7 Faces of Dr. Lao
Seen it?1964 | 100 min | Fantasy, Family, Western, Comedy
Sunday Safe Betearly ratingWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
It earned strong reviews (86% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had soft box office. A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for anyone who wants a laugh, fantasy fans and families. If you loved The Last Unicorn or The Wizard of Oz, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Light and funny, feel-good.
- The pace
- Breezy, at 1 hr 40 min.
- What might put you off
- Made in 1964: an older pace and style.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
An old Chinese man rides into the town of Abalone, Arizona and changes it forever, as the citizens see themselves reflected in the mirror of Lao's mysterious circus of mythical beasts.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
86% on Rotten Tomatoes
- AudiencesSolid
6.9 out of 10
- AwardsBelow par
Nominated for 1 Oscar.
- Box office & staying powerBelow par
$1 million worldwide; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 35K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by George Pal
- Tony RandallDr. Lao / The Abominable Snowman / Merlin the Magician / Apollonius of Tyana / Pan / The Giant Serpent / Medusa / Audience Member
- Barbara EdenAngela Benedict
- Arthur O'ConnellClint Stark
- John EricsonEd Cunningham / Transformed Pan
- Noah Beery Jr.Tim Mitchell
- Lee PatrickMrs. Howard Cassin
- Minerva UrecalKate Lindquist
- John QualenLuther Lindquist
- Frank KreigPeter Ramsey
- Peggy ReaMrs. Peter Ramsey