Le cirque du docteur Lao

My friends and I were used to going to lightweight movies in the Sixties. We would see Doris Day or Rock Hudson or Shirley MacLaine. Tony Randall often played a best friend to a romantic lead or some other less significant role. This one shows what a wonderful actor he was. He plays a strange Chinese "magician" who comes to a dying town in Arizona. The people are in disarray because they see that things are falling apart. Arthur O'Connel (who usually played kindly types) is aware of the railroad going through the town and is doing everything to get people to sell him their land. The thing with Dr. Lao's circus is that when one goes to it, they learn things about themselves. Some of things are very disturbing. Lao is able to bring up monsters and mythological figures. When someone does something evil, he counteracts their actions or punishes them in some way. Randall plays all seven faces, each having significant effect on the town-folks. Mostly, I remember how I could not get this film out of my head for weeks because it was like nothing I had ever seen before. I have since read the book and watched the film a couple more times. It has aged really well.

A movie produced in the great times of Ameican movie making. Simple themes were required, for general entertainment, but that did not stop the writers and directors from putting in their own often very insightful comments.

The conversion by Dr Lao of Arthur O'Connell from a cynical property developer to "good guy" - "I've always hoped that someday a town would have enough get-up-and-go to band together and do the right thing" is, of course a simple and basic one.

So, to is the awakening of the love interest between John Ericson (if I have things the right way round) - by Pan, his pipes stirring the hormones of widow Angela Benedict (Barbara Eden, I Dream of Jeannie 15 Year Later amongst others).

And the simple lessons given to the young boy by the enigmatic Dr Lao, the wise philosiphising fool also fit a simple pattern.

But I've never seen anything quite like the short scene between (if I have it right) Sarah Benedict (Rose of Cimmaron, 1952) and Apollonius of Tyana, where she is told in no uncertain terms that her life is of no import, and she will grow old "without gaining wisdom, will die alone, and when dead, no one will mourn your passing". Her reporting of that fortune telling as a positive one, "I'm sure to marry Mr .." is one I will always remember.

For some reason, Tony Randall who plays 7 roles in this one never liked the film. A pity. It's played reasonably often, and I never tire of it.

Woah...

I just saw this by chance. If you have the chance to see it, by all means don't pass it up. This is an extremely bizarre movie, but contains a few scenes of absolute brilliance. You just have to give it a chance.

Considering that it was made in 1964, it's really a masterpiece of "modern" cinema. Granted, by today's standards it is at times a little corny or dated, but overall it holds up.

You simply cannot miss this if it comes along on cable. There is nothing else quite like it.

I saw this film again yesterday, just when I needed to. I was a bit depressed and the film, with its essentially Taoist philosophy, picked me up. Is Dr. Lao really Lao Tsu, famous Taoist immortal? Maybe, maybe not. What matters here though is the message that the movie gives, and the charm with which it delivers this. There is a quote from the film that sums it all up:

"The 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 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, you are part of the circus of Dr. Lao."

Go see this film, but not more than once in a while. Its message can be considered a bit "corny" by today's standards, but still has merit when taken at face value.

"The whole world is a circus, if you know how to look at it." The inhabitants of an old western town are being terrorized by a corrupt mayor and his cronies. Only a handful of people are brave enough to fight back, until a strange old Chinese man appears in town and opens up a circus. I grew up watching this movie. It contains excellent lessons about life, magic, fighting for what you believe in, and love. The scene with Merlin makes me cry without fail every time I watch it. This is something I intend to raise my children on. The moral message is strong without being preachy or adhering to any religious preference.