MovieChat Forums > The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T. (1953) Discussion > Shakespeare Reference

Shakespeare Reference

posted 13 years ago by arcticcarrot
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I've been on a serious Shakespeare kick for the past couple of years, and references to his works are everywhere. I wasn't expecting any in this film, but there is a wonderful reference to Hamlet. When Dr. T picks up the severed ends of the beards, he says, "Alas, poor Judson. Alas, poor Whitney. I knew them. Fellows of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy." Compare to lines 169 to 171 of Act V Scene i: "Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio; a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy." Also, Dr. T is wearing yellow stockings near the end, like Malvolio (in Twelfth Night), but that might not be an intentional reference. Anyway, enjoy.

- Michael

[–] Eric-1226 13 years ago

Good catch.

I found one in a movie I saw a few months ago, "Merrily We Live" (1938):

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0030442/board/thread/185626447

Also, in the 1951 movie "His Kind of Woman" , Vincent Price quotes Shakespeare liberally - and loosely. I added a bunch of his lines to the Memorable Quotes section for that movie. Scroll down to the bottom of the page, and you will see them:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0043643/quotes