Dr. T & the Women (2000)

Strong and Moving!

A different way of telling a story

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

Dr. Sullivan Travis (Richard Gere) 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 (Farrah Fawcett), suffers a nervous breakdown and is committed to the state mental hospital.Among Robert Altman's films, this is considered among his worst. In all fairness, it is not that bad and is probably more misunderstood than anything else. Gere may have a very limited acting range, but he filled the role well. Even Tara Reid, no great actress, shows us she has the ability to be a decent support.This is the sort of film that makes me want to watch it over and over again just to champion it. Not that it is amazing, but just because it is not the worst of his pictures and needs to be evaluated again.

Okay, a of people didn't like it, it is not a crowd pleaser. But I did. First off, I like Robert Altman & his movies. Also, it was set in Texas and leads were all Texan except for one but it never degenerated into worn out Texan stereotype land, good or bad. But it did play on the hyper over bred Southern belle & all her neurotic twisted traits. Basically Dr Sullivan Travis, Sully or Dr. T,(Richard Gere) is a handsome successful, well mannered friendly gynecologist surrounded by beautiful women who desire and admire him. He is an idealist who has the most romantic loving, but paternalistic view of women. Even the opening scene was hilarious with his busy office full of patients and staff degenerated from friendly service to bickering chaos during the opening credits.Trouble, is Sully, is going to be shown up with his well meaning idealism. His wife Kate, (Farrah Fawcett) develops this childish regression, the "Hestia Complex" because she is an over pampered, over loved, over doted over Southern belle. Then his super vixen daughter, who is going to be married in some upper class lush ceremony. turns out to be gay and is really in love with the main bridesmaid, the one non Texan. Since Sully's wife is now committed, and she has rejected or forgotten her whole loving family, Sully tried to find consolation with the new golf pro Bree, but she is too modern to be one of pampered belles that Sully has been conditioned to love and care for. Okay the movie spirals from seeming normalcy to a crazy ending with a botched wedding thrown in. It is a good movie and kept my interest through it all.If there is any message to it, it is don't be a vapid Southern belle and get a life.

Handsome upper-class Dallas gynecologist Richard Gere (as Sullivan "Sully" Travis) is very popular with the many women he services. He fancies himself an expert on females, believing no two are exactly alike. Like snowflakes? Considering his profession, Mr. Gere (aka "Dr. T") should know. When not busy with his patients, Gere goes out to shoot birds, golf balls, and the breeze with his middle-aged buddies. Warned by his male friends that wet women are bad luck, especially when your first meet them, Gere blames men for making women wet. "Women are, by nature," Gere asserts, "they are saints. They are sacred and should be treated as such." The good doctor doesn't know it, but he doesn't know women at all. Gere is a loving and faithful husband, but he is attracted to golf pro Helen Hunt (as Bree Davis). Per his friends' warning, Ms. Hunt is wet when they meet. Gere's still beautiful wife Farrah Fawcett (as Kate) is coming down with the rare disease "Hestia Complex" which causes victims to strip naked in the fountain of a crowded mall. Visiting sister-in-law Laura Dern (as Peggy) is a likely alcoholic and fawning secretary Shelley Long (as Carolyn) desires her boss. Gere's engaged daughter Kate Hudson (as Dee Dee) is a lesbian, according to jealous sister Tara Reid (as Connie)... It took "Gosford Park" (2001) to make everyone sit up and take notice of Robert Altman's continued mastery of filmmaking in his 70s, but there were signs in this film. The legendary director receives great assist from writer Anne Rapp, cinematographer Jan Kiesser and editor Geraldine Peroni. The coordination of actors and the camera is marvelous. The film offers an ironic look at gender mystery and misunderstanding; the befuddled Gere and Mr. Altman lose to writer Rapp and the mostly female cast. But the ending gives us males some hope. Relatively unsuccessful, the ill-titled "Dr T & the Women" will certainly improve in stature over the years. ******** Dr T & the Women (9/12/00) Robert Altman ~ Richard Gere, Helen Hunt, Farrah Fawcett, Laura Dern

Great cast of female actors of all ages, beautifully filmed sets, all good to look at. Hudson is the pick of the bunch - the rest have even less to get their teeth into. However it is lazily written and directed. Pretty to look at and easy on the brain - ideal for lazing in front of the TV on a wet, winter's night. Won't satisfy demanding geeks, but there is a place for this type of undemanding entertainment in my video collection, for I don't always feel the need to assault my senses with effects, gimmicks, plot twists and the like. The feel-good factor outweighs the shortcomings, so give it a go if you're in the mood for something light.