Hello Dolly film (1969) on Netflix

[bear88]

Posted: 6/30/17 at 11:59am

For those interested, Hello Dolly is disappearing off Netflix after tonight (Friday). I had never seen the musical, on stage or on screen, so I wanted to check it out.

As a film, it doesn't work at all, although Streisand - obviously miscast - does look and sound great.

Updated On: 6/30/17 at 11:59 AM

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 6/30/17 at 12:08pm

I love the film and I think it works perfectly as its own incarnation.  The exterior locations add the epic grandeur of the old Hollywood musicals (like MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS), which I still find appropriate for a film version of HELLO, DOLLY!  The original stage production hinted at it; the 1969 film brought it to its full glory.  Then there's Streisand, doing a little Mae West to sassy-up her Dolly Levi Gallagher. 

[DAME]

Posted: 6/30/17 at 12:12pm

BrodyFosse123 said: "I love the film and I think it works perfectly as its own incarnation.  The exterior locations add the epic grandeur of the old Hollywood musicals (like MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS), which I still find appropriate for a film version of HELLO, DOLLY!  The original stage production hinted at it; the 1969 film brought it to its full glory.  Then there's Streisand, doing a little Mae West to sassy-up her Dolly Levi Gallagher. 

 

"

I agree Brody.  The film works beautifully on its own.  And the Blu Ray is a treasured part of my collection.  The Netflix version doesn't sound as rich in sound.  So I never bothered with it. 

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 6/30/17 at 12:18pm

I love this film. My mom told me that she and my dad saw this at the Rivoli Theater back in 1969. I remember finding the program for it in storage and I asked her about it. I was about a year old when the film came out.

[DAME]

Posted: 6/30/17 at 12:23pm

I still have the album that opens up.  I used to listen to the record and just stare at the  parade picture inside.

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 6/30/17 at 12:24pm

After I saw the show in April, I bought the Blu-ray, and I thoroughly enjoyed the movie. Barbra knocks the songs out of the park, and I love the sex appeal she brings to her Dolly. I thought Bette's "Parade" was slightly lackluster as the Act 1 finale, and it's nowhere near the showstopper that Streisand (and Gene Kelly) deliver in the film. I'm seeing it again tonight with Donna, and I'm hoping she adds a little electricity to that number.

[SmokeyLady]

Posted: 6/30/17 at 12:30pm

CT2NYC said: "After I saw the show in April, I bought the Blu-ray, and I thoroughly enjoyed the movie. Barbra knocks the songs out of the park, and I love the sex appeal she brings to her Dolly. I thought Bette's "Parade" was slightly lackluster as the Act 1 finale, and it's nowhere near the showstopper that Streisand (and Gene Kelly) deliver in the film. I'm seeing it again tonight with Donna, and I'm hoping she adds a little electricity to that number.

 

"

So you needed to come in here and add that little comment about Bette's parade just to start the same BS mudslinging going on in the other threads?   

[IdinaBellFoster]

Posted: 6/30/17 at 12:39pm

There's no comparing the two version of "Parade". The movie is constructed as a vocal showstopper, the musical on stage is not.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 6/30/17 at 1:15pm

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 6/30/17 at 1:17pm

I kind of knew what the title of this thread meant, but I was secretly hoping it was an announcement they were going to film the current Hello Dolly revival for Netflix. Which I think would be wildly successful.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 6/30/17 at 1:20pm

[JSquared2]

Posted: 6/30/17 at 1:28pm

SmokeyLady said: "CT2NYC said: "After I saw the show in April, I bought the Blu-ray, and I thoroughly enjoyed the movie. Barbra knocks the songs out of the park, and I love the sex appeal she brings to her Dolly. I thought Bette's "Parade" was slightly lackluster as the Act 1 finale, and it's nowhere near the showstopper that Streisand (and Gene Kelly) deliver in the film. I'm seeing it again tonight with Donna, and I'm hoping she adds a little electricity to that number.

So you needed to come in here and add that little comment about Bette's parade just to start the same BS mudslinging going on in the other threads?   

Calm down, sweetie --- it's called an Opinion --- and people on this board are allowed to have them.  FWIW, I totally agree with CT2NYC!

 

[bear88]

Posted: 6/30/17 at 1:39pm

Call_me_jorge said: "I kind of knew what the title of this thread meant, but I was secretly hoping it was an announcement they were going to film the current Hello Dolly revival for Netflix. Which I think would be wildly successful.

I'm sorry about that. I fixed the title to try to avoid any confusion, or getting any hopes up of people who love the revival and/or want to see it on the screen.

 

[SmokeyLady]

Posted: 6/30/17 at 4:20pm

 "CT2NYC said: "
Calm down, sweetie --- it's called an Opinion --- and people on this board are allowed to have them.  FWIW, I totally agree with CT2NYC!

"

Ha Ha.  No dear.  It is called a agenda.  And this is called a opinion.    

I hope you enjoy the show tonight.  I love Donna and she is terrific. 

Updated On: 6/30/17 at 04:20 PM

[jtishere]

Posted: 6/30/17 at 4:32pm

I rather adore the film. As has been mentioned, it works in its own way. Barbra has always felt sort of ageless so I've never really had an issue with her age when it came to casting, and she sings the ever-loving Yonkers out of the score, including her top of Act 2 number before "Elegance." 

And the Waiters Gallop/Hello, Dolly sequence is sublime, even if we don't get the red dress here. 

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 6/30/17 at 4:34pm

SmokeyLady said: " "CT2NYC said: "
Calm down, sweetie --- it's called an Opinion --- and people on this board are allowed to have them.  FWIW, I totally agree with CT2NYC!

"

Ha Ha.  No dear.  It is called a agenda.  And this is called a opinion.    

I hope you enjoy the show tonight.  I love Donna and she is terrific. 

Go figure. I had an agenda, and I didn't even know it. I didn't realize that calling something "a little lackluster" is tantamount to mudslinging. I've bought 2 tickets to see the show with Bette, and I'm seeing it for a 3rd time tonight. I love the show, and just because I made a critical comment doesn't mean anything beyond what it is. I'm a Dolly newbie, so I don't have any history with the show. I can only give my observations based on the current production and the film version.

Thanks, SmokeyLady, I'm sure it'll be great, and I'm sitting in the front row center mezzanine, so I'm looking forward to a great view!
 

 

Updated On: 6/30/17 at 04:34 PM

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 6/30/17 at 4:39pm

[Cat Guy]

Posted: 6/30/17 at 4:44pm

Barbra Streisand.  Dolly Levi.  What's not to love?

Bette Midler.  Dolly Levi.  What's not to love?

Updated On: 6/30/17 at 04:44 PM

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 6/30/17 at 4:58pm

[Blue_Lotus]

Posted: 7/1/17 at 4:13pm

I'm watching the film for the first time in many, many years. It's available On Demand from Starz Encore. It's entertaining - Streisand is absolutely Mae West-ish in her approach to the role of "Dolly". The musical numbers are outstanding - Michael Kidd is one of my all time favorite choreographers - his work on this is top notch. 

I really have one reservation and that is the casting of Marianne McAndrew as "Irene Molloy" - she is obviously dubbed - and her dubbing and her lip sync to her big number - "Ribbons Down My Back" has to be one of the worst I have ever witnessed. She's also devoid of any screen charisma. 

That aside I am enjoying just about everything else about the film.

 

Updated On: 7/1/17 at 04:13 PM

[bookluverbelle]

Posted: 7/1/17 at 4:50pm

DAME said: "BrodyFosse123 said: "I love the film and I think it works perfectly as its own incarnation.  The exterior locations add the epic grandeur of the old Hollywood musicals (like MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS), which I still find appropriate for a film version of HELLO, DOLLY!  The original stage production hinted at it; the 1969 film brought it to its full glory.  Then there's Streisand, doing a little Mae West to sassy-up her Dolly Levi Gallagher. 

 

"

I agree Brody.  The film works beautifully on its own.  And the Blu Ray is a treasured part of my collection.  The Netflix version doesn't sound as rich in sound.  So I never bothered with it. 

 

"

Can you check for me in the subtitles on blu ray appear for the songs?  I have the dvd and subtitles are on for the spoken dialogue but not for the song numbers.   I Don't want to waste money on a blu ray if it does not have it

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 7/1/17 at 11:14pm

bookluverbelle said: "DAME said: "BrodyFosse123 said: "I love the film and I think it works perfectly as its own incarnation.  The exterior locations add the epic grandeur of the old Hollywood musicals (like MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS), which I still find appropriate for a film version of HELLO, DOLLY!  The original stage production hinted at it; the 1969 film brought it to its full glory.  Then there's Streisand, doing a little Mae West to sassy-up her Dolly Levi Gallagher. 

 

"

I agree Brody.  The film works beautifully on its own.  And the Blu Ray is a treasured part of my collection.  The Netflix version doesn't sound as rich in sound.  So I never bothered with it. 

 

"

Can you check for me in the subtitles on blu ray appear for the songs?  I have the dvd and subtitles are on for the spoken dialogue but not for the song numbers.   I Don't want to waste money on a blu ray if it does not have it

I also own the Blu-ray, and, yes, it has the subtitles for the songs. Here's a pic from my TV:

https://imgur.com/a/QVcXA

 

Updated On: 7/1/17 at 11:14 PM

[bear88]

Posted: 7/3/17 at 1:02am

I should start a thread for Dolly newbies or something, because I'm wasting all of you folks' time with my musings on the film. (The original reason for this thread was to let people who wanted to see the 1969 movie before it disappeared from Netflix at the end of June.)

But I will concede a few things about the movie, which is a partial commentary on the musical itself. (There's only so much I can say, as I've never seen it live.)

First, several songs really have stuck in my head as intended. Yeah, fine, I'd heard several of them before, but it's not the same as seeing and hearing the whole thing. "Put on Your Sunday Clothes" is a terrific song, and it's one that does work well as directed by Gene Kelly. 

There are plenty of parts of the movie that I could easily imagine working a lot better on stage, as I'm sure they do in the revival.

I remarked that Streisand was miscast in the film, but that's mostly because I thought the pairing with Walter Matthau was dreadful. They have anti-chemistry. I could imagine Streisand as a young widow looking for a rich husband, but Matthau's Horace just seems so tiresome that his conversion in the last 10 minutes is too little, too late, and not very convincing. Streisand has to carry her scenes with him all alone.

The amazing part is that she pulls it off. When Streisand is on screen, I liked the movie. When she's singing "Before the Parade Passes By," I forget all the other nonsense - even the overdone marching bands and song interruptions. I like the soundtrack better for that reason. She's funny, sexy, and her voice really does the score justice.

So I'll give the movie this: Despite its flaws, it's got Streisand, playing Dolly in her own way, and that covers a lot of flaws. I can understand why some Hello, Dolly aficionados dislike the film. I can understand others who say it works just fine on its own terms. My initial reaction was negative, but Streisand's performance has stayed with me.

Updated On: 7/3/17 at 01:02 AM

[Broadway Bob*]

Posted: 7/3/17 at 3:44am

I LOVE the film version of "Dolly." Although, admittedly, it was my introduction to the piece as a midnight showing on network television a young insomniac caught one night. LOL! And I too treasure the Blu-ray as it is a truly stunning presentation of the movie picture and sound wise. Meanwhile I do, of course, love the stage version as well. But, there are a couple things I prefer from the film version:

1) I like "Just Leave Everything to Me" better than "I Put My Hand In." I feel it is a much more powerful and fiery introduction to the bulldozer that is Dolly Levi. Especially the way Barbra played her in the movie.

and *POSSIBLE SPOILERS*

2) I VERY MUCH prefer how, in the movie, Dolly is directly responsible for Cornelius and Barnaby arriving at Irene's hat shop just as Vandegelder is due to be there. It shows how she plans and manipulates the ENTIRE situation down to the minutia. I really hate the coincidental way that, in all of New York City, the boys just happen to be walking down the street by the hat shop when Vandegelder is sitting on the bench outside. A bit of a stretch for me, even in a happy-go-lucky show like "Dolly."

*END SPOILERS*

That said, I wish I could see Bette again and again, and I wish I could see Donna, and I very much hope I can make it to the city to see whoever they get to replace Bette and that they keep the show running for years through impressive casting the way Merrick did with the original. It would be amazing to see a long list of great ladies play the role. (My #1 wish list Dolly would, of course, be Patti LuPone!)

[DAME]

Posted: 7/3/17 at 11:40am

bookluverbelle said: "DAME said: "BrodyFosse123 said: "I love the film and I think it works perfectly as its own incarnation.  The exterior locations add the epic grandeur of the old Hollywood musicals (like MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS), which I still find appropriate for a film version of HELLO, DOLLY!  The original stage production hinted at it; the 1969 film brought it to its full glory.  Then there's Streisand, doing a little Mae West to sassy-up her Dolly Levi Gallagher. 

 

"

I agree Brody.  The film works beautifully on its own.  And the Blu Ray is a treasured part of my collection.  The Netflix version doesn't sound as rich in sound.  So I never bothered with it. 

 

"

Can you check for me in the subtitles on blu ray appear for the songs?  I have the dvd and subtitles are on for the spoken dialogue but not for the song numbers.   I Don't want to waste money on a blu ray if it does not have it

 

"

It does indeed have the subtitles during the songs and it is worth buying.