Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Babs continues to bring new life to an old character, 19 Feb 2003
For Years people only knew of oldies like Carol Channing as Dolly Levi and at the time she was the perfect Dolly. When Streisand was cast everyone said it was a huge mistake. Streisand was still in her 20's when she was cast as the middle aged Dolly but she proved that talent can master anything and in this you don't question her age you just accept it as fact. Her voice is in top form and she does justice to the songs, bringing her unique quality and comic timing to a role that otherwise would have been played the way it always had been. Streisand uses her youth by giving Dolly a sexy quality that was missing from the original stage show. Carol Channing could have done the film and a lot of people would have been happier with that choice at the time. However the reason people weren't happy with the films casting was simply that people don't like their favourite shows messed with and changed, but change brings new life to stories and that's exactly what it's done here. This film was one of the last old time Hollywood musical to be made and has managed to stand the test of time, unlike many of the others, the reason for this is Streisand, add to that Walter Matthau as the ever grumpy but lovable Horace and the goofy Michael Crawford who both bring their own individuality to this film. Obviously this is for Musical Fans - if you're not a fan of musicals, then it won't be for you, however if you are a fan then Streisand, like Dolly is Timeless and well worth a look!
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Hello Barbra!, 10 Oct 2004
I have a good friend who despairs at my love of Barbra movies but he fell in love with this movie on it's first viewing and it isn't hard to see the charm in this feel-good musical. Barbra shines as Dolly Levi who takes it upon herself to sort out everyone's love life while bagging the well know half-a-millionaire horace Vandergelder, played fantastically by Walter Matthau. This film is truly feel good, nothing bad happens at all though it teeters on the brink. The first time I saw it I was waiting for Dolly's tales of how well known she is to fall apart and yet they never do. When she appears in that gorgeous dress as the Harmonia Gardens Restaurant and launches into the title song the tears spring to my eyes. That is one thing that makes this film so good, even though it is a gentle, happy affair it is still moving even though no great tragedies occur. Part of this is due to the wonderful cast and the direction of THE Gene Kelly. The score contains many wonderful songs, Helly Dolly, It takes a woman and my personal favourite Goodbye. This is truly a film that you can let kids watch, it has the innocence of a bygone age of musical when good things can happen to good people.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Hello Dolly-my favourite musical ever!, 10 Nov 2003
Firstly, I'd like to say "stop moaning" to all who say Streisand was too young to play Dolly Levi. She did an amazing job of it and both her acting and her singing are spot on. In fact all of the performances in this film were great.
This musical is about a young widow,Dolly Levi,who is matchmaker to Horace Vandergelder, the unmarried half-a-millionaire, but decides she wants him for herself and disrupts his and everyone around him's life in a day of much singing, dancing and general mayhem. But, after a lot of hiding, parading, posh restaurants and plotting, all works out perfectly for everyone in a glorious finale.
With great singing, dancing, acting, good script and funny lines, Hello,Dolly! is a brilliant musical, that you absolutely MUST see!!!
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