Themes: Eccentric Families, Fathers and Daughters, Wedding Bells
Main Cast: Richard Gere, Helen Hunt, Farrah Fawcett, Laura Dern, Shelley Long
Release Year: 2000
Country: US
Run Time: 121 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
Director Robert Altman reteams with Cookie's Fortune scribe Anne Rapp for this tale of a Dallas gynecologist and the parade of anxious patients, haggard family members, and potential love interests who come his way. Richard Gere plays the titular role of Dr. Sullivan Travis, a calm, successful, and much sought-after ob-gyn who witnesses his normally stable life come apart over the course of one rainy autumn. As the film opens, Dr. T and his wife Kate (Farrah Fawcett) are preparing for the wedding of their Dallas Cowboys cheerleader daughter Dee Dee (Kate Hudson). Their other daughter -- the Kennedy-assassination conspiracy theorist Connie (Tara Reid) -- has her doubts about the impending nuptials, but Dr. T chalks them up to routine sibling jealousy. Meanwhile, escaping a messy divorce, boozy sister-in-law Peggy (Laura Dern) moves into the Travis household with her three toddler daughters in tow. For release, Dr. T finds solace target shooting and golfing (occasionally at the same time) with his buddies, and at his country club, he meets a beguiling golf pro, Bree (Helen Hunt). When the childlike Kate loses her grip on reality during a flatware shopping spree, Bree offers to give the kindly doctor some lessons in his swing -- both on and off the fairways. Dr. T had its North American Premiere at the 2000 Toronto International Film Fest. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide
Robert Altman's Dr. T & the Women continues the director's collaboration with Lyle Lovett; the film's soundtrack features 13 new instrumentals from Lovett & His Large Band, as well as the songs "She's Already Made Up Her Mind," "You Have Been So Good Up to Now," and a jazzy new version of "Ain't It Something." As always, Lovett's work is warm, literate, and engaging, making the score the perfect foil for Altman's tale of a Dallas-based gynecologist and the women in his personal and professional lives. ~ Heather Phares, All Music Guide
Lyle Lovett (Guitar (Acoustic)), Lyle Lovett (Composer), Lyle Lovett (Vocals), Lyle Lovett (Producer), Lyle Lovett (Main Performer), Matt Rollings (Piano), Sweet Pea Atkinson (Vocals (Background)), Sir Harry Bowens (Vocals (Background)), Debra Byrd (Vocals (Background)), Stuart Duncan (Fiddle), Gene Elders (Pre-Production), Paul Franklin (Guitar (Steel)), James Gilmer (Percussion), William "Bill" Greene (Vocals (Background)), John Hagen (Cello), Viktor Krauss (Bass), Nathaniel Kunkel (Engineer), Nathaniel Kunkel (Mixing), Russ Kunkel (Drums), Dean Parks (Guitar (Rhythm)), John Richards (Engineer), Doug Sax (Mastering), Johnny Lee Schell (Guitar (Electric)), Arnold McCuller (Vocals (Background)), Leland Sklar (Bass), Pat Bergeson (Guitar (Electric)), Kathi Whitley (Project Coordinator), Robert Hadley (Assistant Mastering Engineer), Al Gramling (Assistant Engineer), Ray Herdon (Guitar (Rhythm)), Helena Lea (Music Supervisor), Billy Williams (Producer)
Dr. Sullivan Travis "Dr. T." is a wealthy Dallas gynecologist for some of the wealthiest women in Texas who finds his idealist life beginning to fall apart starting when his wife, Kate, suffers a nervous breakdown and is committed to the state mental hospital. Dr. T's eldest daughter, Dee Dee, is planning to go through with her approaching wedding despite the secret that she is a lesbian and romantically involved with Marilyn, the maid of honor. Dr. T's youngest daughter, Connie, is a spunky conspiracy theorist who has her own agenda to everything, while Dr. T's loyal secretary, Carolyn, has romantic feelings for him, which are not mutual. Dr. T's sister-in-law, Peggy, meddles in every situation she stumbles into, while one woman, Bree, a golf instructor, is the only one who offers him any comfort and salvation. Towards the end, it seems Bree is seeing one of his golfing buddies.
Release and critical reception
Dr. T & the Women was released in US cinemas on October 13, 2000, and earned $5,012,867 in its opening weekend on 1,489 screens,[1] ultimately grossing $13,113,041 in the United States. It was later released in the United Kingdom on July 6, 2001, and went on to gross $9,731,250 in foreign profits.
The film received mixed reviews from critics. Renowned critic Roger Ebert gave the film three stars, stating "When you hear that Dr. T is a gynecologist played by Richard Gere, you assume he is a love machine mowing down his patients. Nothing could be further from the truth".[2]The review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported that the film received 58% positive reviews, based on 102 reviews.[3]Metacritic reported the film had an average score of 64 out of 100, based on 35 reviews.[4]
