Dolly, Bette, Dolly — Page 2

BrodyFosse123 said: "Streisand has always said (even recently) that she was miscast in the film adaptation of HELLO, DOLLY!  She agrees heavily she was much too young to play a mature and wise widow (she was 26-27 at the time).

In order for her to be permitted to make her film debut in the 1968 film adaptation of FUNNY GIRL, the show's producer (also the film's producer) Ray Stark made sure she signed a 5-picture deal if she wanted FUNNY GIRL the film.  Having always had total creative control of her career from the start, she obliged to sign that contract thus she was forced to sign onto HELLO, DOLLY! and ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE FOREVER.  They were simply job assignments for her.  She was contractually obligated to make them.  

Though she found the idea of a musical sequel ridiculous, she agreed to do 1975's FUNNY LADY just to close out her 5-picture contract with Ray Stark.  On the last day of shooting, she gifted him a large vintage mirror which she wrote in lipstick: PAID IN FULL.  

 

 

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Hello Dolly and Clear Day had nothing to do with Ray Stark or satisfied any part of Streisand's contract with him.  In fact, he sued her when she was making other films for other producers.  Her Funny Girl contract with Stark led to The Owl & The Pussycat, The Way We Were, Funny Lady and For Pete's Sake. The original contract was a four picture deal and presumably, he got her to make Funny Lady (a fifth picture) in connection with the "settlement" of the lawsuit he felt he was forced to file.  She continually turned down scripts he sent her.  Hello Dolly allegedly was accepted because she wanted to make what Liz Taylor was making (1 million) and Fox accepted.  Clear Day was also a choice - she was not contractually obligated in connection with a Stark contract.

 

Updated On: 4/6/17 at 07:09 PM

Thank you dearly, Andhel2.  I firmly stand corrected. 

Seems I have my Streisand trivia all jumbled.  

bk said: "But see, I found nothing thrilling about that enormous parade - it's a bunch of people walking in costumes.  I'm not sure what you mean by the title number on stage being a seven-minute "stroll" - the title song as Gower staged it is anything but a "stroll" which is why it stops the show cold at every performance.  

 

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What would you call it, BK? The tune is simple enough to be a TV jingle. The big dance number ("The Waiter's Gallop" comes right before it.

I admit it's easier for me to remember the film version, since I saw DOLLY! on Broadway almost 40 years ago. But what would you call that title number, other than a woman and 40 guys strolling for 7 minutes? (I'm using "stroll" in the sense that Sondheim and Laurents used it in referring to DO I HEAR A WALTZ?)

(FTR, I agree that Streisand was miscast, but the film has grown on me over the years.)

Updated On: 4/6/17 at 10:17 PM

The film definitely has some good qualities - Barbra is lovely and funny as hell. Michael Crawford is a very engaging Cornelius. Tommy Tune, 'nuf said . The icing on the cake is Louis Armstrong scatting with Barbra. Truly good stuff. Shots of Newport, R.I. at the end are nice too.

However, Marianne McAndrew was dreadfully bad as Irene Molloy. Her acting was leaden and her singing was dubbed too obviously. Her speaking voice didn't even come close to matching her singing voice. Two singers dubbed McAndrew in the film - Melissa Stafford and Gilda Maiken. Wish either of them got the part, or Ann-Margret who McAndrew beat out. 

And then there's Walter Matthew. He couldn't be more miserly with his acting. He gave Barbra nothing to work with. One. Crappy. Grumpus.

What I admire about the current Broadway production is no weak links.