7 Faces of Dr. Lao is a 1964 fantasy film from MGM, based on the 1935 novel The Circus Of Doctor Lao by Charles G. Finney, directed by George Pal, and starring Barbara Eden, Arthur O'Connell, John Ericson, Kevin Tate, and Tony Randall in a tour de forceperformance as the eponymous Chinese showman, the Abominable Snowman, Apollonius of Tyana, the Giant Serpent, Medusa, Merlin the Magician, Pan, and an unmade-up, anonymous, and silent member of his own audience.The film greatly altered the plot and softened the mordant tone of the original novel, opting rather for a sense of whimsy and wonder, reflected in the score by Leigh Harline, best known for scoring Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Pinocchio. Unfortunately, despite an extraordinary performance by Randall and some (though not all) of the other cast (Kevin Tate as Mike is a stand-out), and the admirable visual effects — for which SFX artist Jim Danforth received an Academy Award nomination and makeup artist William Tuttle an Honorary Oscar — the film has something of the feel of a made-for-TV movie, exacerbated by the use of stock footage from Atlantis, the Lost Continent and The Time Machine, with unconvincing interspersed shots of the cast in ancient costume. It did not do well when it came out, but as the years have gone by, it has come into its own, and is now widely regarded as a fantasy classic.
Cassandra Truth: As Apollonius of Tyana says, "You see, it is my curse to tell the absolute truth." Neither do his hearers seem to act on what he tells them.
Circus of Fear: Many of the exhibits, and particularly "The Fall of the City," are distinctly disturbing.
Fake Nationality: The Chinese Lao (not to mention the Turkish Apollonius, British Merlin, Greek Pan and Medusa, and Nepalese Snowman) are all played by European-American Randall. No wonder his accent (SeeOoh, Me Accent's Slipping, below) "comes and goes."
It's implied that Lao is a near-immortal Everyman who can shapeshift and gendershift as the role requires to teach much-needed Aesops.
Grumpy Bear: In his youth, Stark was a Wide-Eyed Idealist, but first-hand experience with human nature drove him to the opposite (yet equally wrong) end of the spectrum.
Henpecked Husband: Mr. Lindquist; happily, his wife appears to take Dr. Lao's lesson to heart.
Hobbes Was Right / Rousseau Was Right: The central debate of the story. Stark champions the former, while Lao argues persuasively for the latter.
Humans Are Bastards: Stark and most of the townfolk seem to revel in most sins - greed, vanity, anger - and it's up to Dr. Lao with the help of Mike, Angela and Cunningham to remind the town they can be better than that.
Politically Incorrect Villain: Stark's mooks demonstrate how stupid and rotten they are by harassing the local Indian Native American, George C. George (Eddie Little Sky).
Really 700 Years Old: Actually, seven thousand, three hundred, and twenty-two, next October.
Romancing The Widow: Angela is still grieving the loss of her husband, and doesn't notice (or doesn't want to) the interest Cunningham has for her.
Stock Ness Monster: Dr. Lao keeps the Loch Ness Monster in a fishbowl. As long as it's in the fishbowl, it stays tiny. Don't let it out.
Surrounded by Idiots: Stark has a pair of cowboy mooks; he orders one to read a newspaper article, starting at the third paragraph. "Third what?"
Taken for Granite: Despite warnings, the shrewish Mrs. Lindquist looks at the Gorgon head-on. She gets stoned.
Talking Animal: The Giant Serpent, which looks and sounds remarkably like Stark. (Especially remarkable when one considers it was voiced by Randall, not O'Connell.)
Dr. Lao: Mike, the whole world is a circus if you look at it the right way. Every time you pick up a handful of dust, and see not the dust, but a mystery, a marvel, there in your hand, every time you stop and think, "I'm alive, and being alive is fantastic!" Every time such a thing happens, Mike, you are part of the Circus of Dr. Lao.
Yellowface: But then, Lao can wear whatever face suits his fancy.
You No Take Candle: Dr. Lao, him speak dis way some time, yes — however, not upon every occasion.
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