The film stars Rex Harrison as John Dolittle, the man who prefers animals to people and becomes the world’s best animal doctor. He ends up accused of murder, and though he’s acquitted, he has to flee his native land when the local magistrate wants to put him in the looney bin.

Dolittle sets sail to find the great sea snail. With him are the young boy Stubbins, his friend Matthew Mugg, and stowaway, Emma Fairfax, played by William Dix, Anthony Newley, and Samantha Eggar, respectively.

The interesting thing about Harrison in this movie is that he’s not a singer. He actually talks his songs, more than sings them, but it works remarkably well.

While it’s fun to watch Dolittle talking with the various animals early on, the fun part of the movie for me has always been the last segment, when the group gets to Sea Star Island and meets the natives there. The leader is played by Geoffrey Holder, and he was just magnificent as William Shakespeare the Tenth. The whole latter segment was just marvelous. Holder almost steals the movie.

Doctor Dolittle is long, but well worth it. It’s one I make sure to watch every now and then.

Rating: 8