a corny whodunit.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/31/23

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s r

Not a bad crime drama with a medical twist. I was skeptical given other ratings, but enjoyed it. Coburn delivers.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Audience Member

this a lesser known and different work 4 director blake edwards (pink panther ,10)

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

Full Review

dave j

Friday, November 19, 2010 (1972) The Carey Experiment MYSTERY James Coburn stars as a doctor acting as a detective to help a friend's accusation of an unfortunate death that was under his care! Unusual detective film and a fresh change as opposed to other mystery films! 3 out of 4

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

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Blake Edwards

Director

James Coburn

Dr. Peter Carey

Jennifer O'Neill

Georgia Hightower

Pat Hingle

Capt. Pearson

Skye Aubrey

Nurse Angela Holder

Elizabeth Allen

Evelyn Randall

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Synopsis

Dr. Peter Carey (James Coburn) moves to Boston, where he becomes a pathologist at a prominent hospital and gets involved with Georgia Hightower (Jennifer O'Neill). Soon the teenage daughter (Elizabeth Allen) of the chief doctor comes into the hospital with severe injuries from a failed illegal abortion. After she dies, Carey's friend, Dr. David Tao, is arrested for performing the surgery. Carey knows that Tao is innocent, and he uses forceful detective tactics to determine who is guilty.

Director: Blake Edwards
Production Co: Geoffrey Productions
Rating: PG
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 29, 1972, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 8, 2017
Runtime: 1h 41m

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