The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T. (1953)

A young boy travels to an imaginary world where, assisted by his family's plumber, he must save other piano playing kids like himself from the dungeons of his dictatorial piano teacher who also mind-controls his mother.

Director:

Roy Rowland

Writers:

Dr. Seuss (screenplay), Allan Scott (screenplay)

Stars:

Peter Lind Hayes, Mary Healy, Hans Conried

Nominated for 1 Oscar.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Peter Lind Hayes	...	August Zabladowski
Mary Healy	...	Heloise Collins
Hans Conried	...	Dr. Terwilliker
Tommy Rettig	...	Bartholomew Collins
Jack Heasley	...	Uncle Whitney (as John Heasley)
Robert Heasley	...	Uncle Judson
Noel Cravat	...	Sgt. Lunk
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
George Chakiris	...	Dancer (as George Kerris)

Storyline

The bane of adolescent Bart Collins' existence is the piano lessons he is forced to take under the tutelage of Dr. Terwilliker, the only person he admits he detests because of his dictatorial nature. Bart feels Dr. Terwilliker has undue influence for these lessons on his widowed mother, Heloise Collins. The one person who sympathizes with Bart, although quietly on the sidelines, is the Collins' plumber, August Zabladowski. Bart hates his life associated with the piano so much he often daydreams when he practices and even during his lessons. His latest dream has him imprisoned in the fantastical Terwilliker Institute in the day before its grand opening. Terwilliker's second in command at the Institute is his mother, although she has been hypnotized into her position, which will also soon be as Mrs. Dr. Terwilliker. Bart tries to convince Mr. Zabladowski, who is there to install the Institute's plumbing, to save his mother and himself from Terwilliker. Bart also hopes that Zabladowski ...

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Plot Keywords:

piano | boy | piano practice | surrealism | dr seuss | 

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Taglines:

You've got to see the fiend too foul, fierce - and funny - to mention!

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Genres:

Family | Fantasy | Music | Romance

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Certificate:

G

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 July 1953 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Five-Thousand Fingers of Dr. T.

Filming Locations:

Hollywood, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,600,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation,Stanley Kramer Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When Bart and Mr. Zadlabowski are taken to the dungeon via elevator, there is no reference to a third floor dungeon by the Elevator Operator. The third stanza of the Elevator Operator's song was cut due to increasingly horrific lyrics referring to household appliances. The complete deleted stanza went as follows: "Third floor dungeon, household appliances/Spiked beds, electric chairs/Gas chambers, roasting pots/And scalping devices." (The reference to "gas chambers" was probably regarded as in bad taste since the film was made so soon after World War II and the Holocaust.)

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Goofs

When Bart climbs the huge ladder to escape the guards, when he jumps off of the ladder, you can clearly see a thick wire holding him.

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Quotes

Bart Collins: Boy, I'd hate to have you for a father.
Mr. Zabladowski: What makes you think I'd want to be your father?
Bart Collins: My mother's going to marry Dr. Terwilliker.
Mr. Zabladowski: Oh, congratulations.
Bart Collins: He's even worse than you are!

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Connections

Edited into TNT 100% Weird (1992)

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Soundtracks

Dressing Song: Do-Mi-Do Duds
Music by Friedrich Hollaender (as Frederick Hollander)
Lyrics by Dr. Seuss
Performed by Hans Conried

User Reviews

Busby Berkely On Acid

Others have commented on this but I just have to add after seeing this again today that the prison for orchestra members number looked like Busby Berkely on acid.. not to be missed!! A great goofy fun movie that has Dr. Seuss written ALL over it...