My favorite thing about this movie is - NOTHING is exactly as it seems.

For instance, although entitled "The Seven Faces of Dr. Lao", Tony Randall plays =eight= roles - and himself as well. Another example - nobody in town, not even Mike, the little confused boy, calls Dr. Lao by Lao's own pronunciation of his name. Most people say "La-Oh" when Lao himself uses "Low". Again, although Dr. Lao rides in on a small donkey, alone, the circus tent is gigantic and has many other characters in it.

My favorite scene no one else has mentioned so far is when the crooked businessman goes into the tent of The Serpent. The Serpent, possibly even the Serpent which tempted Adam and Eve, tells the businessman he knows the secret - a railroad will soon come thru this tiny western town, making it a destination point rather than the departure point it is now. But is this just a condemnation of the businessman (saying, in essence, he is a "snake" for not telling the residents about the railroad), or is it a subtler jab at all crooked businessmen? Or both? Or more? Only Dr. Lao knows - and he isn't telling. Watch the Serpent begin to look more and more like the crooked businessman as the scene progresses.

Based on the "fact" that every other creature in Lao's circus is virtually world-famous, it wouldn't surprise me if Dr. Lao is really Lao-Tze, one of China's greatest philosophers. This role of Tony Randall's will soon have you totally forgetting his role in "The Odd Couple". As far as I'm concerned, this is Randall's greatest moment. Ever. Watch his face carefully during the scene where he portrays Apollonius of Tyana and see what I mean.

How many faces of Dr. Lao?
1) Dr. Lao
2) Apollonius of Tyana
3) The Medusa
4) The Abominable Snowman
5) Pan
6) The Serpent
7) Merlin
8) The Loch Ness Monster
9) Himself (Tony Randall)

Based on the Charles Finney classic "The Circus of Dr Lao", George Pal, the director of this film, brings his knowledge of science fiction and fantasy ("The Time Machine" and "The War of the Worlds" among many others) to this marvelous blend of Western, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mysticism, and even Religion to one of its greatest achievements. Watch for the end of the circus when all of the characters parade into the center ring to say goodbye. In the crowd, Tony Randall sits, as himself, shaking his head about the absurdity of it all, when everyone else is applauding and laughing. Watch also for the townspeople's reactions to the circus performers they have met.

At the end of the movie, Mike wants to go travelling with Dr. Lao. This is one of the rare times Dr. Lao does not speak in a very stereotypical fake Chinese accent. He says: "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."

You can be part of the Circus of Dr. Lao too, when you decide to have this movie work its magic on you. One of my very highest recommendations.

Through out his career, Tony Randell always looked back on this movie has his most favorite film. It certainly showcased his stage training to play many different roles as he does in this movie, even with the various costumes and make-up changes that came with the production, Tony was able to play each role with a degree of believeability that I think only he could have done it. I think this was one of George Pal's most personal movies and one where he was able to use the fullest and the best that each department of film making could offer; Casting,screenplay writing, make-up,costumes, special effects, music, and film editing. It topped a carreer that was always magical that was something that George Pal did best. His films were a kind of magic.

I have an old VHS of this movie, that I've watched so many times it is wearing out. I have to breakdown and buy a DVD. This movie is funny with enough slapstick that my young kids love it. And it has deeper messages that make it a classic for me. A movie I can watch repeatedly. The blind soothsayer, doomed to tell the truth, is a favorite scene. This movie reminds me of another favorite of mine, "Something Wicked This Way Comes", with Jonathan Pryce. Both movies, and the books from which the movies are taken, see into our motivations and our disguises, without being preachy about what messes we are. But Tony Randall, as Dr. Lao, et al, also leavens the movie with plenty of comedy, and, most of all, hope. It is a sweet movie, but not maudlin.

"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." I am so glad another fine reviewer quoted this immortal passage, and I will begin with the same, for it has informed much of my life!)

My friend Carlo mentioned to me that this fine film was playing at my local library recently and I had to pause and hold back my shock - I have not yet gotten over Tony's passing, and now I was confronted by so much lost time. Was it really forty years ago that Tony Randall stepped out of the shadow of his lightly comic performances on Broadway (of course you all remember "Oh Captain!" at the Alvin?) and shattered the world (yes, the world!) with his tour de force in "Dr. Lao?"

Now - regarding critial analysis of this film over the years, far too much emphasis has been placed on George Pal's "effects" and the like for my taste. Let's turn the spotlight back on Tony and the fine job he did playing eight different personae in this tale. Eight!

I will say this without hesitation: Certainly the finest hour (or hour and thirty one minutes) of his young career. Buy this movie for that reason alone (and children will most likely enjoy it too, I suppose. But if you do not have children, then buy it for that reason alone).

This won an Oscar for Make up, but it is not the kind of film that one would think right off as an award winner. Hey, it has the feel of Roger Corman and George Pal, with a hint of Ray Harryhausen thrown in (Although I am told it was Jim Danforth and crew who did the actual fx)I remember interviewing Tony Randall years ago, when he was touring in "The Music Man." He said his main memory was having his head and eyebrows shaved. He was distressed because it gave him ``this horrible unborn look.'' All that aside, the film is a joy. It is simple, and while seeming simplistic it is far from that. It humbly powerful. There are a thousand reasons to belittle and put down this film. If if you go in with that mindset, you will find them all. But, if you give it a willing suspention of disbelief and let the magic that hints around every corner over take you, this will be a little gem that you treasure and share with others.