Hello, Dolly! Widescreen Edition
by Gene Kelly
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Actor: Barbra Streisand, Danny Lockin, Marianne McAndrew, Michael Crawford, Walter MatthauDirector: Gene Kelly
Brand: TCFHE
Cinematographer: Harry Stradling Sr.
Producer: Ernest Lehman
Writer: Ernest Lehman
Producer: Roger Edens
Writer: Johann Nestroy
Writer: Michael Stewart
Writer: Thornton Wilder
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language)
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 2.35:1
Running Time: 146 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2003-08-19
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: 20th Century Fox
DVD Reviews of Hello, Dolly! Widescreen Edition
DVD Review: Dolly'll Never Go Away Again!
Summary: 5 Stars
Despite its generally limited recognition, "Hello, Dolly" stands as one of the most spirited musical creations of our century, and certainly one of the most sparkling movies of all time. Barbra Streisand shines as the indomitable Dolly Levi, the young, sassy, street-wise widow whose plan to wed herself to Horace Vandergelder (played with great alcrity by Walter Matthau), a curmudgeonly half-a-millionaire who owns a profitable hay and feed business in Yonkers, New York, and adds her own special charm to the richly detailed and brightly bubbling confection that glows just as bright today as it did back in 1969.
It was because of the Disney*Pixar movie "WALL-E" that I first became aquainted with this film. Of course, I had to go out and buy the DVD and see for myself what it was all about. I fell in love with it immediately, and it quickly became my favorite film, if not my favorite musical, of all time. There is something indescribably special about it, something that makes it stand out from everything else I've seen, which I just can't get enough of. Perhaps in a time where people dress down, have little or no interest in history, don't take time to slow down and enjoy the little things, or even observe common values of courtesy and good manners, "Dolly" provides an escape into the glorious and opulent of Victoriana America, not to mention giving its viewer a lavish throwback to the last great musical Hollywood ever produced.
I once heard Michael Crawford describe this as a beautiful, romantic, "old-fashioned valentine" of a musical. That is exactly what it is. It is a sweet and charming story with beautiful songs and a stellar cast that simply refuses to be lost into the passage of history. Truly, there are no bad moments. Every second has something interesting to look at or listen to or feel, and the performances from the actors are just priceless. The whole thing is a joyous spectacle from start to finish, and I am always laughing and crying and applauding the sheer brilliance of it throughout the entire experience.
Unlike most musicals, the acting is uncharacteristically good. The performers are entirely believable in their roles and play them with truthfulness and reverence. Of course, there are some moments where a little zaniness is required, but it never comes over the top. Gene Kelly's stellar direction took the show to places the original creators never dreamed of going. His choice between merely making a musical and making a good movie is never questioned: he made a great movie, hands down, and it shows. The way he handled everything, from the cinematography to the choreography sequences to the musical numbers themselves just proves that he's a talented director who knows what he wants and knows just how to do it. Every choice he made was perfect, to say nothing of the brillant job he did of casting. I also applaud Ernest Lehmann for his marvelous script. He really went to town in taking a show with good songs but a somewhat boring and predictable storyline to something Oscar-worthy.
As to the lady herself, I can't think of a time when Barbra Streisand ever looked prettier. She has a huge smile on her face throughout the whole film, and gives Dolly an energy and enthusiasm Carol Channing never had. She sings with vim and verve and uses every last bit of her vocal range and power to toss a little extra "oomph" into Jerry Herman's peppy songs. Even though she was criticized at the time for being to young, her performance is no doubt one of the best in her career. You need a dynamic personality like Barbra's to carry the role of Dolly Levi believably, and she carries to perfection. What really strikes me as interesting about her is the fact that although she was only in her mid-twenties when this was filmed, she manages to appear as a woman who is much older, maybe in her thirties or forties. Not that she looks old and matronly (anything but!); but rather her wisdom and persona project the air of a woman much more mature than twenty-five. Take the dancing scene, for instance. She's marvelous at giving Michael Crawford a lesson on how to waltz, and is very patient and understanding of his overly-exuberant youth. In real life she was actually three months younger than him. That type of acting is rare to be found an anyone today--someone with skills enough to make you forget how young or old the person is themselves, and just see the character alone.
I simply love the characters of Cornelius Hackle and Barnaby Tucker, Mr. Vandergelder's niave young clerks, who want to spend a day in New York, spend all their money, and kiss a girl; both played expertly by Michael Crawford and Danny Lockin, respectively. Crawford, only twenty-six at the time, has a sweet, gentle voice, and uses an American accent very well in one of his earliest film roles. Despite being cast by Mr. Kelly as the "attractive idiot", Crawford puts over an equally great comic as well as heartfelt performance. The astonishing moments of excellent physical comedy are well worth watching, and it's amazing to think that he'd be playing the part of the Phantom only a few years later! I especially liked him in the "It Only Takes a Moment" sequence; just look at his expression and gestures. He plays the role with such honesty, I almost always get teary-eyed!
The two supporting women, Barnaby and Cornelius's love interests, are also very talented: E.J. Peaker as Minnie Faye, and Marianne McAndrew as Irene Malloy. Although she didn't do her own singing, Ms. McAndrew is very nice looking and a fine actress, just the sort of person you can picture Cornelius falling in love with in just one day. Or in "a moment", as the song goes.
The visual look and feel of the film is gorgeous, with sumptuous sets and marvelous costumes. The widescreen, TODD-AO film captures the colors and patterns vibrantly, and still looks bright and new after forty years. I especially liked a very obvious Gene Kelly trademark in the opening scene of the film, showing nothing but people's feet strolling the sidewalk in downtown New York. Genius.
With the 2003 restoration came a clean-up of the soundtrack as well, which leaves you with nice crisp, clean sound to match the great picture. The harmony between audio and visual is virtually seamless, and there were only one or two brief moments where one was unsynchronized with the other. One can only hope that in the next few years (2014), Fox will release a 45th Anniversary DVD of this film, having missed out on the 40th last year.
To close, "Dolly" is great fun, a terrific movie for the whole family that is truly timeless, and one that only gets better with each viewing.
Description of Hello, Dolly! Widescreen Edition
Studio: Tcfhe Release Date: 04/15/2008Bestsellers in DVD
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