Hello, Dolly! (1969)

Matchmaker Dolly Levi travels to Yonkers to find a partner for "half-a-millionaire" Horace Vandergelder, convincing his niece, his niece's intended, and his two clerks to travel to New York City along the way.

Director:

Gene Kelly

Writers:

Michael Stewart (book), Thornton Wilder (based on "The Matchmaker" by)

Stars:

Barbra Streisand, Walter Matthau, Michael Crawford

Won 3 Oscars. Another 1 win & 13 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Barbra Streisand	...	Dolly Levi
Walter Matthau	...	Horace Vandergelder
Michael Crawford	...	Cornelius Hackl
Marianne McAndrew	...	Irene Molloy
Danny Lockin	...	Barnaby Tucker
E.J. Peaker	...	Minnie Fay
Joyce Ames	...	Ermengarde
Tommy Tune	...	Ambrose Kemper
Judy Knaiz	...	Gussie Granger
David Hurst	...	Rudolph Reisenweber
Fritz Feld	...	Rudolph's Assistant
Richard Collier	...	Vandergelder's Barber
J. Pat O'Malley	...	Policeman in Park
Louis Armstrong	...	Orchestra Leader

Storyline

A matchmaker named Dolly Levi takes a trip to Yonkers, New York to see the "well-known unmarried half-a-millionaire," Horace Vandergelder. While there, she convinces him, his two stock clerks and his niece and her beau to go to New York City. In New York, she fixes Vandergelder's clerks up with the woman Vandergelder had been courting, and her shop assistant (Dolly has designs of her own on Mr. Vandergelder, you see).

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Plot Keywords:

year 1890 | matchmaker | new york city | widow | based on stage musical | 

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Genres:

Adventure | Comedy | Musical | Romance

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Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

Ann-Margret made a screen test for the role of Irene Molloy.

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Goofs

During the opening sequence: When "Based On The Stage Play 'Hello Dolly' Produced by David Merrick and Book of Stage Play by Michael Stewart" comes on the screen, you can see in the background an interstate highway going around the base of the tall hill with cars whizzing by.

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Quotes

Ermengarde Vandergelder: But if I can't marry Ambrose, I know I'll die!
Horace: Of what?
Ermengarde Vandergelder: A broken heart.
Horace: Never heard of it.

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Alternate Versions

There are two alternate takes during the number Before The Parade Passes By. They occur as Dolly Levi (played by Barbra Streisand) is running down the garden path to see the parade and is singing the line "Before the Parade Passes by".In the 35mm prints which were sent to movie theaters after the roadshow engagements, Dolly almost loses her hat while running. This was used for the home video version. The 70mm prints have a different take, in which Dolly did not have any hat problems. This was used for the DVD version.

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Connections

Featured in Stars of the Silver Screen: Walter Matthau (2016)

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Soundtracks

It Only Takes a Moment
(1964) (uncredited)
Written by Jerry Herman
Performed by Michael Crawford and Marianne McAndrew (dubbed by Melissa Stafford), with J. Pat O'Malley and the Company

User Reviews

"I don't want my wings cut!" ... "No man does, Horace, no man does."

Rip-snorting musical from 20th Century-Fox, turning its backlot into New York City, circa 1890 while telling the tale of widow Dolly Levi, an indefatigable meddler and matchmaker who hopes to deliver herself into the arms of an eligible storekeeper from Yonkers. Producer Ernest Lehman adapted his screenplay from the popular stage musical with a book by Michael Stewart, based on Thornton Wilder's "The Matchmaker" (itself filmed without music in 1958). Director Gene Kelly attempts a breathless pace right from the start, which leaves the early scenes feeling rushed and hyperactive. Professional critics in late 1969, perhaps put off by the unimaginable-for-its-time $25 million budget, complained that the picture was overblown; however, in hindsight, this is inconsequential, as the scenario begs for a huge presentation...and a huge star in the lead. Barbra Streisand (deemed too young to be portraying a widow) is a marvelous Dolly: a firebrand (and a firecracker) who knows nothing of subtlety, she goes for the gut, as the role requires. As her reluctant intended, Walter Matthau looks unhappy and seems stuffy, but repeat viewings reveal this to be the character and not necessarily Matthau's disposition at the time (he and Streisand failed to get along while filming). The song numbers, particularly "Just Leave Everything To Me", "Before The Parade Passes By" and the celebrated title tune, are joyous, and Michael Kidd's line-'em-up choreography is often stunning in widescreen. The film does run too long, and it loses some vitality whenever Streisand is busy and the pixilated juveniles take over, but Kelly is determined to give his audience a showcase--a slam-bang, old-fashioned musical parade with pearls and feathers and floor-length gowns. At that, he succeeded. *** from ****

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 December 1969 (USA)

Also Known As:

Hello Dolly!

Filming Locations:

Metro-North Station, Poughkeepsie, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$25,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$221,204, 11 August 2019

Gross USA:

$400,881

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$400,881

Company Credits

Production Co:

Chenault Productions, Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

146 min

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) (Westrex Recording System) Mono (35 mm prints) DTS 70 mm (70mm re-release)

Color:

Color (Color by Deluxe)

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1