Doctor Dolittle

Plot

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

Release Year: 1998

Rating: 5.2/10 (35,978 voted)

Critic's Score: 46/100

Director:
Betty Thomas

Stars: Eddie Murphy, Peter Boyle, Ossie Davis

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.

Writers: Hugh Lofting, Nat Mauldin

Cast:

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

Taglines:
He doesn't just talk to the animals!

Details

Official Website:
Fox |

Release Date: 26 June 1998

Filming Locations: 2100 Green Street, San Francisco, California, USA

Box Office Details

Budget: $71,500,000

(estimated)

Opening Weekend: $29,014,324
(USA)
(28 June 1998)
(2777 Screens)

Gross: $144,156,464
(USA)
(10 January 1999)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

85 min

Did You Know?

Trivia:

Cameo:
[Reni Santoni]
voice of one of the rats has a cameo as a human, playing the circus owner talking to the cops after Dolittle takes Tiger for surgery. He is wearing a white long haired wig.

Goofs:

Continuity:
When Gene and Mark are walking downstairs to check out Mark's nose after it has been broken, Mark is wearing a wedding ring. However, in the next shot when they find John in the room, the wedding ring is no longer on Mark's finger.

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?

User Review

An average Kids film

Rating: 6/10

This is really an everage run of the mill kids movie based losely on the the
Doctor Dolittle film.
Eddie Murphy plays the doctor who finds that he can comminicate with all
animals.This leads to every type of animal coming to him for help for their
medical problems.
The Special affects are not very special but i'm sure a lot of kids would
love this film.
There are a few funny one liners that will go straight over childrens heads
and that are quite funny but all in all this film is just plain
OK.
6 out of 10.