Doctor Dolittle (1998)

A Doctor finds out that he can understand what animals are saying. And the animals find out that he understands.

Director:

Betty Thomas

Writers:

Hugh Lofting (stories), Nat Mauldin (screenplay),

Stars:

Eddie Murphy, Peter Boyle, Ossie Davis

4 wins & 8 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Eddie Murphy	...	Dr. John Dolittle
Ossie Davis	...	Archer Dolittle
Oliver Platt	...	Dr. Mark Weller
Peter Boyle	...	Calloway
Richard Schiff	...	Dr. Gene 'Geno' Reiss
Kristen Wilson	...	Lisa Dolittle
Jeffrey Tambor	...	Dr. Fish
Kyla Pratt	...	Maya Dolittle
Raven-Symoné	...	Charisse Dolittle
Steven Gilborn	...	Dr. Sam Litvack
Erik Dellums	...	Jeremy (as Erik Todd Dellums)
June Christopher	...	Diane
Cherie Franklin	...	Mrs. Parkus
Mark Adair-Rios	...	Intern
Don Calfa	...	Patient at Hammersmith

Storyline

Dr. John Dolittle has the world in his hands: A beautiful wife at his side, two adorable daughters and a career that could not go better. One night, he nearly runs over a dog with his car. The dog yells "bonehead" and disappears. From then on, his childhood ability is back: To communicate with animals. Unfortunately, the word of Dolittle's ability is spreading quickly. Soon, many animals from rat to horse flock to his place to get medical advice. But his colleagues suspect he's going mad, and as the clinic Dolittle used to work for is about to being taken over for a huge amount of money, many decisions have to be made. Believe him? Put him into a mental institution? Sell the clinic? But also his family is close to breaking apart. Until a circus tiger falls seriously ill.

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Plot Keywords:

Dog | Doctor | Tiger | Title Directed By Female | Animal Human Communication | 

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Taglines:

For thousands of year animals have been trying to tell us something, but their cries have fallen on deaf ears...until they found John Dolittle

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Genres:

Comedy | Family | Fantasy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for crude humor and language

Details

Official Sites:

Fox

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 June 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Dr. Dolittle

Filming Locations:

2100 Green Street, San Francisco, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$71,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$47,200,000 (Non-US) (14 August 1998)

Gross:

$144,156,464 (USA) (8 January 1999)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Davis Entertainment, Joseph M. Singer Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

85 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Howard Stern was offered the chance to voice a hamster but turned it down.

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Goofs

When John and Gene are operating on the tiger, the pulse is the same as a normal adult human. A tiger's heart beats much more slowly.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Lucky: [narrating] You know, they say the great thing about being a kid is, it's so easy to pretend. You can have a conversation with your dog or a baseball or a banana. Well, what if wasn't pretend? What if you could have a conversation. I mean, not with a baseball or a banana - that's ridiculous, but - but with your dog?

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Connections

Followed by Dr. Dolittle: Tail to the Chief (2008)

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Soundtracks

"Dance"
Written by Marvin Winans, Ronald Winans, Howard Smith, Warryn Campbell, Erica Atkins, Trecina Atkins, and Raymond Norwood
Performed by Robin S. featuring Mary Mary
Produced by Warryn Campbell for Nyrraw Entertainment
Robin S. performs courtesy of Atlantic Recording Corp.

User Reviews

He Talks With The Animals.....

I've always thought Eddie Murphy did comedy better than action, but now I have to add honesty and integrity to his repetoire. He does such a wonderful family film here that it's almost hard to believe he got his start on Saturday Night Live. The mere concept of talking with the animals is created quite believably in the film even though you have to consider the detail that would go into such a feat actually existing. Considering the sheer diversity of the animal kingdom and the limited scope of animals to rationalize, Murphy as Dolittle would have to have considerable telepathic and clairvoyant prowess as well the data-crunching power of a computer in order to decipher instantly the motivations and inclinations of two to three animals at one time as well as come up with the human equivalent of the animal's personality. The concept of animals conversing inter-species wise would have to involve some sort of Mother Earth Theory that all animals wild and domesticated are linked by a central innate consciousness. That said, this movie is quite enjoyable despite the theories and examination it entails. Actress Kristen Wilson as Murphy's wife is a very lovely presence to the movie and former child actress Raven-Symone is becoming a lovely young actress herself far removed from that annoyingly unbearable kid she played on The Cosby Show. The rest of the cast are second stringers to the animal cast whose voices are brought to life by the vocal talents of Norm MacDonald, Julie Kavner, John Leguizamo, Garry Shandling, Jenna Elfman, Gilbert Gottfried and sounding eerily like James Belushi, Albert Brooks. This is one wonderful movie that belongs in your video collection at home.