The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T.

1953
G
1h 29m

IMDb RATING

6.7/10

4.6K

YOUR RATING

Hans Conried, Peter Lind Hayes, Mary Healy, and Tommy Rettig in The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T. (1953)

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Family Fantasy Music Romance

A young boy dreams that he is in 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 tea... Read allA young boy dreams that he is in 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.A young boy dreams that he is in 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.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.7/10

4.6K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 1 nomination total

Uncle Whitney
(as John Heasley)

Robert Heasley

Uncle Judson

Noel Cravat

Sgt. Lunk

George Chakiris

Dancer
(as George Kerris)

Alan Aric

Elevator Operator
(uncredited)

Alvin Beam

Terwilliker's Valet
(uncredited)

Tony Butala

Playback vocalist for Tommy Rettig
(uncredited)

Kim Charney

Kim - Boy in Line
(uncredited)

Ward Ellis

Terwilliker's Valet
(uncredited)

Luigi Faccuito

Dancer in Dungeon Ballet
(uncredited)

Henry Kulky

Stroogo
(uncredited)

Diki Lerner

Dancer in Dungeon Ballet
(uncredited)

Harry Wilson

Guard
(uncredited)
…

Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
According to Dr. Seuss, the film's creator and co-writer, one of the 150 boys vomited on the piano while filming. This caused a chain reaction and they were left with 150 vomiting boys. Seuss said later that the film's reviews were similar to this incident.

Goofs
As Bart descends from the top of the ladder, he casts a shadow against the sky.

Quotes
Dr. Terwilliker: Is it atomic?
Bart Collins: Yes sir, VERY atomic!

Connections
Edited into TNT 100% Weird (1992)

Soundtracks
Dream Stuff
Music by Friedrich Hollaender (as Frederick Hollander)
Lyrics by Dr. Seuss
Performed by Peter Lind Hayes Tommy Rettig (dubbed by Tony Butala)

User reviews117

Review

Featured review

7/10

A little boy battles an evil piano teacher out to rule the world.

An alienated boy misunderstood by his parents at home rebels against an exacting piano teacher whom he finds out has a sinister plot to rule the world.

I remember it best for its plaintive song "You Have No Right to Push Us Kids Around" later revived by Jerry Lewis in his TV appearances. The song is a cry about the angst of childhood. Part of the lyrics goes something like this: "Just because you have hair on your chest doesn't mean you're the best. Just because you have stayed longer on this planet doesn't mean you own it. You have no right to push us kids around just because we're closer to the ground." Under the megalomaniac piano teacher's plan, all children would be condemned to an eternity of piano practice trying to catch up with the ever increasing beat of a metronome. Spectacular "blow up" endings such as in James Bond movies satirized by Don Adams (Maxwell Smart) or even Mike Myers (Austin Powers) must have taken inspiration from this very early attempt at such.

Much belatedly did I find out that this story is by the revered "Dr." Seuss (he is not a real doctor you know) famous for witty, whimsical stories written in cute rhyming verses about outlandish animals (Green Eggs and Ham, Cat in a Hat)but praised by educators for their effectiveness in getting children to read. Seuss deserves Ph.Ds in education, psychology and literature even posthumously.