3. Doctor Dolittle (1967)
After the success of My Fair Lady and The Sound of Music, the film studios were rushing to strike gold and create popular musical spectacles; unfortunately most of them turned out to be bombs. One such notable film is Doctor Dolittle. It is hard to decide whether or not the Eddie Murphy version is better or worse because both are so terrible. However, what makes this nomination so strange is the blatant lobbyism that 20th Century Fox must have partook in to convince the Academy to nominate this film. Not only was it a commercial failure along with Star! and Hello, Dolly. This seemingly magical musical trilogy almost bankrupted the studio. When the film itself came out, the source material it was based on was considered highly offensive and controversial as can be seen from the following quote:
"White Man, I am an unhappy prince. Years ago I went in search of The Sleeping Beauty, whom I had read of in a book. And having traveled through the world many days, I at last found her and kissed the lady very gently to awaken heras the book said I should. 'Tis true indeed that she awoke. But when she saw my face she cried out, 'Oh, he's black!' And she ran away and wouldn't marry mebut went to sleep again somewhere else. So I came back, full of sadness, to my father's kingdom. Now I hear that you are a wonderful magician and have many powerful potions. So I come to you for help. If you will turn me white, so that I may go back to The Sleeping Beauty, I will give you half my kingdom and anything besides you ask."