Doctor Dolittle

Synopsis
“Imagine talking with a tiger, chatting with a cheetah…”

In the wrong hands, the power to talk to animals would lead to a bestial rebellion, with chest-thumping gorillas pounding the world’s armies senseless, Siberian tigers enforcing martial law in the streets and spying parakeets ready to squak to their human master at any hint of dissention or imagined treason. Thank heaven this ability was honed by mild-mannered Doctor Dolittle, a man whose greatest dream was to find the legendary Great Pink Sea Snail.

Considered a nut by most, Doctor Dolittle lives in an unassuming flat filled with assorted critters. When he learns that pet parrot Polynesia is fluent in 498 forms of animal communication, the doctor sets out to learn them all. A false accusation of murder sends Dolittle to the loony bin, but after a daring escape, he gather up his human friends Matthew Mugg and Emma Fairfax and sets sail for the South Seas.

The journey takes the group into encounters with a living island, the bizarre Pushme-Pullyou, the Great Pink Sea Snail and the Giant Lunar Moth. With a little help from his animal friends, Doctor Dolittle just might be able to regain his place in society after all.

A spectacularly-designed musical featuring the popular tune “Talk to the Animals,” Doctor Dolittle was nonetheless a logistical nightmare (you try getting over 1,500 animals to hit their marks), and therefore very expensive.

Though the film was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, box office results were abysmal, nearly sinking 20th Century Fox. But like the doctor himself, the movie earned its way back into good favor, finding a new audience of young viewers every generation.

A very loose 1998 remake (no showtunes, no pink snail, more fart jokes) starred Eddie Murphy as the title character.

Release History1967 - Doctor Dolittle

Sub Categories live-action
sci-fi/fantasy
musical

Studio 20th Century Fox

Cast

Dr. John Dolittle		Rex Harrison
Emma Fairfax		Samantha Eggar
Matthew Mugg		Anthony Newley
Albert Blossom		Richard Attenborough
General Bellowes		Peter Bull
Tommy Stubbins		William Dix
Willie Shakespeare		Geoffrey Holder
Mrs. Blossom		Muriel Landers
Sarah Dolittle		Portia Nelson
Unknown		Gilchrist Stuart
Lady Petherington		Norma Varden