Hello Dolly Film Version- Page 3

[NathanLaneStalker]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 12:17pm

I thought Babs gave an ok performance. Yes she was too young but still gave a good performance (although that was Carol's role and she deserved to have it) I joke with my friends and call it the Hugh Heffner story....a 29 year old woman marries a man who is as old as dirt! lol

During IT TAKES A WOMAN, is it planned or was it a blooper when Michale Crawford was right in the horse's face and the horse kinda licks/chews on his head? That is my FAVORITE moment of the movie! I don't stop laughing for at least 1 min!

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 12:19pm

But the whole POINT is that Dolly DOES make the decision to move on before she is doomed to live her life as an old maid. I don't care what you say, but there's nothing dommed about a 29 year old widow. At 43-50 (like all the Dollys on Broadway), absolutely. It works and it makes sense. At 29, when she says "It's been long enough, Ephraim." It's been long enough for what? He couldn't have died THAT long ago.

I just don't buy it. Sure, on paper it makes sense. But there's no sense of urgency with re-joining the human race, the ending isn't as happy with Dolly being 29, and it's just not as sweet.

[jimnysf]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 12:34pm

I don't care what you say

Likewise, I'm sure.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 12:38pm

Way to be dramatic.

You know that what I said was in relation only to the fact that it doesn't make sense, nothing else.

[NathanLaneStalker]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 12:45pm

And I agree with you! But what I was saying was that even though it didn't make sense she was ok performing wise. THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN HER FOR IT!

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 12:51pm

No, I was talking about jim.

[NathanLaneStalker]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 12:55pm

Ah! Well, still I agree with you!

[NathanLaneStalker]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 12:56pm

Ah! Well, still I agree with you!

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 12:59pm

Haha, well thanks.

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 2:59pm

>> I don't care what the era, but when you're still in your 20's, no parade is passing you by.

Say that again the day you turn 30. :)

[Julian2]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 3:00pm

I think it can work age wise, its just that it wasn't written that way, and that's the big issue. Thirty was a big deal back then, just watch reruns of the Mary Tyler Moore show. The big problem is it wasn't written that way. But I enjoy Barbra's preformance, I think the movie does have a few issues, but I enjoy it, and I think it is much better than certain other attempts at this genre.

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 3:33pm

Frankly, it is better than most attempts at the genre.

[VIETgrlTerifa]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 3:37pm

Babs may have been young, but she didn't look THAT young, IMO. You can just use your imagination and pretend she's 40.

[best12bars]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 4:04pm

"But the whole POINT is that Dolly DOES make the decision to move on before she is doomed to live her life as an old maid."



EXACTLY! Which is why she can't be an "old maid" already in that scene. It's supposed to be BEFORE the parade passes her by. It's not about an old maid who wants to join BACK into the parade after it already HAS passed her by.

29 suits me just fine for this character and her situation.

Updated On: 10/4/06 at 04:04 PM

[fflagg]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 4:10pm

The basic problems:

1. barbra is too young
2. matthau looks like he swallowed vinegar
3. gene kelly was past his prime as an artist-director
4. the timing; this film was made in 1968 and 1969 at a time when the world was changing for the better and the worse

Can you imagine making this film in the midst of assassinations, riots in the streets, etc?

Even though too young, Barbra is the saving grace of the film. There is no way this film would have been made or been tolerable with Channing. Her voice, her look, her persona is better suited for the stage not for the camera. She is best in small doses; if she were a great screen actress she would have done more after the Millie film.

If BS did not star in the film, who would have been Dolly? Can you imagine a studio bankrolling a musical film in the late 1960s starring a woman over 50? [the same could be said for today.]

[VIETgrlTerifa]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 4:10pm

I don't know, some of the lyrics seem to be about a woman wanting to join the human race again. You know, joining the parade before it passes by.

've gotta get in step while there's still time left
I'm ready to move out in front
snip...
I got a goal again
I got a drive again
I wanna feel my heart coming alive again

[Julian2]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 4:33pm

while there's still time left

Exactly, there's still time left. And as far as Walter Matthau, it proably didn't help that he hated Barbra in person.

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 4:36pm

I'll match the craftsmanship of HELLO, DOLLY!, against anything made since, and it'll win.

[jimnysf]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 4:37pm

I still love the film and the stage show.

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 4:40pm

Me too. I also love THE MATCHMAKER. You can't go wrong, with Dolly!

[landryjames2]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 4:48pm

Barbra was actually younger than 29 when she filmed Dolly. I am quite sure she was 26.

I have always enjoyed the movie immensely, and don't care if she was technically miscast. I would rather hear her sing the score any day over Channing. And many of her line deliveries were quite funny. I always thought Barbra had an older look to her when she was young.

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 4:51pm

>> I'll match the craftsmanship of HELLO, DOLLY!, against anything made since, and it'll win.

Really?

Devotees of CHICAGO and MOULIN ROUGE might say otherwise, and *they*, frankly, would win. DOLLY is a big, clunky movie musical. Had it been made the same way with anyone other than Streisand, it would have been like THE WIZ -- eminently forgettable.

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 4:58pm

Devotees of CHICAGO and MOULIN ROUGE might say otherwise, and *they*, frankly, would win. DOLLY is a big, clunky movie musical. Had it been made the same way with anyone other than Streisand, it would have been like THE WIZ -- eminently forgettable.

Wow...just, wow!

[jimnysf]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 5:01pm

Although made by Fox, "Dolly" was truly the last of the M-G-M musicals. Beautiful sets, costumes, lots of dancers.

[TheEnchantedHunter]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 5:13pm

The film is not horrible in the least and is actually quite an achievement. Whatever one thinks of La Streisand's performance, you cannot deny her star power, humor, charm, and seductiveness. The production and costuming design are simply phenomenal and among the best of their era. The orchestrations manage to make Herman's serviceable score sound thrilling and the musical staging serves the material well. It's only flaw was to have appeared in a time of adolescent rebellion and juvenile tastes at the box office. Judging from its continual appearance on cable TV, the film has a wide and receptive audience and I suspect its reputation will only grow in stature in the years to come.

TheEnchantedHunter
Ted Hunter, Cane, NH