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Hello, Dolly!

The winner of four Academy Awards in the categories of Best Sound, Music, Score, and Art Direction, it's clear that Gene Kelly's "Hello, Dolly!" was nothing if not a spectacle of colorful costumes and set decoration, complete with the sassy intrigue and lush vocals of actress/singer Barbra Streisand in the titular role of Dolly Levi. As Levi, Streisand projects an outlandish candor as the self-proclaimed matchmaker who trapses around Yonkers, New York in search of someone in need, never once really thinking about her own lack of a love interest. That is, until we meet Horace Vandergelder (Walter Matthau), the tyrannical shopkeeper who'll hear nothing of a possible marriage to Levi, which, as we know in musicals, always leads to a number of songs, dances, and dialogue exchanges as the spurned maiden attempts to win over her mate. ***

For what it's worth, I give director Kelly his due credit for his wonderful use of sets, costumes, props, and overall production design in evoking a charming-looking nostalgia for turn-of-the-century New York. There's not a single piece of fabric here that does not shine with the perfection of those who brought the film to life, all constructed with a great deal of care around musical numbers that have since become classics to the film's legion of fans. But for me, it's a matter of personal preference: in my opinion, the best musicals move me and shake me in new and surprising ways. Films like "The Sound of Music," "Moulin Rouge," and even moments in "West Side Story," are some of the best films ever made by man; "Hello, Dolly!" however well-made on a technical level it may be, doesn't quite do it for me as a film lover. ***

In trying to think of what it is exactly about the picture that puts me off, I came up short. There is a plot, yes, that which is thinly stretched to make room for the vast amount of musical numbers; but when you think about it, many musicals have such a structure, and so that explanation is ruled out. Then I considered the possibility that perhaps the reason I don't particularly prefer this film is because it doesn't end in tragedy; with the exception of "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers," most of the musicals I've seen have ended on a note of sadness or uplifting sorrow, whereas "Dolly!" is a straightaway confection throughout its entire. Maybe that makes me a masochist of sorts (everyone loves a good cry over a movie now and then, right?), but I'm not so sure that's reason enough to dislike a film. ***

And so I remain stumped. I admire "Hello, Dolly!" on the levels of technical achievements and visual appearance, and tout it as a well-structured musical that doesn't fail to deliver what genre enthusiasts expect. But for me, it's just not a personal favorite. --

A truly marvelous-looking transfer, fit for a dame like Dolly Levi! This 2.35:1 anamorphic has been struck from a source print that looks flawless, with almost no visible speckle or scratches, and a very minor amount of film grain. Colors are wonderfully reproduced and remastered to their original luster, especially reds and fleshtones; none of this is hampered by any bleeding or smearing. Contrast also looks great, with rock-solid blacks throughout, and shadow detail adds a good deal of depth to the image. Clarity is very nice here, too, with sharp edges that lack intrusive halos, even if they appear soft in a few places. This is, without a doubt, the finest this film has ever looked on home video, and perhaps ever. ***

The sound is mastered in Dolby 2.0 Stereo, and isn't as exciting as the image transfer. First the goods: sound effects that pass from right-to-left and left-to-right on the screen are imaged nicely in the front channels, and channel separation sounds pretty decent. Dialogue is natural-sounding enough to be pleasing, and the music is overall fairly good. But some of the numbers sound a bit indistinct when the high notes come into play, and the lack of surround envelopment is a disappointment. --