Edition: U.S. / Global

Animals With Attitude (and Dialogue)

Published: June 26, 1998

When last seen talking to the animals, Dr. Dolittle sounded like Prof. Henry Higgins (Rex Harrison starred in the 1967 musical), and his unorthodox friends were a treacly crew. That could have been the beginning and end of the doctor's film career, but the idea of a nouveau ''Dolittle'' has unexpected appeal. Chalk that up to Eddie Murphy's ability to play the straight man with hilarious aplomb, and to the director Betty Thomas's ability to turn kitsch (''The Brady Bunch Movie'') or worse (''Private Parts'') into mischievous fun. Her breezy, undemanding ''Dr. Dolittle'' is the sunniest family film so far this season.

Anyone charting the course of American entertainment over the last 30 years could predict one thing point-blank: The animals have gotten ruder. (''Watch your head, I'm flyin' here!'' exclaims one winged creature.) But they're also funnier, thanks to a stellar array of vocal talent that gives acerbic flair to the animal wisecracks. In any case, this ''Dr. Dolittle'' is a children's storybook compared with Mr. Murphy's version of ''The Nutty Professor.'' Jon Farhat, the visual-effects supervisor who gave Mr. Murphy a believable case of multiple personality disorder for that film, does an artful, unobtrusive job of integrating computer-generated animal acting with real creatures here.

In an adaptation that owes little to either the musical ''Dolittle'' or to the well-loved stories by Hugh Lofting, Mr. Murphy plays a mild-mannered San Francisco doctor. He treats only people, since his father insisted that he quit talking to pets many years before. (Ellen DeGeneres is the voice of the pooch who encouraged little Dolittle to sniff his grade-school principal.) But as the film quickly demonstrates, human patients can be a lot less cute than wildlife. And people doctors may have to contend with occupational hazards like greedy partners (Oliver Platt, with all due smarminess) and H.M.O.'s.

A life-altering event occurs when the film's main character, while driving at night, accidentally injures a dog. (See Kieslowski's ''Red'' for the more sophisticated version of this premise.) This time, the dog (Norm Macdonald) says ''Bonehead!,'' and the amazed Dolittle understands him. Next thing he knows, Dolittle is driving his daughter's guinea pig on a car trip and the guinea pig begins sounding like Chris Rock. When the doctor reaches his destination, he finds a raccoon (Paul Reubens) rooting through trash and asking, ''Can I get tuna in oil instead of water?''

Like ''The Nutty Professor,'' this film becomes a Jekyll-Hyde comedy. But this time, it's the creatures who are the wild things and Mr. Murphy who remains the soul of politesse and reason. Or tries to: the laughs here come from watching Dolittle try to keep up appearances, like when he hides from his family the presence of ducks, sheep, a goat and even penguins in their apartment. Even Ace Ventura would envy the menagerie assembled for this scene.

That Mr. Murphy remains the funniest figure in the movie is all the more amazing since the screenplay (by Nat Mauldin and Larry Levin) drags him into some inspirational moments (''No matter what happens, you be who you are, and you love who you are!''), and since the critters get the best lines. Overheard at the dog pound: ''Dead dog walking'' and ''I am Keyser Soze!'' And this exchange between two rat cronies (Reni Santoni and John Leguizamo) when one gets sick: ''If he dies, I don't know what I'll do!'' ''You'll take me outside and eat me.'' ''Only out of respect.''

Albert Brooks plays the troubled tiger who prompts Mr. McDonald's dog to bark, ''Will you stop looking at me like I'm a side dish?'' Replies the tiger wearily, ''Don't flatter yourself, pal.''

The film's human cast includes Ossie Davis, in the brief but imposing role of Dolittle's father, and Kristen Wilson as his pretty, exasperated wife. But it's the animal acting that's out of the ordinary. The pet performers have body and beak language to suit their dialogue and are smoothly integrated with the people around them. The creatures look real even when computer-generated. Mr. Murphy has said he faced the acting challenge of delivering much of his performance to a tennis ball or a moving piece of string.

''Dr. Dolittle'' is rated PG-13 (Parents strongly cautioned). It includes mild, jokey profanity and occasional scatological exams, like a doggie rectal exam. The talking dog says of the veterinarian, ''Why would a guy go into a line of work like that?''


Directed by Betty Thomas; written by Nat Mauldin and Larry Levin, based on the ''Doctor Dolittle'' stories by Hugh Lofting; director of photography, Russell Boyd; edited by Peter Teschner; music by Richard Gibbs; production designer, William Elliott; visual effects by Jon Farhat; produced by John Davis, Joseph M. Singer and David T. Friendly; released by 20th Century Fox. Running time: 85 minutes. This film is rated PG-13.

WITH: Eddie Murphy (Dr. John Dolittle), Ossie Davis (Archer Dolittle), Oliver Platt (Dr. Mark Weller), Kristen Wilson (Lisa); AND WITH THE VOICES OF: Norm Macdonald (Lucky), Albert Brooks (Tiger), Chris Rock (Rodney), Reni Santoni (Rat No. 1), John Leguizamo (Rat No. 2), Ellen DeGeneres (Prologue Dog) and Paul Reubens (Racoon).

Photo: Eddie Murphy plays straight man to a menagerie of furry comedians, including two rats, in ''Dr. Dolittle.'' (Phil Bray/20th Century Fox)