George Pal was a revolutionary fantasy / science-fiction filmmaker and producer whose work embodied such wondrous imagination and creativity. From his stop-motion puppet classics the Puppetoons to his sci-fi cult gems like War of the Worlds and The Time Machine, Pal's work enchanted audiences for decades to come. Perhaps one of his most underrated features as both producer and director is the 1964 western fantasy-comedy called 7 Faces of Dr. Lao. Despite not being as well known as his other work, it boasts a strong amount of whimsical charm and delight in its otherwise peculiar setting.
Adapted from Charles G. Finney's novel, the film follows an elderly Chinese man named Dr. Lao as he brings his magical circus into the small town of Abalone, Arizona, which affects the townspeople in many different ways. Some are enchanted by it like publisher Ed Cunningham and the widowed librarian's curious son Mike Benedict, while others like the wealthy tycoon Clint Stark and his ruthless henchmen find it to be fundamentally preposterous. At its core, 7 Faces of Dr Lao is a mundanely fantastical film about how the people of a small town come to terms with a strange outsider bringing surreal enchantment and odd magic into their lives. Tony Randall instantly steals the show as not only Lao himself, but also his many faces like Merlin the magician, Pan the God of joy, a serpent, a blind fortune teller, an abominable snowman and a form of Medusa. On top of William Tuttle's Oscar winning makeup making each character stand out from one another, Randall elevates the nonsensical wordplay and strange philosophies of Lao far more than anyone else could have done otherwise.
As for the people surrounding the fantasy, there is a surprising amount of drama that showcases the struggling townsfolk of Abalone not knowing what to do about their declining status. While this film is meant to remind us that the whole world has a lot of magic and wonder at any given corner, it also doesn't forget to remind its audience that evil can lurk anywhere if you're not careful enough. Clint Stark is already a cunning manipulator who will do what can to get his way, but the efforts of Ed Cunningham and librarian Angela Benedict to oppose his shady practices provide us as the audience a focal point to root for in this journey of protecting what is otherwise not completely broken. Many of the townsfolk share their own odd quirks and cynical traits, but none of them are unlikable and are at least sympathetic towards others just enough to hope that the best can come for them. All it took was the odd whimsy of a strangely magical foreigner to lift up their spirits and keep themselves engaged in their own origins to remember that there is always a light at the edge of a dark corner.
In regards to other notable production qualities, the music score by Leigh Harline provides a lot of colorful warmth throughout the runtime, and is often at its pique once Lao's circus comes into effect. It is a shame that the film isn't a full on musical since the fantasy elements might have benefited from some occasional musical numbers, but the attributes of Pan's harmonious flute melodies are good enough in their own right. The special effects work is marvelous for both its time and just as much today, thanks to a sporadic variety of colorful magic and charming animation on display from time to time. Charles Beaumount's kooky dialogue and surreal subtext are elevated by the state of the art filmmaking that only people like Pal, Tuttle and stop-motion animator Jim Darworth could bring to life. Now it can certainly be debated if Randall dawned yellowface as Dr. Lao, but his interpretation feels more out of ill-informed ignorance than full on malace, especially when this film is meant to be a fantasy take on foreigners than a legitimate one. After all, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
In many ways magical and in other ways brutally honest, 7 Faces of Dr. Lao is a remarkably sincere fantasy film that features enough whimsy and drama to balance out its main message of finding magic in the most unlikely of places. As this film is nearing its 60th anniversary, perhaps it's time to give this film the admiration and attention it so rightfully deserves, regardless of it coming from a different decade. With this movie featuring a large mixture of different emotions, it's no surprise that most people who have seen it have kept a positive outlook that the whole world has magic and wonder hidden in cracks of misery.
Adapted from Charles G. Finney's novel, the film follows an elderly Chinese man named Dr. Lao as he brings his magical circus into the small town of Abalone, Arizona, which affects the townspeople in many different ways. Some are enchanted by it like publisher Ed Cunningham and the widowed librarian's curious son Mike Benedict, while others like the wealthy tycoon Clint Stark and his ruthless henchmen find it to be fundamentally preposterous. At its core, 7 Faces of Dr Lao is a mundanely fantastical film about how the people of a small town come to terms with a strange outsider bringing surreal enchantment and odd magic into their lives. Tony Randall instantly steals the show as not only Lao himself, but also his many faces like Merlin the magician, Pan the God of joy, a serpent, a blind fortune teller, an abominable snowman and a form of Medusa. On top of William Tuttle's Oscar winning makeup making each character stand out from one another, Randall elevates the nonsensical wordplay and strange philosophies of Lao far more than anyone else could have done otherwise.
As for the people surrounding the fantasy, there is a surprising amount of drama that showcases the struggling townsfolk of Abalone not knowing what to do about their declining status. While this film is meant to remind us that the whole world has a lot of magic and wonder at any given corner, it also doesn't forget to remind its audience that evil can lurk anywhere if you're not careful enough. Clint Stark is already a cunning manipulator who will do what can to get his way, but the efforts of Ed Cunningham and librarian Angela Benedict to oppose his shady practices provide us as the audience a focal point to root for in this journey of protecting what is otherwise not completely broken. Many of the townsfolk share their own odd quirks and cynical traits, but none of them are unlikable and are at least sympathetic towards others just enough to hope that the best can come for them. All it took was the odd whimsy of a strangely magical foreigner to lift up their spirits and keep themselves engaged in their own origins to remember that there is always a light at the edge of a dark corner.
In regards to other notable production qualities, the music score by Leigh Harline provides a lot of colorful warmth throughout the runtime, and is often at its pique once Lao's circus comes into effect. It is a shame that the film isn't a full on musical since the fantasy elements might have benefited from some occasional musical numbers, but the attributes of Pan's harmonious flute melodies are good enough in their own right. The special effects work is marvelous for both its time and just as much today, thanks to a sporadic variety of colorful magic and charming animation on display from time to time. Charles Beaumount's kooky dialogue and surreal subtext are elevated by the state of the art filmmaking that only people like Pal, Tuttle and stop-motion animator Jim Darworth could bring to life. Now it can certainly be debated if Randall dawned yellowface as Dr. Lao, but his interpretation feels more out of ill-informed ignorance than full on malace, especially when this film is meant to be a fantasy take on foreigners than a legitimate one. After all, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
In many ways magical and in other ways brutally honest, 7 Faces of Dr. Lao is a remarkably sincere fantasy film that features enough whimsy and drama to balance out its main message of finding magic in the most unlikely of places. As this film is nearing its 60th anniversary, perhaps it's time to give this film the admiration and attention it so rightfully deserves, regardless of it coming from a different decade. With this movie featuring a large mixture of different emotions, it's no surprise that most people who have seen it have kept a positive outlook that the whole world has magic and wonder hidden in cracks of misery.