tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3224037410105354251.post4480189275618628660..comments2024-03-09T18:24:48.457-08:00Comments on A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE: HELLY DOLLY AND THE DEATH OF THE MOVIE MUSICALUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3224037410105354251.post-43811119202242098402019-08-11T20:07:30.325-07:002019-08-11T20:07:30.325-07:00I always loved this movie. My mother showed it to ...I always loved this movie. My mother showed it to me as a child and I just loved it and Barbara Streisand. I thought she was perfect. Its so sad that Actor/Director Gene Kelly wasn't appreciate like she should have for it and 20th Century lost money at the time. I loved his directing and when I see it today I am stunned by all the dance numbers. This soundtrack and the movie always make me so happy. Put on your Sunday Clothes, Hello Dolly and It Take A moment, are fantastic. I love all of the songs. What Barbara Streisand does with her singing on the songs is just incredible. My heart opens, I get ecstatic. just such a beautiful voice like soft velvet and so talented. Matthau is always great as well. He's such a curmudgeon and you see him soften at the end. and despite whatever friction was on set, it all worked and their scene together are so funny.. Just saw it for the 50th anniversary on the theater. I teared up a few times I think because the grandness and beauty of the songs and musical choreography. I loved the background dancers singing in chorus during the songs and those dance numbers were just gorgeous. Also the leads who dance are just incredible. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3224037410105354251.post-19337657483774472272019-01-21T12:41:04.353-08:002019-01-21T12:41:04.353-08:00I dislike Streisand's current rabid left-winge...I dislike Streisand's current rabid left-winger persona, but I disagree with the notion she was "too young" for Dolly. The character virtually runs the show, manipulating and controlling every character's moves, including the much older and presumably wiser Vandergelder, and it takes a star of immense confidence and presence to pull off such a role. Look at her coming down the stairs in the gold dress during "Dolly" number- only a few stars had the cachet to pull off such a scene at that time. She exudes star-quality, off-beat beauty and confidence throughout the movie. This is even more well-established and talented actor like Matthua was riding and insulting her constantly. It probably helped her main co-stars were unknowns (and contrary to intuition, the same age as Barbra!) I can't think of another star who could have pulled off the sex appeal and star turn as BS, Julie Andrews had the voice but never, to me at least, any sex appeal. She always came off as schoolmarmish, like Mary Poppins. Barb could play coquettish and get away with it. Channing would have been a disaster. Even then she was a caricature of herself. Taylor? Can't sing and she thought too much of herself by that point to act like she was in love with anyone. Despite reported problems on-set, you get the idea Dolly really loves Horace. I think she's perfect for the part and can't imagine who else could have played it. And it's amazing how beautiful she is, the stunning costumes, hair and make-up, the last gasp of Hollywood's golden musical era. Too bad the public no longer cared, but the beauty of digital is that new generations can discover and love these great works.docweaselhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10149338353111570983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3224037410105354251.post-55508910202195271832018-12-02T14:30:22.628-08:002018-12-02T14:30:22.628-08:00I couldn't agree more, will go down in history...I couldn't agree more, will go down in history as one of our last great musicals. Barbra was oustanding and knocks it out of the park with her powerful presence. Mathau is a self absorbed egoist, so indicative of his time, and I believe poorly cast. Gene's direction was and is a masterpiece and the sets were truly monumental in scale and artisanship.Artist, Entrepreneur and Adventurerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05835743253778155141noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3224037410105354251.post-30727500041616550112018-11-11T08:55:07.360-08:002018-11-11T08:55:07.360-08:00I watch Hello Dolly when I was 15 with my 65 year ...I watch Hello Dolly when I was 15 with my 65 year old grandpa and have regularly watch it on my DVD and Laser Disc. Never failed to cheer me up. I am 65 going to 66.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13159121715616217883noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3224037410105354251.post-71612175263587565092018-02-14T15:03:24.829-08:002018-02-14T15:03:24.829-08:00I am German and watched this movie recently during...I am German and watched this movie recently during a long flight. I was absolutely thrilled by Barbra Streisand and it did not come to my mind for a moment that she was so young - she played the mature woman in a very convincing way. I loved her voice, admired her dancing and laughed so hard about her quick dialogues (and monologues!) - I think she was just brilliant. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3224037410105354251.post-64906971998071412942017-12-03T23:53:28.419-08:002017-12-03T23:53:28.419-08:00Love this movie. It's fun, it's chalk full...Love this movie. It's fun, it's chalk full of great musical numbers. It's fantasy. Of course Babs is too young but who cares, her voice is phenomenal. Michael Crawford comes across as gay but who cares! It's wonderful. Loved Mathau especially!Janethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12007144238711192615noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3224037410105354251.post-35893795558458717182017-06-09T11:42:00.410-07:002017-06-09T11:42:00.410-07:00Streisand's beautiful voice alone is enough to...Streisand's beautiful voice alone is enough to carry a movie. During the 70's I saw an interview with Fred Astaire after his watching the scene "So Long Dearie" from Hello Dolly. He said, "Streisand? She's ok if you like talent".Marcnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3224037410105354251.post-57767440687770255042016-11-06T16:39:24.382-08:002016-11-06T16:39:24.382-08:00Musicals Dead? Have you seen All That Jazz? Brilli...Musicals Dead? Have you seen All That Jazz? Brilliant. I came out of the movie humming the tunes. Al Jolson was right, You Aint Heard Nothin Yet. Like westerns, not as many, but most, Dances With Wolves, Tombstone, great. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3224037410105354251.post-20233841437404379902016-09-10T01:13:34.302-07:002016-09-10T01:13:34.302-07:00When I first saw the film version of HELLO, DOLLY!...When I first saw the film version of HELLO, DOLLY! I was disappointed in it. I wanted Carol Channing, but got Barbra Streisand instead. The funny thing was the film only came a live when Streisand was on the screen. Seen today the movie is fantastic! One of the best screen musicals ever made and I love Barbra in the role of Dolly. We will never see the likes of such a great film production as HELLO, DOLLY! Gregory G. Stangalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07720380282440236961noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3224037410105354251.post-23034309976422476992016-02-24T04:50:57.105-08:002016-02-24T04:50:57.105-08:00Loved it entirely.. I have it on Video, and watch ...Loved it entirely.. I have it on Video, and watch it when I feel like a cheer up.. So what if it didn't reach box office expectations?... that says far more about the trends of the people at the time, than the makers of this masterpiece... We are not all Beatles fans !!<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07027946166974988422noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3224037410105354251.post-53301338147626230652015-12-26T05:42:47.981-08:002015-12-26T05:42:47.981-08:00I LOVE this movie and oddly enough, although I com...I LOVE this movie and oddly enough, although I completely agree that Streisand was too young for the role, somehow just KNOWING that she is older now makes her more believable. PLUS, her amazing voice makes the film. This is one film that has aged very well, which may explain why original losses have been recouped through video and DVD sales, not to mention online pay sources. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3224037410105354251.post-4294172631453608252015-05-06T01:14:32.441-07:002015-05-06T01:14:32.441-07:00It's all opinion based on the nature of financ...It's all opinion based on the nature of financial success, or in this case, the less than hoped for success. The film version of Hello Dolly is fabulously entertaining. I was a child when I first saw it in the theater (original release). Everyone clapped, smiled and left happy. So Streisand was a "young Levi." Storylines are often reworked. In that time frame of American history, it very well could have been that the young Dolly say aged 14, was given in an arranged marriage to the elderly Levi who would mold her as his young bride. Works still to this day for me. I adore Streisand - "like buttah!" And why Matthau had disdain for her is unfortunate, however, they brought some fire and at times, a rather hopeful triumph of actually "coupling" that is evident in their final scenes together. It is true that "profit" is a foundational core of a any business. I'm just saddened to think that this film, as grandly and beautifully as it has been preserved for all generations, has been marked as failing on many levels for the studio, Kelly and the concept of the movie musicals. Other than Chicago (which is more than a decade old and truly is fantastic), Hello Dolly for many of us is the last great American Movie Musical. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3224037410105354251.post-23938784059354980692013-07-27T15:43:41.055-07:002013-07-27T15:43:41.055-07:00I must say hello dolly is one of my feel good movi...I must say hello dolly is one of my feel good movies,u know when ur having a crappy day it cheers me up no end i love it Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3224037410105354251.post-55762283518547270172012-07-24T09:02:23.749-07:002012-07-24T09:02:23.749-07:00I saw this upon its initial release and enjoyed it...I saw this upon its initial release and enjoyed it. You're right that Armstrong was its strongest scene. I remember liking the costumes and Yonkers sets but it stretched the imagination that Streisand as a vivacious Levi would fall for what seemed to me at the time an old fart like Matthau's character. He was 22 years her senior but it seemed even more.readermanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14487543323041619050noreply@blogger.com