Rating: 
Summary: HELLO BARBRA
Review: In reading some of the reviews for this wonderful movie, I can only smile and say:
WHAT IS A MOVIE MUSICAL SUPPOSED TO BE?
Big, blustery, overblown, not realistic, after all how many people do you know that burst into song at a moment's notice? But HELLO DOLLY is pure and simple an extravagant musical.
TOO MANY SONGS AND DANCE NUMBERS?
Duh....what is a musical supposed to be?
WORST DANCE PRODUCTIONS?
I think this movie has some wonderful dancing, particularly by the waiters at the Harmonia Gardens. I guess some reviewers think the stuff done in FLASHDANCE or DIRTY DANCING is good dancing? Not in the same league folks.
BARBRA OVERCONTROLS?
She's the star, isn't she? And she does share some of the musical moments in the background---PUT ON YOUR SUNDAY CLOTHES, DANCING...etc.
Critics and reviewers have often criticized Babs as being "too young" for the role. Why should Dolly have been an old bat???
This movie was nominated for Best Picture in 1969, and over the years, many movie authorities have said it never should have been.
Well, I disagree. Its lavish sets and costumes, wonderful performances, a remarkably tuneful score and Barbra! This is a movie classic and only snobs would fault it for its extravagance!
Rating: 
Summary: Oh....what to say....what to say.....
Review: There are so many good things about this film, but also so many bad.
The music is wonderful...simply wonderful. And the choreography is not only notable, but frequently inspired. The casting in some instances is outstanding (Tommy Tune, Michael Crawford), and in others just totally wrong (the younger female supporting character).
And it has to be said....as much as I like Streisand (and I do), this was completely wrong for her. She was WAAAAY too young, and I just didn't feel her interpretation of the character was at all believable. It's apparent from the start that she was given the role only because she was the biggest star of the day.
Walter Matthau is one of my favorite actors, but in this film he just didn't seem to have the character fleshed out. It's probably the only film he made where I *never* liked his character.
And while Louis Armstrong is one of my favorite performers of all time, I will never know what he was doing in this movie. When he sings with Dolly Levi, and she actually refers to him as "Louis", my jaw dropped. Excuse me? "Louis" wasn't performing in the 19th century.
But the dancing, the music, and the great talents of Michael Crawford and Tommy Tune still make this a movie I like to catch on television once in awhile. Will it ever be on my own list of all-time favorite musicals? Not a chance.
Rating:
Summary: Great musical, Streisand again overcontrols
Review: Though the songs are wonderful, and the rest of the cast is exactly what I like in a Broadway musical, once again Streisand ruins it for me. Her constant need to upstage and control counteracts the Ensemble mood this piece needs to achieve. While Dolly is truly a memorable character and needs someone strong, the rest of the cast deserves their moment because they are all truly wonderful. I adore Horace: Walter Mathau is superb. Louis Armstrong is a perfect adition, and Barnabas and his buddy are comically appealing. I just would've loved to have seen this with someone willing to share the spotlight. Technically, BS is fine, but I never got the impression she felt any of the music. She never "became" Dolly, to me.
Rating:
Summary: Elephantitis
Review: By Streisand's own admission, she was too young in 1967 to have made a movie about an middle-aged woman making a personal "comeback"... and we all know how wonderfully different and marvelous the film would have been with Carol Channing... however, this does not take away from the fact that this is an incredible, lush, entertaining and musically rich film. The transfer to DVD is superb and crystal clear in picture and sound. The widescreen is anamorphic and color corrected. The only drawback is Walter Matteau's typical characterization which often detracts from the scenes he appears in, and his song "It takes a woman" is only saved by the beautiful setting and the male singers and dancers that accompany him. His voice really should have been dubbed by someone who could sing. Not to worry, Marianne McAndrew (who is stunningly beautiful) is a treasure in this film.... and her songs are wonderful (not sure if that is really hear voice, but its terrific). The sets are incredible and who wouldn't give anything to dine and dance at the Harmonia Gardens? The set designs, art direction, cinematography and costumes are exquisite.
Rating:
Summary: "I think he's been holdin' out on us."
Review: I would give this film two-and-a-half stars. This mega-expensive film adaptation of the enormously popular Broadway musical really intended to give it's audience a terrific time at the movies. Unfortunately, despite all of the ridiculously inflated production values and self-conscious grander, HELLO DOLLY remains a frustrating disappointment at best. There are occasional moments where the film does sparks to life, but sadly these scenes are few and far between. Part of the problem may actually be the original play on which the film is based, which, despite it's massive popularity, was pretty slight entertainment to begin with. Though the film was actually the fifth-highest grossing film of 1969, it was still unable to recover it's tremendous budget, and was viewed as a flop by the majority of the public.Of course, many people criticize the casting of the then-27-year-old Barbra Streisand as the widowed Dolly Levi, but her energetic and surprisingly layered performance is really the sole reason anyone even remembers this movie today. Walter Mathau is exceptable romantic foil, even though he and Streisand generate zero chemistry. The film wastes far too much screentime on Michael Crawford and Danny Loklin, who attempt to be a poor man's Laurel and Hardy, but really just wind up grating the nerves. And not only is poor Melanie McAndrew's singing absolutely dreadful, but this "young woman" actually looks older and more matronly than Streisand's supposedly middle-aged Dolly! Legendary actor/dancer Gene Kelly seems to be a bit lost in this, one of his later directorial efforts. Despite all the attempts the set designers and cinematographer have made to dazzle viewers with the sheer scope of the production design, Kelly's direction is oddly flat and uninspired - which leaves the movie with the feel of filmed theater production, rather than that of a full-fledged motion picture. This problem filters out to other aspects of the film, even the busy choreography - which involves some very difficult steps - comes off as more boring rather than exhilarating. That said, this overlong, underdeveloped film is watchable, but that's about all it is. About the DVD: While the film itself may be mediocre, the DVD transfer is phenomenal - vivid colors, razor-sharp details, and virtually no edge enhancement. The sound is also excellent, and although there aren't any newly-produced features, the trailer and featurette are nice additions.
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