The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T
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| The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T | |
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| Directed by | Roy Rowland |
| Produced by | Stanley Kramer |
| Written by | Dr. Seuss, Alan Scott |
| Starring | Tommy Rettig Mary Healy Hans Conried Peter Lind Hayes |
| Music by | Frederick Hollander |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
| Release date(s) | July 1, 1953 |
| Running time | 92 min. |
| Language | English |
| IMDb profile | |
The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T. is a 1953 musical fantasy film. It is best known for being the only feature film ever written by Theodor Seuss Geisel ("Dr. Seuss"), who was responsible for the story, screenplay, and lyrics. It was directed by Roy Rowland.
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[edit] Plot
The plot revolves around young Bart Collins (Tommy Rettig), who lives with his widowed mother Heloise (Mary Healy). The major blight on Bart's existence is the hated piano lessons he is forced to endure under the tutelage of the autocratic Dr. Terwilliker (Hans Conried). Bart feels that his mother has fallen under Terwilliker's sinister influence, and gripes to visiting plumber August Zabladowski (Peter Lind Hayes), without much result. While grimly hammering away at his lessons, Bart dozes off and enters a fantastical musical dream, in much the same fashion as The Wizard of Oz.
In the dream, Bart is trapped at the surreal Terwilliker Institute, where the piano teacher is now a madman dictator who has locked up all non-piano-playing musicians in a dungeon and constructed a piano so large that it requires Bart and 499 other enslaved boys (the aforementioned 5,000 fingers) in order to play it. Bart's mother has been turned into Terwilliker's hypnotized assistant and bride-to-be, and Bart scrambles to save both her and himself. He tries to recruit Mr. Zabladowski, who has been hired to install all of the Institute's sinks ahead of a vital inspection; after much skepticism and foot-dragging, the plumber is convinced to help. ("We should always believe children. We should even believe their lies.") The two of them construct a noise-sucking machine which destroys the mega-piano's opening concert. The enslaved boys cheerfully run riot, and the "VERY atomic" noise-sucker blows up in spectacular fashion, bringing Bart out of his dream.
The movie ends on a hopeful note for Bart, when the real-life Mr. Zabladowski finally notices Heloise, and offers to drive her into town. Bart escapes from the piano, and triumphantly runs off to play.
[edit] Featured cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Tommy Rettig | Bart Collins |
| Mary Healy | Heloise Collins |
| Hans Conried | Dr. Terwilliker |
| Peter Lind Hayes | August Zabladowski |
[edit] Trivia
- It is possible that the character of Sideshow Bob from The Simpsons is based in part on the character of Dr. Terwilliker. Not only are their surnames similar (Terwilliger), but Sideshow Bob's accent and countenance bear a superficial resemblance to Hans Conried's performance, and both characters have a nemesis named Bart.
- The fantasy is almost entirely musical, with either background music or actual musical numbers (9 in all in just 89 minutes).
- The preferred drink in the Terwilliker Institute is pickle juice.
- Other minor characters include rollerskating Siamese twins joined by the beard, a man sealed up inside a drum, and a memorable elevator operator in executioner's mask, who announces each dungeon floor in "The Elevator Song," ending at the bottom floor with "ev'ry-body ouuuut!"
- Healy and Hayes were married in real life when they made the movie.
- There is a Broadway Musical in development with a new score by Glen Roven.
- Dr.T was later used for the name of a popular computer music sequencer in the 1980s after lead character of the film.
- The character of Bart Collins has been adopted in a UK anti-drugs advert. Promoting the service "Talk to Frank" - a drugs advice line. He appears in various locations asking questions such as "what do you use this vase for?" (about a bong), and "how long are you going to feel like that for?" (to a girl clearly on a comedown).
