The 5,000 Fingers of Dr T **** (1953, Tommy Rettig, Peter Lind Hayes, Mary Healy, Hans Conried) – Classic Movie Review 11,525

Bart (Tommy Rettig) is reluctantly learning the piano and dreams he is trapped at the surreal Terwilliker Institute, where his teacher is diabolical doctor Dr Terwilliker (Hans Conried).

Director Roy Rowland’s 1953 Technicolor musical fantasy film The 5,000 Fingers of Dr T is a splendid surreal musical aimed at youngsters. It is the only feature film written by Dr Seuss (Theodor Seuss Geisel), who penned the story, screenplay and lyrics, and influenced the set design and choreography.

In the film, the boy hero Bart (Tommy Rettig) is reluctantly learning the piano under Dr Terwilliker (Hans Conried) instead of enjoying basketball. Bart dreams himself into a fantasy world where he is trapped at the surreal Terwilliker Institute, where his teacher is a diabolical mad doctor who has abducted 500 boys and incarcerated them in a treadmill school enslaving them to practice the piano forever. There is a dance sequence set in Dr Terwilliker’s dungeon to which boys who don’t play the piano are consigned.

The 5,000 Fingers of Dr T is a unique, imaginative gem of a picture, with outstanding contributions from writers Dr Seuss (Theodor Seuss Geisel) and Alan Scott, Frederick Hollander’s music score, Rudolph Sternad’s production designs, Cary Odell’s art direction, Franz Planer’s Technicolor photography.

Back then it was judged strange, surreal and strong material for children. But now perhaps it may be considered rather sedate for today’s tastes and it may please adults more than children.

Mary Healy plays Bart’s widowed mother Heloise Collins, who seems to have fallen under Terwilliker’s influence, and Peter Lind Hayes plays plumber August Zabladowski, hired to install the Institute’s lavatories ahead of a vital inspection.

The screenplay by Dr Seuss (Theodor Seuss Geisel) and Alan Scott is based on the story and conception by Dr Seuss.

Also in the cast are John Heasley as Uncle Whitney, Robert Heasley as Uncle Judson, Noel Cravat as Sgt Lunk, Henry Kulky as Stroogo, George Chakiris as Dancer, Tony Butala as Boy pianist, and Harry Wilson as guard / doorman.

Producer Stanley Kramer directed many uncredited takes.

It earned an Oscar nomination for Best Scoring of a Musical Picture.

Rettig’s singing voice was dubbed by Tony Butala, the founder of The Lettermen.

The pre-recorded piano parts were performed by veteran Hollywood studio session pianist Ray Turner.

A test audience disliked a preview version, leading to heavy cuts from the studio Columbia Pictures and a week of reshoots included a new opening scene. Nine of the original 20 musical numbers filmed in their entirety were removed. The songs survive with the complete musical soundtrack but the preview version is considered lost.

Patrons walked out of the Hollywood premiere after 15 minutes, and the film’s box-office receipts were disappointing. Geisel regarded the film as a ‘debaculous fiasco’ and failed to mention it in his biography. He stated: ‘Hollywood is not suited for me and I am not suited for it.’

Hans Conried recalled: ‘I had never had any such part before, never have since and probably never will again. We rehearsed for eight weeks before I was engaged to shoot for eight weeks, an extravagance that I, as a bit player, had never known. If it had been a success, with my prominent part in the title role, it would have changed my life.’

Tommy Rettig’s work with a dog in The 5000 Fingers of Dr T led animal trainer Rudd Weatherwax to urge him to audition for and win the star role of farm boy Jeff Miller in the first Lassie TV series (1954-1957), for which Weatherwax supplied the collie.

Rettig found the transition from child star to adult difficult. He died of heart failure at age 54 on 15 February 1996.

Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 11,525

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