"Hello, Dolly!" (1969)

Introduction

“Hello, Dolly!” (1969) is a lavish, sprawling adaptation of the 1964 Broadway musical of the same name, which was itself based on Thornton Wilder’s play The Matchmaker. Directed by musical legend Gene Kelly and starring the inimitable Barbra Streisand in only her second film role, the movie exemplifies the final flourish of Hollywood’s golden era of big-budget musicals.

While it debuted to mixed critical reception and struggled financially in the shadow of shifting cinematic tastes in the late 1960s, the film has since earned a reassessment. Today, Hello, Dolly! stands as a dazzling testament to the grandeur and optimism of classic movie musicals, buoyed by memorable performances, opulent production values, and an unforgettable soundtrack.

Plot Summary

Set in the vibrant New York of the 1890s, the story centres on Dolly Gallagher Levi (Barbra Streisand), a meddling and witty matchmaker and widow who sets her sights on finding a wife for the curmudgeonly Yonkers half-a-millionaire, Horace Vandergelder (Walter Matthau). Secretly, Dolly plans to marry Horace herself and takes several elaborate detours—including helping Horace’s employees, Cornelius Hackl (Michael Crawford) and Barnaby Tucker (Danny Lockin), find love and adventure in Manhattan.

With mistaken identities, romantic misadventures, and dazzling musical numbers, the plot unfolds as a classic farce with heart and grandeur, culminating in a joyous finale that sees all romantic entanglements resolved and Dolly stepping triumphantly back into the world of love.

Performances

Barbra Streisand as Dolly Levi

Barbra Streisand’s performance as Dolly Levi is the defining centrepiece of the film. At only 26 years old when cast, Streisand’s youth and energy infused the role with a fresh, comedic, and musical vitality, although it created a contrast to the stage role typically played by more mature actresses (such as Carol Channing).

She imbues Dolly with sharp intelligence, warmth, and commanding charisma. Her musical numbers, particularly “Put On Your Sunday Clothes,” “Before the Parade Passes By,” and the show-stopping title track “Hello, Dolly!” (sung with Louis Armstrong), showcase her exceptional vocal range and emotional expressiveness.

Despite some contemporary criticism that she was too young for the role, Streisand’s performance has since been reassessed as a dazzling star turn that mixes humour, pathos, and unmatched stage presence.

Walter Matthau as Horace Vandergelder

Walter Matthau brings gruff humour and comic irritation to Horace, although his reported off-screen tension with Streisand slightly informs his on-screen demeanour. Still, Matthau’s deadpan delivery and timing make him a solid, if somewhat reluctant, counterbalance to Dolly’s exuberance.

Michael Crawford and Supporting Cast

Michael Crawford (who would later gain fame as the original Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera) delivers a delightfully awkward and earnest performance as Cornelius Hackl. Danny Lockin, E.J. Peaker (as Minnie Fay), and Marianne McAndrew (as Irene Molloy) round out the supporting cast with energy and sweetness.

Special mention must go to Louis Armstrong, whose cameo singing “Hello, Dolly!” with Streisand is one of the film’s most iconic and joyful moments.

Direction and Production

Gene Kelly’s Direction

Gene Kelly, a master of movie musicals, brings his characteristic sense of scale, motion, and fluidity to the film. The choreography is spirited and grand, and the cinematography takes full advantage of the lavish sets and sweeping locales.

Kelly’s reverence for Broadway is clear, but he also utilizes the cinematic medium to expand the scale, moving beyond stage bound blocking to create dynamic, cinematic set pieces like the bustling “Put On Your Sunday Clothes” number aboard a moving train and the bustling streets of Yonkers and New York City.

Production Design and Costumes

The film’s production is breathtaking in its attention to period detail. Designed by John DeCuir, the sets—particularly the recreation of 1890s New York—are enormous and ornate. The Harmonia Gardens restaurant, with its sweeping staircase and art deco opulence, is the film’s visual centrepiece.

Irene Sharaff’s costumes are equally sumptuous, with eye-popping colours, elegant dresses, and top hats galore, giving the film its distinctive Gilded Age aesthetic.

Musical Score

Jerry Herman’s score remains one of Broadway’s most beloved, and the film adaptation does justice to it. Highlights include:

“Put On Your Sunday Clothes” – a joyous, full-cast number that captures the youthful optimism of the characters

“It Only Takes a Moment” – a tender love song that grounds the film emotionally

“Before the Parade Passes By” – a dramatic, emotionally stirring anthem of renewal

“Hello, Dolly!” – the centrepiece, delivered with dazzling flair by Streisand and Armstrong

The film’s arrangements and orchestrations by Lionel Newman and Lennie Hayton are grand, punchy, and lush, capturing the classic musical theatre energy on a cinematic scale.

Reception and Legacy

At the time of its release, Hello, Dolly! was met with mixed critical reviews and modest box office returns, partly due to changing audience tastes. The countercultural and experimental cinema of the late '60s—epitomized by Easy Rider and Midnight Cowboy—was beginning to eclipse the old-fashioned musical.

Still, Hello, Dolly! received seven Academy Award nominations, winning three Oscars (Best Art Direction, Best Score of a Musical Picture, and Best Sound). Despite its underwhelming box office, it has gained a cult following and nostalgic admiration over the decades.

It has also entered the pop culture consciousness in unexpected ways, such as its prominent inclusion in Pixar’s WALL·E (2008), where scenes and songs from Hello, Dolly! serve as a thematic touchstone for hope and human connection.

Criticism and Reassessment

While lavish and entertaining, the film’s length and pacing have been critiqued. Some scenes drag, and the film occasionally feels overly enamoured with its own grandeur. The chemistry between Streisand and Matthau, weakened by their real-life discord, feels somewhat forced.

However, modern viewers have increasingly come to appreciate the film’s joyful theatricality and craftsmanship. Streisand’s powerhouse performance is now more widely praised for its boldness and talent, and the film is viewed as one of the last great classical musicals of Hollywood’s studio era.

Conclusion

“Hello, Dolly!” is a sweeping, glittering celebration of musical theatre brought to life with cinematic gusto. While it arrived at the tail end of Hollywood’s musical golden age and initially struggled to find its footing, the film endures today as a beloved classic.

Its star, Barbra Streisand, lights up the screen with a performance that is bold, humorous, and vocally masterful. The production values are sumptuous, the music timeless, and the spirit infectious.

Though flawed in parts, Hello, Dolly! ultimately remains what it set out to be—a heartfelt, joyous spectacle that invites its audience to dress up, show up, and embrace life with both arms wide open.

A glorious, if imperfect, cinematic musical that captures the magic of Broadway with the flair of a Hollywood golden age epic.