History Film / SevenFacesOfDrLao

* NoMoreForMe: To keep the audience from getting TakenForGranite, Dr. Lao sets up a mirror so the audience can see Medusa's reflection instead of looking at her directly. A drunk man, on first seeing Medusa's reflection, puts the stopper back in his bottle. Later, when the shrewish Mrs. Lindquist looks at her head-on and is turned to stone, the drunkard tosses the bottle away.

* HumansAreBastards: 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 [[RousseauWasRight they can be better than that.]]

* TakenForGranite: Despite warnings, the shrewish Mrs. Lindquist looks at Medusa head-on. She gets stoned. Thankfully, Merlin reverses the process.

* WiseSerpent: Amongst the exhibits wealthy rancher Clinton Stark visits in the [[CircusOfMagic Circus of Dr. Lao]] is the tent of the Giant Serpent, who not only looks like him but also proves to be quite wise. When Clinton tries to dismiss its criticism of him by declaring it's just a beast in a cage, the snake mocks Clinton pointing out this also applies to himself, with his greed and cowardice being its own sort of "cage", too. This experience proves fundamental in helping Stark re-evaluate his views on life and humanity.

* WiseSerpent: Amongst the exhibits wealthy rancher Clinton Stark visits in [[CircusOfMagic Circus of Dr. Lao]] is the tent of the Giant Serpent, who not only looks like him but also proves to be quite wise. When Clinton tries to dismiss its criticism of him by declaring it's just a beast in a cage, the snake mocks Clinton pointing out this also applies to himself, with his greed and cowardice being its own sort of "cage", too. This experience proves fundamental in helping Stark re-evaluate his views on life and humanity.

* MoodWhiplash: After Lao gives a beautiful and insightful speech about life being a circus, Mike tearfully replies that he doesn't understand. Lao shouts "Neither do I!" before the two start dancing joyfully.

* FlyingDutchman: Dr. Lao seems fated to [[WalkingTheEarth travel from place to place]] to save people from their own folly.

* HobbesWasRight / RousseauWasRight: The central debate of the story. Stark champions the former, while Lao argues persuasively for the latter.

* IWasQuiteALooker: Mrs. Cassan, in her youth, was a beauty who had no trouble attracting men.

* RomancingTheWidow: Angela is still grieving the loss of her husband, and doesn't notice (or doesn't want to) the interest Cunningham has for her.

!!Tropes Employed In ''7 Faces of Dr. Lao'' Include:

* CircusOfMagic: On the other hand, many of those same exhibits have some strange whimsy and wonder to it too.

%% * GettingCrapPastThe Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.

* GrumpyBear: In his youth, Stark was a WideEyedIdealist, but first-hand experience with human nature drove him to the opposite (yet equally wrong) end of the spectrum.

* LighterAndSofter: Much lighter than the book.

* MoodWhiplash: After Lao gives a beautiful and insightful speech about life being a circus, Mike tearflly replies that he doesn't understand. Lao shouts "Neither do I!" before the two start dancing joyfully.

-->'''Edward Cunningham:''' Hey! How come you speak perfect English all of a sudden?
-->'''Doctor Lao:''' Oh, it comes and goes. Whatever dialect the mood requires.
-->'''Cunningham:''' Oh, it just comes and goes?
-->'''Lao:''' Whassamatta you? Allatime asking silly questions! Wise guy!

-->'''Fat Cowboy:''' ... Looks like a ''Jap'' to me.
-->'''Toothless Cowboy:''' Naaaw. He's Chinese.
-->'''Fat Cowboy:''' How do you know?
-->'''Toothless Cowboy:''' 'Cause I ain't stupid!

* TakenForGranite: Despite warnings, the shrewish Mrs. Lindquist looks at the Gorgon head-on. She gets stoned. Thankfully it's reversed.

-->'''Dr. Lao:''' Do you know what wisdom is?
-->'''Mike:''' No, sir.
-->'''Dr. Lao:''' Wise answer.

* MoodWhiplash: After Lao gives a beautiful and insightful speech about life being a circus, Mike tearflly replies that he doesn't understand. Lao shouts "Neither do I!" before the two start dancing.

* BrokenBird: Angela Benedict

* DefrostingIceQueen: Angela, again.

* HotLibrarian: Angela

* AsianSpeekeeEngrish: At least, when it amuses Lao to do so.

* ElectiveBrokenLanguage: Dr. Lao casually switches back and forth between speaking in a heavy Chinese accent and perfect English.

* YouNoTakeCandle: Dr. Lao, him speak dis way some time, yes -- however, not upon every occasion.

* HobbesWasRight / RosseauWasRight: The central debate of the story. Stark champions the former, while Lao argues persuasively for the latter.

* HobbesWasRight: The central debate of the story. Stark champions the former, while Lao argues persuasively for the latter.

''7 Faces of Dr. Lao'' is a 1964 fantasy film from {{Creator/MGM}}, [[FilmOfTheBook based on]] the 1935 novel ''Literature/TheCircusOfDoctorLao'' by Charles G. Finney, directed by George Pal, and starring Creator/BarbaraEden, Arthur O'Connell, John Ericson, Kevin Tate, and Tony Randall in a ''tour de force'' [[DoubleVision performance]] as the eponymous Chinese showman, the [[BigfootSasquatchAndYeti Abominable Snowman]], [[BlindSeer Apollonius of Tyana]], the Giant Serpent, [[Myth/ClassicalMythology Medusa]], [[Myth/{{Merlin}} Merlin the Magician]], [[Myth/ClassicalMythology Pan]], and [[PreviousPlayerCharacterCameo an unmade-up, anonymous, and silent member]] of his own audience.

* ItsPronouncedTroPay: It's pronounced "''Low'' -- Doctor ''Low''."

* BlindSeer: Apollonius of Tyana.

* CassandraTruth: 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.

%%* AsianSpeekeeEngrish: At least, when it amuses Lao to do so.
%%* TheBarnum: Oddly enough, not so much the showman Lao as Stark.
%%* BigfootSasquatchAndYeti: The Abominable Snowman.

%%* BlindSeer: Apollonius of Tyana.

%%* BrokenBird: Angela Benedict

%%* CircusBrat: Mike wants to be this, but Dr. Lao helps him decide to stay in his town.

%%* DefrostingIceQueen: Angela, again.

%%* EccentricTownsfolk: The townsfolk of Abalone, to be exact.

%%* FaunsAndSatyrs: Pan, the God of Joy.
%%* FingerSnapLighter: Although it takes a couple of tries when it's windy.

%%* HenpeckedHusband: Mr. Lindquist; happily, his wife appears to take Dr. Lao's lesson to heart.
%%* HotLibrarian: Angela

%%* LighterAndSofter: Much lighter than the book.
* LoadsAndLoadsOfRoles: Randall Finney plays seven different characters, hence, the "7 Faces".
%%* MagicalFlautist: Pan and his pipes.

%%* NotThatKindOfDoctor: As Lao tells Mike, "My specialty is wisdom."

%%* ReallySevenHundredYearsOld: Actually, seven thousand, three hundred, and twenty-two, next October.

%%* SarcasmMode: "Oh, it just comes and goes?"

%%* SillyRabbitCynicismIsForLosers: Apollonius to Stark.
%%* SillyRabbitIdealismIsForKids: Stark, to Cunningham.

%%* WalkingTheEarth: Dr. Lao.

%%* {{Yellowface}}: But then, Lao can wear whatever face suits his fancy.

* AllMythsAreTrue
* AsianSpeekeeEngrish: At least, when it amuses Lao to do so.
* TheBarnum: Oddly enough, not so much the showman Lao as Stark.
* BigfootSasquatchAndYeti: The Abominable Snowman.

* BlindSeer: Apollonius of Tyana.

* BrokenBird: Angela Benedict

* CircusBrat: Mike wants to be this, but Dr. Lao helps him decide to stay in his town.

* DefrostingIceQueen: Angela, again.

* EccentricTownsfolk: The townsfolk of Abalone, to be exact.

* FaunsAndSatyrs: Pan, the God of Joy.
* FingerSnapLighter: Although it takes a couple of tries when it's windy.

* HenpeckedHusband: Mr. Lindquist; happily, his wife appears to take Dr. Lao's lesson to heart.
* HotLibrarian: Angela
* HobbesWasRight / RousseauWasRight: The central debate of the story. Stark champions the former, while Lao argues persuasively for the latter.

* LighterAndSofter: Much lighter than the book.
* LoadsAndLoadsOfRoles: Randall Finney plays seven different characters hence, the "7 Faces".
* MagicalFlautist: Pan and his pipes.

* NotThatKindOfDoctor: As Lao tells Mike, "My specialty is wisdom."

* ReallySevenHundredYearsOld: Actually, seven thousand, three hundred, and twenty-two, next October.

* SarcasmMode: "Oh, it just comes and goes?"

* SillyRabbitCynicismIsForLosers: Apollonius to Stark.
* SillyRabbitIdealismIsForKids: Stark, to Cunningham.

* WalkingTheEarth: Dr. Lao.

* {{Yellowface}}: But then, Lao can wear whatever face suits his fancy.

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: "Stoned again, eh?"

* [[ItsPronouncedTroPay It's Pronounced]] ''[[ItsPronouncedTroPay Tro-Pay]]'': It's pronounced "''Low'' -- Doctor ''Low''."

* LoadsAndLoadsOfRoles: Randall Finney plays seven different characters.

* MoodWhiplash: After Lao gives a beautiful and insightful speech about life as the circus, Mike replies that he doesn't understand. Lao replies "Neither do I!" before the two start dancing.

* LoadsAndLoadsOfRoles

* SillyRabbitCynicismIsForLosers: Apollonius, to Stark.

* TakenForGranite: Despite warnings, the shrewish Mrs. Lindquist looks at the Gorgon head-on. She gets stoned.