The Dionne Quintuplets had already starred in a trio of 20th Century-Fox features by the time this 21-minute documentary hit the screens. Per its title, RKO-Pathe's Five Times Five marks the fifth birthday of the Canadian quints, whose birth had sparked a blitz of publicity and merchandising that far surpassed anything connected with Shirley Temple. By this time, Papa Dione was a mere supporting player in the phenomenon, with the ubiquitous obstetrician Dr. A. R. Dafoe having taken complete control of the lives and fortunes of the five toddlers. This short subject concentrates on the preparations made by Dafoe for an impending visit to the quints from the King and Queen of England. The unhappy later lives of the Dionne girls, coupled with unpleasant revelations regarding the "kindly" Dr. Dafoe, tends to cast a tragic pall upon Five Times Five.
by Hal Erickson
synopsis
