Would you let your elementary kids watch Dr. Dolittle?

[one l michele]

We are just about done reading the book and the kids are really enjoying it. Today at the store, they saw there is also a movie version and were asking to check it out at the library. I'm normally not a fan of PG movies. Opinions?

[imeverywoman]

where that will go?:p

We just stuck with the book....

[LisaTheresa]

was good. My kids watched it after we read the book. It is on the of the few times that I think they enjoyed the book more than the movie though. The older version is a musical.

Lisa

[RoughCollie]

I did, but my kids were around 10 yo at the time.

[GLOWAcademy]

No, I dont even like it

[Book Crazy]

The new version with Eddie Murphy is nothing like the Hugh Lofting book and I will not let me son watch it.

We watched the original version with Rex Harrison the other day and my son really enjoyed it. He also recognized Rex Harrison from My Fair Lady.

My motto with movies is "Beware the Remake"

Sarah

[Anne in Saskatchewan]

Get the original! We watched it a few months ago, and my kids are still singing, "If I could talk with the animals, walk with the animals.... :-)

Anne

[Soph the vet]

Being professionally sympathetic toward Dr. Doolittle, I would 2nd the suggestions to watch the Rex Harrison version wholeheartedly. I am hoping my kids will not know who Eddie Murphy is for a very long time!

[HomeOnTheRanch]

I love you guys! I had no clue there was an "original" movie. I've just requested it through my library.

(I've never read the book, but DH has spoken fondly of it)

[GothicGyrl]

Aww c'mon, cut Eddie some slack. The first one is very funny and nothing objectionable in it at all (uhh, he's loving on his wife? How is that objectionable?) and the second one is pretty funny too, but not as funny as the first.

Now that said, I LOVE the original. Especially the pink snail :) But the Eddie Murphy one is not as bad as it is being made out to be.

[Daisy]

I love the older version but there are a couple of swear words. Nothing major though. My Dh didn't even notice and my kids don't have a clue what is a swear word and what is not so it didn't faze them.

[Holly in FL]

Funny you asked this! I have the original...NOT the Murphy remake...on hold with Netflix. I remember seeing it as a child and loving it!

~Holly

[Amy loves Bud]

We enjoyed both versions. The new version is a lot of fun, IMO. The intimate scene is between Eddie Murphy and his wife, and it is quite tame - after a little fully clothed kissy face they are interrupted by the talking animals. It is nothing like the book, though, so if that's what you are looking for you want to watch the original which is great, and I remember loving it as a kid myself.

[one l michele]

What did I miss?

[Tia in Wa]

The new one is not that bad. IMO My kids love both the Disney ones.:D
I did not know there was an older one -hope I can find it.
Eddie Murphy is a parent too. I saw him in an interview and he hopes his kids never see some of his older stuff.