Hello, Dolly!

( 23 )

Overview

Twenty-seven-year-old Barbra Streisand seemed an inappropriate choice for middle-aged, match-making widow Dolly Levi, but her energy carries her right through the role and dominates the lackluster movie around her. The plot, drawn from Thornton Wilder's The Matchmaker itself based on a 19th-century British farce, is set in motion when Yonkers feed store clerk Cornelius Hackl Michael Crawford celebrates his promotion by taking his pal Barnaby Tucker Danny Lockin to New York City for a "corking good time." But ...
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Overview

Twenty-seven-year-old Barbra Streisand seemed an inappropriate choice for middle-aged, match-making widow Dolly Levi, but her energy carries her right through the role and dominates the lackluster movie around her. The plot, drawn from Thornton Wilder's The Matchmaker itself based on a 19th-century British farce, is set in motion when Yonkers feed store clerk Cornelius Hackl Michael Crawford celebrates his promotion by taking his pal Barnaby Tucker Danny Lockin to New York City for a "corking good time." But Cornelius and Barnaby can't avoid crossing paths with their boss Horace Vandergelder Walter Matthau, who'd give them Holy Ned if he saw them in a fancy restaurant with two fancy girls instead of tending the store. Mr. Vandergelder himself is the object of Dolly's affections, though she pretends to have only a professional interest in the widowed merchant, going through the motions of finding him a new wife when in fact she'd like to be the lucky bride herself. The film's musical set pieces include a show-stopping rendition of the title number, with Louis Armstrong more or less playing himself. The biggest number is "Before the Parade Passes By," in which thousands of costumed marchers and atmosphere extras cavort before a huge replica of a New York City thoroughfare in the 1890s actually the main entrance of the 20th Century-Fox studio, with period facades adorning the office buildings. An artifact of an era in which Broadway musicals were a significant part of popular culture, Hello Dolly seemed bizarrely irrelevant in the social turmoil of the late 1960s, and it became one of the late-1960s big-budget failures that led Hollywood studios toward a different kind of filmmaking in the 1970s.
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Special Features

Directing Dolly: Gene Kelly Remembered; 1969 Featurette
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Editorial Reviews

All Movie Guide - Craig Butler
Produced for a then-astronomical 24 million dollars, Hello, Dolly!'s disappointing box-office performance temporarily tarnished the promising career of Barbra Streisand. However, while the star is clearly too young for the role, the main problem with the film is that the source material did not transfer well from the stage to the screen. Director Gene Kelly's work lacks spark and inspiration and Michael Kidd's choreography, though energetic, comes across as forced. Part of the problem is the budget, every bit of which shows up onscreen. The impressive physical production slows the pace and weighs down what is essentially a light, airy confection. Still, the movie does have a number of high points. Streisand sounds marvelous in the musical numbers, making the most of Jerry Herman's simple, hummable songs. Her performance of "So Long Dearie," in particular, is exciting, and if the title number goes on a bit too long, it still features the incomparable Louis Armstrong in a cameo. Co-star Walter Matthau is an odd choice for the male lead in a musical, but he pulls it off. The rest of the cast, including Michael Crawford and Tommy Tune, are amiable and agreeable. While the movie may not have deserved its Oscar nomination for Best Picture, it's still a pleasant, if somewhat dull, divertissement.
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Product Details

  • Release Date: 4/2/2013
  • UPC: 024543838739
  • Original Release: 1969
  • Rating:

  • Source: 20th Century Fox
  • Presentation: Wide Screen / Subtitled / Dubbed
  • Sound: DTS 5.1-Channel Surround Sound, Dolby AC-3 Surround Sound
  • Time: 2:28:00
  • Format: Blu-ray
  • Sales rank: 645

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits
Barbra Streisand Dolly Levi
Walter Matthau Horace Vandergelder
Michael Crawford Cornelius Hackl
Louis Armstrong Orchestra Leader
Marianne McAndrew Irene Molloy
E.J. Peaker Minnie Fay
Danny Lockin Barnaby Tucker
Joyce Ames Ermengarde
Tommy Tune Ambrose Kemper
Judy Knaiz Gussie Granger
David Hurst Rudolph Reisenweber
Richard Collier Vandergelder's Barber
J. Pat O'Malley Policeman In Park
Fritz Feld Fritz, the German waiter
Jim Hutchinson
Harry Monty
Ralph Roberts Policeman
Technical Credits
Gene Kelly Director
L.B. Abbott Special Effects
Herman A. Blumenthal Production Designer
Raphael Bretton Production Designer, Set Decoration/Design
Alexander Courage Musical Arrangement
Art Cruickshank Special Effects
John De Cuir Production Designer
Roger Edens Associate Producer
Lennie Hayton Score Composer, Musical Direction/Supervision
Jerry Herman Score Composer, Songwriter
George James Hopkins Production Designer, Set Decoration/Design
John D. Jefferies Sr. Set Decoration/Design
Michael Kidd Choreography
Emil Kosa Jr. Special Effects
Ernest Lehman Producer, Screenwriter
Lionel Newman Score Composer, Musical Direction/Supervision
William H. Reynolds Editor
Walter Scott Production Designer, Set Decoration/Design
Irene Sharaff Costumes/Costume Designer
Jack Martin Smith Production Designer
Harry Stradling Cinematographer
Dan Striepeke Makeup
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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4.5
( 23 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(17)

4 Star

(5)

3 Star

(0)

2 Star

(1)

1 Star

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See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 23 Customer Reviews
  • Posted Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2012

    Horribly cast

    This isn't "Hello, Dolly"-- it's "The Barbra Show". She's too young by about 20 years, which means Mrs. Molloy is recast as an ingenue, and Michael Crawford is embarrassingly bad. The plot is altered as well. Saw this on stage in NY in the olden days and loved it. The movie-- tolerable.

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  • Posted Fri Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 2010

    more from this reviewer

    Happy Feeling

    This is just pure happy time. When you want good songs, happy people & happy songs. This movie is for you.

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  • Posted Fri Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 2010

    more from this reviewer

    Dolly is back!

    I haven't seen this movie in a very long time but I still love it. I watched Walle and had to get the movie. A fab. musical with Barbra Streisand!

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  • Posted Fri Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 2010

    A Great classic

    My teenagers, loved seeing this movie. We love all sorts of music in our home, and loved this musical.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Fri Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 2010

    Memorable Musical

    I thoroughly enjoyed Dolly when it was shown in Wellington New Zealand in 1970. I saw it time and time again, perhaps 20 times and still remember all the songs. I havent seen it recently but will buy the video. My congratulations to the moviemakers for making such a classic. Some memorable scenes were dancing in central park, the harmonia gardens, the parade, and the finale when Dolly gets married. The scene was truly wonderful, the church, the lake, the distant mountains and the singing.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Fri Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 2010

    Just Pure Fun

    I've looked for this movie for years. I remember watching this movie when I was smaller and now that I've found it I'm overjoyed. It's one of the best musicals in my opinion and is a great family movie.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Fri Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 2010

    Great Movie

    Always a great amount of enjoyment had whenever I watch this movie. Michael Crawford is cast perfectly as Cornelius Hackel.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Fri Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 2010

    New York-sized musical!

    This has got to be one of the best musicals ever! I especially loved Barbra Streisand's musical numbers. She's got an awesome voice, and really did her part well. This will have you singing for days! I hadn't seen it in years, and it was wonderful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Fri Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 2010

    Loved this movie...

    I watched this movie not knowing a thing about the past of the musical and Barbara Streisand fit the part perfectly. I went back and researched the musical finding that old lady-sounding woman what was her name... Carol Channing! The main spectacularness of the movie is Barbara's gorgeous voice! I can't think of anyone more fit to the part. Perfect everything (except Walter Mathu can't sing)

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Fri Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 2010

    Changes in DVD version?

    The DVD version seems to be different than the VHS version of Hello Dolly with the same cast. It is almost as if it was filmed twice for different formats like 'Seven Brides for Seven Brothers' was. While all the scenes are similar, the DVD version seems to have more wider-angle views that put the viewer farther away. If you compare the DVD version's scenes with the VHS version, there are definite differences, including those in the dance scenes. While the DVD version is still very good, I am disappointed because the VHS version was so excellent. The VHS version is one of my favorite movies of all time.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Fri Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 2010

    I loved this movie!

    As I watch this movie I am taken back to a time when I went to see musicals with my mom and her best friend. Barbara Streisand is a joy to watch and hear. This has always been one of my favorite movies to lose myself in. Thanks so much for putting it on DVD!

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Fri Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 2010

    Hummable, danceable, corny, and fun

    The current trend is to look at Hello, Dolly! as an overdone, overproduced musical from an era when musicals were dying. And it is! But that doesn't mean it's not a lot of fun. This is, by far, my 12 year-old daughter's favorite movie. It's funny; and the musical numbers are really well done - beautifully sung, choreographed on the Big Broadway model - and it has just a little edge. It's totally corny, and it's Barbra Streisand - but sometimes it's a relief to enjoy a movie that doesn't rely on being more-sarcastic/cynical-than-thou. Is the acting going to win an Oscar? No. But who cares? It's good family entertainment. ''Before the Parade Passes By'' and ''It Only Takes a Moment'' will stick in your head long after the movie ends.

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    Posted Mon Apr 20 00:00:00 EDT 2009

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    Posted Sun Oct 26 00:00:00 EDT 2008

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    Posted Tue Dec 21 00:00:00 EST 2010

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    Posted Sat Dec 22 00:00:00 EST 2012

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    Posted Sun Mar 08 00:00:00 EST 2009

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See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 23 Customer Reviews