Hello, Dolly! (1969)

53% of critics liked it
(17 reviews)
74% of users liked it
(20,394 ratings)

Twenty-seven-year-old Barbra Streisand seemed an inappropriate choice for middle-aged, match-making widow Dolly Levi, but her energy carries her right through the role and dominates the lackluster movie around her. The plot, drawn from Thornton Wilder's The Matchmaker (itself based on a 19th-century… More Twenty-seven-year-old Barbra Streisand seemed an inappropriate choice for middle-aged, match-making widow Dolly Levi, but her energy carries her right through the role and dominates the lackluster movie around her. The plot, drawn from Thornton Wilder's The Matchmaker (itself based on a 19th-century British farce), is set in motion when Yonkers feed store clerk Cornelius Hackl (Michael Crawford) celebrates his promotion by taking his pal Barnaby Tucker (Danny Lockin) to New York City for a "corking good time." But Cornelius and Barnaby can't avoid crossing paths with their boss Horace Vandergelder (Walter Matthau), who'd give them Holy Ned if he saw them in a fancy restaurant with two fancy girls instead of tending the store. Mr. Vandergelder himself is the object of Dolly's affections, though she pretends to have only a professional interest in the widowed merchant, going through the motions of finding him a new wife when in fact she'd like to be the lucky bride herself. The film's musical set pieces include a show-stopping rendition of the title number, with Louis Armstrong more or less playing himself. The biggest number is "Before the Parade Passes By," in which thousands of costumed marchers and atmosphere extras cavort before a huge replica of a New York City thoroughfare in the 1890s (actually the main entrance of the 20th Century-Fox studio, with period facades adorning the office buildings). An artifact of an era in which Broadway musicals were a significant part of popular culture, Hello Dolly seemed bizarrely irrelevant in the social turmoil of the late 1960s, and it became one of the late-1960s big-budget failures that led Hollywood studios toward a different kind of filmmaking in the 1970s. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: G, 2 hr. 26 min.
Directed By: Gene Kelly
Written By: Ernest Lehman
Genres: Musical & Performing Arts, Classics, Comedy

In Theaters: Dec 16, 1969 Wide
On DVD: Aug 19, 2003
Studio: 20th Century Fox

Critic Reviews

Nell Minow, Common Sense Media
A magical, old-fashioned musical.
Phil Hall, IdentityTheory
It is a work of great entertainment, a product of an era when people looked up at a screen and saw movies instead of cinema.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Inexplicably nominated for Oscars, Gene Kelly's last musical is a big, bloated, stagy film--despite the presence, charm and voice of Barbra Streisand.
Michael W. Phillips, Jr., Goatdog's Movies
It doesn't escape the overproduction trap, not by a long shot.
Steve Crum, Kansas City Kansan
Splashy Kelly production with a too-young Streisand...but she's stunning.
Eric Henderson, Slant Magazine
Is it fair that Streisand's stolen role gets the DVD treatment when victim Carol Channing's immortal performance as the White Queen in Irwin Allen's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is still unavailable?
Eric Henderson, Slant Magazine
More infamous for bringing Fox financially to its knees than for being the last major musical directed by Gene Kelly, Dolly! is one big-assed bull in a china shop.
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
If you're not a Streisand fan, the film might easily be passed over without its adversely affecting your life one whit.
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
Hello, Dolly! is one of those films from the late sixties that helped nail down the coffin lid on musicals.
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
Bloated and overblown, but a lot better than its reputation.

Read all 10 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Spencer S

Wonderful musical, and Barbra is the perfect fit. Matthau is just as brilliant and silly as ever.
Jeremy S

I don't think I have ever seen a film with more, glitter, sparkles, twinkles, frills and gilded over-the-top spectacle as in Hello Dolly. Simply the most extravagent Hollywood musical I have ever had the pleasure to feast my eyes on. And that is exactly what it is a feast for the… More
I don't think I have ever seen a film with more, glitter, sparkles, twinkles, frills and gilded over-the-top spectacle as in Hello Dolly. Simply the most extravagent Hollywood musical I have ever had the pleasure to feast my eyes on. And that is exactly what it is a feast for the eyes, from the epically spectacular songs to the huge sets and countless extras, Dolly is impressive. It is also so very sweet so much so that it is almost bitter, everything is so pretty and colourful. But Streisand steals the show with her amazing voice that never takes a breath. This film, made in 69, is really where old hollywood ends but it goes out with a bang!
jay n

Barbra is decades too young, it would be perfect for her now, but its still fun in its gaudy overstuffed way.
Randy T

My mom had a habit of dropping us kids off at the theater on Saturday afternoons so she could get in a little "me-time" while the three of us watched a movie. On this particular Saturday, we were the only three people in the theater. That could be because small-town, USA… More
My mom had a habit of dropping us kids off at the theater on Saturday afternoons so she could get in a little "me-time" while the three of us watched a movie. On this particular Saturday, we were the only three people in the theater. That could be because small-town, USA simply was uncultured and unsophisticated, or it could be that this movie sucked big giant ostrich eggs. You decide.
Morgan S

I had NOO Idea that Barbra Streisand could sing like that! wow...She was great in the role of Dolly just the way she is all of the time! Micheal Crawford was very good as well. He AND his chicken legs! haha. I've been listening to him as the Phantom ever sense I was 5 and now… More
I had NOO Idea that Barbra Streisand could sing like that! wow...She was great in the role of Dolly just the way she is all of the time! Micheal Crawford was very good as well. He AND his chicken legs! haha. I've been listening to him as the Phantom ever sense I was 5 and now SEEING him and how he ACTS just makes me laugh and realize he must have great range! I love how he kinda stops and sucks in his lower lip, its just soo cute! '' Apart from Gene Kelly being a great actor he is also a very good director. Watching all these dance numbers i just think "ahhh i would be dying on the floor after the first 3 minutes" Exelent dance numbers.
Sarah B

Barbra Streisand vehicle. Probably got a whole new set of fans after Wall-E, can't see why it was included though. Wall-E had a good reason to watch it, we haven't. Michael Crawford is in it though...