My grandmother and her ladies’ club traveled to New York City to see a 1968 theatrical performance of “Hello Dolly,” starring Pearl Bailey. My grandmother could not stop talking about it after she came home. I was just 7. So whenever they started playing this movie version of “Hello Dolly” on TV, I was sure to watch because my grandmother loved the play so much. Such a special memory. RIP Grandma. ❤🙏
I saw Hello Dolly when it was first shown in theaters - yeah, I’m old - and everyone applauded the movie! It was just one hit after another. Who cares if Streisand was too young? She sang it better than anyone before or since.
@wotan10950: “Who cares if Streisand was too young?” You obviously are too stupid to follow or understand a movie plot line. Because she was only 26, the story plot made no sense; she became a gold digger. Also how would a 26 woman become an expert at she describes in “Live Everything to Me.”? As far as acting goes, imitating Mae West is not acting. Granted she received no help from Gene Kelly but no one wanted to direct with Streisand as Dolly. However, as Mrs. Molloy she would have been great. And many actresses would have better as Dolly even if the studio didn’t want Carol Channing.
Didn't Streisand have the crispest, best quality of vocals during this period? It sounds both solid and very emotional (as always), like a giant bell that sounds so crisp, full and resonant!
@mga2899: It never occurred to you over THREE DAYS that she was 25 years too young for the role and would none of the experience that she was singing about. 20th Century Fox never realized by miscasting the lead role she became a cheap gold digger marrying a guy 25 years OLDER then she was. The story of love beginning, lost and found and finding a valid reason for living an active life was lost. And the studio thought THIS PIECE OF CRAP, that cost $28.8 million would be a blockbuster like THE SOUND OF MUSIC which was well directed, well cast, WELL THEY WERE WRONG!
@@johnpickford4222 .... kind of bitter, aren't you? The BIGGEST fault was Kelly's over choreographed production. It's a simple little musical. NOT one of his MGM dance-a-thons.
A lively opening to a movie that was underappreciated and underrated in its time. Its decades-old reputation for being a studio-crushing flop was largely unwarranted: it's in profit now (okay, so it took a half century).
the opening sequence, song and Barbra's spot-on delivery was impressive and after Funny Girl I had great hopes for another hit from Babs but after the opening credits (directed by Gene Kelly) it was all downhill. ok not all, the parade was big and had lots of extras..
...and not a moment too soon either. It has aged well, but initially was regarded as a fossil of the MGM-Freed era. It did make its money back by the end of the initial run, but was not the mega-hit expected. When screening it just before release, The movie springs to life when Streisand is onscreen. Gene Kelly remarked to Ernest Lehman that they should have included "I Put My Hand In" to give her more screen-time, Lehman said that he felt the urge to kill Kelly.
What's always been interesting to me is that aside from the age factor Barbra was absolutely perfect for this role. You totally buy her as this busybody who arranges things for people and acts as matchmaker. Fits like a glove. It's only Barbra's age that's under question here, and it wasn't her idea! She didn't want to do this! But in the end despite all the drama of this production she turned out one hell of an entertaining performance. You just have to suspend disbelief around the age thing.
I was 6 years old when I saw that movie in the theater. From the very first second I was riveted in my seat, completely enraptured by the sights, the voices, the orchestrations, just the entire experience. When it ended I didn't want it to be over and I threw the biggest hissy fit of my life. lol People thought I had been hurt I was screaming so loudly and so inconsolably. To say the movie affected me would be a great understatement. lol
Every gesture masterful. The movie has legs. Streisand is onscreen only about a third of the time, and you can't take your eyes off her. Although at least a decade too young for the part, she NAILS it. And Sharaff's dresses for her, particularly this one and that solid gold one! (You can have the purple chenille bedspread-y and final pink ones, good as they are.)
She's charming and beautiful as a younger Dolly. No can touch thoses vocals, fantastic! However it did at the box office, her voice is glorious in it! "Hello Barbra"!
The common wisdom was that Streisand was too young to play Dolly, I totally disagree. She is fantastic in the role, if anything, a younger Horace might have been good, but Matthau is crabby just right. It's the last of the overstuffed musicals, and I think it's aged very well. It wasn't a flop in fact it was the 5th highest-grossing movie of 1969. By the time it sold the first ticket, there was no way it could ever pay back the cost. In fact, it was the fifth highest-grossing film of 1969, and still, Fox lost 10 million bucks on it.
I agree! She was perfect. There were young widows and many women married older rich men. I totally bought it then and I still buy it today. She’s amazing in this. So beautiful too.
I agree that Streisand's age didnt make a difference. She got the character right and the songs NEVER sounded so good. As for the Horace Vandergelder, thats a different story.
@@JulieAndrews-ke8vl Well, not quite - Hollywood accounting is a law unto itself. I do agree it can be classed as an INITIAL 'flop', because in its year of release (1969-70) it made back only *slightly* above its budget in theater rentals. But in any case, the movie never lost money: it made substantially good profits from 1978 onwards thanks to word-of-mouth and home video sales. And now it's a bona fide CLASSIC which has netted 20th Century (now Disney) hundreds of millions of dollars. I think Dolly had something to do with it: "JUST LEAVE EVERYTHING TO ME!"
Marc Ackerman: Get a life and real. Yes, Streisand is extremely talented BUT SHE WAS MISCAST IN THIS ROLE IN THIS OVERPRODUCED POORLY DIRECTED FILM. Yes, she’s got a voice but everything is sung like a pop song, not within the context of the show which is impossible when a 26 or 27 year old is 25 years too young for the role. Really, Walter Matthau? She has better taste! Besides she comes across as s gold digger (admittedly the screenplay could have been better.). BUT AWESOME IN THIS MOVIE SHE AIN’T!!
@@johnpickford4222 even though i more or less agree with your verdict on the movie, why are you telling somebody to "get a life"? Just because he made a comment? Guess what bro, so did you
@@johnpickford4222 oh please - the Hello Dolly film is a classic - no one really gives a rat’s ass about the stage production anymore. Art is Art. Everyone has an opinion - but Streisand’s performances and acrobatic vocals in this film are so incredible - everything else hardly matters. Her musical film performances will live long after we’re all gone.
For me Streisand is the best thing about this dinosaur - over-stuffed, over-produced, weak supporting cast (E.J. Peaker and whoever played Gussie Granger - dreadful) if they went with Barbra as Dolly they could have cast a younger actor for Horace - Matthau looks like her grandpa. Streisands vocals saved this monstrosity from being unwatchable - slow business at the box office and almost sinking 20th Century Fox says it all.
I never felt her age was an issue, her portrayal as the grieving widow healing herself by positively manipulating others in wise, mother hen fashion was perfectly executed. Her singing elevated her portrayal to dizzying heights along with her sharp, quick wit. What let the film down was WM being too old making her chase of him seem absolutely unfathomable.
ICON...Visionary...Artistic PERFECTION...Legend... Should deservedly have WON the '69 Best Actress Oscar... Only reason she didn't?!! She won the year b4...in you know WHAT!!! 'Hello Gorgeous'!!!!! 🤩🥰♥️🎉👍🎊!!!!!!
Barbra was Magnificent in Hello Dolly. The Problem was....Who, in their right mind, wanted Walter Matthau? No romantic chemistry at all..he seemed liked her grumpy, crotchety Father. But...Barbra sang the HELL out of that score. 💯
Just before this clip starts, the camera is trained on the back of her head as we await that face. She slyly turns and looks up and down at the camera (us), and then decides we're fit to hear her sing. She's wearing one of my favourite outfits here. There were a number of stills taken with this outfit and it's astounding the amount of features and details in the dress. My main issue with this very enjoyable film was the casting of the other characters. Matthau had no chemistry with Streisand, Michael Crawford looked emaciated, and talented actors like Sandy Duncan, Ann-Margret, and Joanne Worley were tested but not used. E. J. Peaker? Marianne McAndrew? Judy Knaiz? It could have been better.
My main issues with the movie is overly long and needed to TRIM some of the lesser songs out. "Goodbye Dearie" and "Ribbons Down My Back" are pretty boring. Joanne Worley was fine in that small role . Why even bother to replace her ? Not sure what you mean about Michael Crawford looking emaciated . Back then MEN were naturally slim. Geez, even Steve McQueen was scrawny and thin.
I ❤ Barbara she is truly blessed and Lord knows she just has a gorgeous way of pulling you in to All of the fun and adventurous good times with her movie's
I was working as a freelance cartoonist and illustrator when I got a call from an editor was having a meltdown over meeting a tight deadline. Knowing I could create what she needed within the short time frame, I assured her, "Just leave everything to me." After hanging up, I said "I've been waiting ever since I first saw HELLO, DOLLY! to say that!!!"
I heard that barbra Streisand hated making this movie. I show it in the theater when i was 7 years old i just love this movie so much i could sing all the songs 😢❤ i miss my mother so much 😔
the stories about the making of this film are near legendary including the friction between Streisand and Matthau such as Walter exploding at Babs with "Stop directing the f*cking picture!"
Es un todo un clásico de calidad incomparable desde el director Sr. Kelly y todos los actores bailarines etc. Es una vitamina de energía buenas vibras es maravilloso
hmm i disagree. considering all the people behind the camera it should've been a hit instead of a clunker. it only took 50 years but it finally broke even a couple years ago.
I believe this song was written especially for the film musical and Barbra who performed it magnificently - was not in the Broadway musical with Carol Channing which I was fortunate to see at The Curren Theatre in 1978 - Ms Channing talked to the audience after the finale and even did her Lowell High School cheer for her SF fans, she did not have a great voice but her personality fit Dolly Levi perfectly, she was so adorable.
I'd love to have heard Streisand sing the original opening: "I Put My Hand In Here." "Motherhood" was also dropped, but you can hear it as an orchestration at the Harmonia Gardens.
@@jaygatz4335I think they needed more of a filmic travelling song( like Don't rain on my parade) for Streisand..she was very expert at those....the comic period pieces like Motherhood and Put my hand in were very well tailored to Channing but were probably a bit placid for Barbra...also it took out one of the two Bob Merrill songs...Herman will have been pleased
1:42 -- Why is Dolly talking as if she's from the South? Dolly is supposed to be extraordinarily skilled when it comes to being charming and persuasive, but it definitely sounds as if Streisand is using a touch of Southern drawl in this little exchange.
Ask Warren Noeldechen. On the Fox 🦊 Lot. And some cute guy from the city...the director Kelly and his sainted relative...made him take violin and dance...my uncles 2. Rudy lines.
They made a BIG chunk back for the CBS premiere in the winter of 1974. Also; Dolly was VERY prominent in VIDEO STORES when VHS was new in the very early 1980s. Fox made a LOT of there losses back with the Planet of the Apes movies and Patton .
I was so hoping they would use this in the recent Bette Midler Broadway revival instead of "I Put My Hand In". Much better and much funnier song! It also really lets us know right away just who Dolly is. Instead they added that dreadful and unnecessary song for Horace - "Penny in My Pocket".
I don't understand why the big camera moves are so shaky. Yes, this was before Steadicam, but other movies didn't have this problem. Fire the boom operator!
Dolly at least had good dance numbers and great sets but basically Babs doing Fanny Brice again. Matthau came off as an old Uncle who supposedly was pinching Babs, a bit? Masterpiece next to that On A Clear Day Carp which had a pathetic story, slow boring, negative chemistry between Babs and that Montand thing. Every song was nill and only scene came to life: Babs & Nicholson. Great sets great clothes and rightfully so a box office disaster that has not aged well. And directed by a master of musicals: Mr. Vincent Minnelli. Everybody has their dogs even Hitchcock. Bet he tried his best with what Paramount shelling out big bucks. Love Story saved them at the end of that year.
On A Clear Day as originally filmed had a road show format and more songs. I'd love to see the full version, including the segment from "Come Back To Me" where Barbara wears a futuristic black and yellow outfit. Even Nicholson had a song!
Streisand was wholly unsuited for the role. That’s why the film flopped at the box office. The films budget was a whopping $25M (for 1969) and the film returned a paltry $400K (source: IMDB), half of which it earned on opening weekend. It was such a flop it was never released to foreign markets‼️In fact, it single-handedly killed off big budget musicals for decades‼️ In fact, this film so financially crippled Fox that it only released one film the following year‼️ There was a reason the great Walter Matthau detested Streisand‼️ Julie Andrews turned down the role. Carol Channing, who originated it on Broadway, was never considered. Doris Day, Carol Burnette, Debbie Reynolds and Shirley MacLaine were considered and rejected‼️ Streisand herself, when she appeared on ‘Actor’s Studio’ with James Lipton, said she was far too young for the role and should never have accepted it‼️
Her vocals are fantastic! They alone made plenty of money I'm sure! You say potato and I say Pah Tah TOE! Yes, she was young for the role, but that voice! I won't split hairs or get into it Anymore. A right to your opininon.....
@@Djm8520 I wave my little hand and sing" So Long Dearie"!!!. Basta!!! Have some more rum in your eggnog, Ebeneszer McBroom, speaking of Snark. Enough! You know what you what you can do with your precious facts! I'm out!
