Dr. Dolittle 3

Last updated
Dr. Dolittle 3
Dr Dolittle 3.jpg
Official DVD cover
Directed byRich Thorne
Written byNina Colman
Based on
Doctor Dolittle
by
Produced by John Davis
Starring Kyla Pratt
Kristen Wilson
John Amos
CinematographyEric J. Goldstein
Edited byTony Lombardo
Music by Christopher Lennertz
Production
company
Distributed by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Release date
  • April 25, 2006 (2006-04-25)
Running time
94 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Dr. Dolittle 3 is a 2006 American direct-to-video fantasy comedy film and the third film in the Dr. Dolittle series. It stars Kyla Pratt, the original daughter in the remake series, as Maya. Starring alongside Pratt are Kristen Wilson as Lisa Dolittle and Norm Macdonald as the voice of Lucky the Dog.

Contents

This is the first film not to feature Eddie Murphy as Doctor Dolittle nor Raven-Symoné as Charisse Dolittle, although they are mentioned in the film. 17 years later, it was revealed in a 2023 interview that the reason they did not return because Murphy was too uncomfortable playing the father of a grown adult daughter. [1]

Plot

Maya has evolved considerably from the first film. Though she was formerly an anti-social individual who was more interested in her science projects, Maya has transformed into the typical teenager. Like her sister Charisse, she inherits their father John's capacity for communicating with animals (she is a part-time veterinary assistant), her life has changed drastically on all fronts. She often ends up in trouble with her parents, while her friends think she has gone insane.

With John away on business, Maya's mother Lisa sends her and her dog Lucky to a dude ranch named "Durango", so she can find herself. The ranch is owned by Jud, and his son Bo. While at the ranch, Maya, who desperately tried to keep it under wraps so as not to arouse suspicion, uses her talent to "talk to the animals" in order to save Durango from being taken over by a neighboring dude ranch.

Maya is at first reluctant to show her ability to others, fearing rejection from her friends, but eventually does so. With her help, the Durango ranch enters a rodeo competition with a $50,000 award, and wins it. Also, she shares her first kiss with Bo and finally wins his heart.

Cast

Voice cast

Production

The film was shot in British Columbia, Canada.

Releases

This film was released direct-to-video in 2006; on April 25 for Region 1 and May 1 for Region 2. [2]

Reception

Critical response

Of the three reviews at Rotten Tomatoes, two are negative. [3] Scott Weinberg of DVD Talk gave the film 1.5 out of 5, writing, "Cheap-looking, atrociously written, and delivered with all the energy of a breach-birth bovine, Dr. Dolittle 3 is all kinds of terrible". [2] Emily Ashby of Common Sense Media was positive to the film. She gave the film 4 out of 5, writing, "Positive messages throughout tween-friendly animal comedy." [4] .

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kyla Pratt</span> American actress

Kyla Alissa Pratt is an American actress. She provided the voice of Penny Proud in the first Disney Channel animated series, The Proud Family, and portrayed Breanna Latrice Barnes in UPN's One on One. After playing the daughter of Eddie Murphy's character in the films Dr. Dolittle and Dr. Dolittle 2, Pratt became the main character in the spin-off series of the franchise which included Dr. Dolittle 3, Dr. Dolittle: Tail to the Chief, and Dr. Dolittle: Million Dollar Mutts. Pratt has also been in the films Fat Albert, Hotel for Dogs, and The Proud Family Movie. From 2012 to 2014, she appeared in the series Let's Stay Together. She was formerly a part of VH1's Black Ink Crew: Compton and the cast of Call Me Kat on Fox and is reprising the role of Penny in The Proud Family revival The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder on Disney+.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doctor Dolittle</span> Character from novels by Hugh Lofting

Doctor John Dolittle is the central character of a series of children's books by Hugh Lofting starting with the 1920 The Story of Doctor Dolittle. He is a physician who shuns human patients in favour of animals, with whom he can speak in their own languages. He later becomes a naturalist, using his abilities to speak with animals to better understand nature and the history of the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ben Johnson (actor)</span> American actor and stuntman (1918–1996)

Francis Benjamin Johnson Jr. was an American film and television actor, stuntman, and world-champion rodeo cowboy. Johnson brought authenticity to many roles in Westerns with his droll manner and expert horsemanship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raven-Symoné</span> American actress and singer (born 1985)

Raven-Symoné Christina Pearman-Maday, also known mononymously as Raven, is an American actress, producer, singer, and songwriter. She has received several accolades, including five NAACP Image Awards, two Kids' Choice Awards, three Young Artist Awards, and four Emmy Award nominations. In 2012, she was included on VH1's list of "100 Greatest Child Stars of All Time".

<i>Dr. Dolittle 2</i> 2001 film by Steve Carr

Dr. Dolittle 2 is a 2001 American fantasy comedy film and a sequel to the 1998 film Dr. Dolittle. It was written by Larry Levin, one of the co-writers of Dr. Dolittle, and directed by Steve Carr. The film stars Eddie Murphy in the title role, Kristen Wilson, Jeffrey Jones, and Kevin Pollak.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bill Pickett</span> African American cowboy, rodeo performer and actor (1870–1932)

Willie M. Pickett was an African American cowboy, rodeo performer, and actor. In 1989, Pickett was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame.

<i>Dr. Dolittle</i> (1998 film) 1998 film directed by Betty Thomas

Dr. Dolittle is a 1998 American fantasy comedy film directed by Betty Thomas, written by Larry Levin and Nat Mauldin, and starring Eddie Murphy in the title role along with Ossie Davis and Oliver Platt. The film was based on the series of children's stories of the same name by Hugh Lofting, but used no material from any of the novels; the main connection is the titular character Dr. John Dolittle and his ability to talk to animals, although the Pushmi-Pullyu, a much-loved feature of the books, notably makes a very brief appearance in a couple of scenes. The first novel, The Story of Doctor Dolittle (1920) had originally and previously been filmed in 1967 as a musical of the same name, which was a closer adaptation of the book. The film was a box-office success, although it received mixed reviews from critics upon release.

The Saddle Club is a series of intermediate children's books published by Bantam Books between 1988 and 2001. The series was created by a publishing house using the contract writing services of self-professed equestrian novice Bonnie Bryant. Many titles were also written by ghostwriters. Spin-offs include four other book series: The Saddle Club Super Editions, The Saddle Club Inside Stories, Pony Tails, and Pine Hollow. The books were adapted into a TV show also called The Saddle Club. In the 1990s, there was also a fan club with a monthly newsletter and a line of model horses manufactured by Breyer.

Kristen Wilson is an American former actress, best known as Miranda DuBaer in Twitches and Twitches Too and as Lisa Dolittle in the films Dr. Dolittle, Dr. Dolittle 2, and Dr. Dolittle 3.

<i>Ride Em Cowboy</i> (1942 film) 1942 film by Arthur Lubin

Ride 'Em Cowboy is a 1942 film starring the comedy team of Abbott and Costello, Dick Foran, Anne Gwynne, Johnny Mack Brown, Ella Fitzgerald, Samuel S. Hinds, Douglas Dumbrille, Morris Ankrum, and directed by Arthur Lubin. The film focuses on Abbott and Costello as they play the role of two peanut vendors on the run from their boss. Despite their lack of knowledge in the trade, they get jobs as cowboys on a dude ranch. The film is set in the West.

Sachiko Kojima is a Japanese actress and voice actress who is affiliated with Mausu Promotion. She is married to Makoto Yasue, a sound director employed by Glovision. On Twitter under the name chiffons, she reported the birth of her first son on August 3, 2011, in a tweet on August 11, 2011, and the birth of her second son on May 15, 2013, in a tweet on May 17, 2013.

Doctor Dolittle is the central character of a series of children's books written by Hugh Lofting between 1920 and 1952.

<i>Heartland</i> (Canadian TV series) Canadian family drama television series

Heartland is a Canadian family comedy-drama television series which debuted in Canada on CBC Television and originally in the United States on The CW Plus syndication on October 14, 2007. Since 2010, the series moved first-run to Up TV, but still continues to air in reruns on the latter channel as a part the service's weekend schedule.

<i>Dr. Dolittle: Tail to the Chief</i> 2008 film by Craig Shapiro

Dr. Dolittle: Tail to the Chief is a 2008 American comedy film directed by Craig Shapiro and starring Kyla Pratt and Norm Macdonald. It is the fourth film in the Dr. Dolittle series.

<i>Dr. Dolittle: Million Dollar Mutts</i> 2009 film by Alex Zamm

Dr. Dolittle: Million Dollar Mutts is a 2009 American comedy film directed by Alex Zamm and starring Kyla Pratt and Norm Macdonald. It was released on May 19, 2009, and like its predecessor, Dr. Dolittle: Tail to the Chief (2008), was a direct-to-DVD release.

<i>Take It Big</i> 1944 film by Frank McDonald

Take It Big is a 1944 American comedy film directed by Frank McDonald and written by Howard J. Green and Joe Bigelow. The film stars Jack Haley, Harriet Hilliard, Mary Beth Hughes, Richard Lane, Arline Judge and Fritz Feld. Also featured is Hilliard's husband in real life, bandleader Ozzie Nelson.

<i>Dolittle</i> (film) 2020 film by Stephen Gaghan

Dolittle is a 2020 American fantasy adventure film directed by Stephen Gaghan from a screenplay by Gaghan, Dan Gregor, and Doug Mand, based on a story by Thomas Shepherd. Dolittle is based on the title character created by Hugh Lofting and is primarily inspired by the author's second Doctor Dolittle book, The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle (1922). Robert Downey Jr. stars as the title character, alongside Antonio Banderas and Michael Sheen in live-action roles, with Emma Thompson, Rami Malek, John Cena, Kumail Nanjiani, Octavia Spencer, Tom Holland, Craig Robinson, Ralph Fiennes, Selena Gomez, and Marion Cotillard voicing an array of creatures.

<i>The Denver Dude</i> 1927 film

The Denver Dude is a 1927 American silent Western film directed by B. Reeves Eason and starring Hoot Gibson, Blanche Mehaffey, and Robert McKim. It was produced and distributed by Universal Pictures.

The Dr. Dolittle franchise consists of American feature-length family films, based on the book series written by Hugh Lofting, Doctor Dolittle. Like their source material, the plot of each respective film follows the titular characters' adventures given their abilities to communicate with animals. The series consists of the original fantasy-period piece musical movie, a contemporary comedy remake, and a period piece fantasy-adventure reboot.

References

  1. "Raven-Symoné Says Eddie Murphy Was Right to Pass on 'Dr. Dolittle 3'". Entertainment Tonight. Archived from the original on 2023-01-19. Retrieved 2023-01-19.
  2. 1 2 3 Weinberg, Scott (2006-04-25). "Doctor Dolittle 3". DVD Talk . Archived from the original on 2007-08-06. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
  3. "Dr. Dolittle 3 (2006)". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango. Archived from the original on May 20, 2019. Retrieved July 30, 2019.
  4. "Dr. Dolittle 3 Movie Review". Common Sense Media. Archived from the original on 2023-10-02. Retrieved 2024-05-16.