Hello, Dolly!

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Hello, Dolly!

G

Released Dec 12, 1969

2h 26m

Musical

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

43%

Tomatometer

30 Reviews

76%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

In 1890s New York City, the bold and enchanting widow Dolly Levi (Barbra Streisand) is a socialite-turned-matchmaker. Her latest clients seeking assistance are the cantankerous half-a-millionaire Horace Vandergelder (Walter Matthau) and a young artist named Ambrose (Tommy Tune), who is in love with Horace's niece, Ermengarde (Joyce Ames). Dolly's scheming soon involves Horace's employees as well as a New York hatmaker, as she tries to cover up her own secret romantic designs.

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Critics Consensus

Though Streisand charms, she's miscast as the titular middle-aged widow in Gene Kelly's sluggish and over-produced final directorial effort.

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TIME Staff

TIME Magazine

It relies almost exclusively on the celebrated eyes, ears, nose and throat of Streisand. Her musicianship remains irreproachable. But her mannerisms are so arch and calculated that one half expects to find a key implanted in her back.

Apr 2, 2019

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David Parkinson

Empire Magazine

Emphasis has been placed on extravaganza, when it should really have been placed on getting good performances out of a talented cast.

Rated: 3/5

Apr 2, 2019

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Pat Graham

Chicago Reader

Gene Kelly directed, a long way from Terpsichore apparently, though not, alas, from the Thanksgiving turkey.

Mar 26, 2019

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John Huddy

Miami Herald

An old fashioned, rousing musical with some of the most spectacular singing and dancing numbers ever filmed.

Jun 16, 2022

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Josh Larsen

LarsenOnFilm

...fares best with the ensemble dance numbers that elegantly combine group movement and individual footwork.

Rated: 2/4

Apr 2, 2019

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TV Guide Staff

TV Guide

It's an exercise in star turns, surrounded by elephantine blandness.

Mar 26, 2019

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Doug J

So great to be able to watch this over the top movie musical on a big screen with great projection and sound. The film is much better than I remember it.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/11/25

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nancy b

Sorry Barbra fans but this movie is truly awful. Bloated, sluggish, and interminable. It has none of the charm of the original Matchmaker play and movie or of the Broadway Hello Dolly. In this movie, Dolly Levi is without wit or kindness. The dance sequences are turgid. Not the same Dolly embodied marvelously by Ruth Gordon, Shirley Booth, and Carole Channing. Skip it.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

08/06/25

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Kaden D

A very fun movie and worth a watch and listen. Update: Even better with a second watch.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

04/28/25

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Rob G

My 15 yr old just wanted to watch this. She's into theatre for her high school and loves all things Broadway. I will admit, it was much better than I had hoped going in. Very good way to spend a couple of hours. Didn't really know much going in. One pleasant surprise was to 'discover' this was the film that Wall-E is so fascinated with in that Pixar film. Took me almost until the end to figure that out.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

04/21/25

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Eye C

Wow I love this one, Mrs. Streisand singing is like silk for my ears, just amazing. Hard not to think now about Wall-E. If there’s something wrong with this movie it’s the length nothing else.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

04/07/25

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ForDiscordOnly

For a movie made in the 60's, this aged well. The songs are catchy. The acting is funny.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

12/10/23

Full Review

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Gene Kelly

Director

Barbra Streisand

Dolly Levi

Walter Matthau

Horace Vandergelder

Michael Crawford

Cornelius Hackl

Marianne McAndrew

Irene Molloy

E.J. Peaker

Minnie Fay

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Synopsis

In 1890s New York City, the bold and enchanting widow Dolly Levi (Barbra Streisand) is a socialite-turned-matchmaker. Her latest clients seeking assistance are the cantankerous half-a-millionaire Horace Vandergelder (Walter Matthau) and a young artist named Ambrose (Tommy Tune), who is in love with Horace's niece, Ermengarde (Joyce Ames). Dolly's scheming soon involves Horace's employees as well as a New York hatmaker, as she tries to cover up her own secret romantic designs.

Director: Gene Kelly
Producer: Ernest Lehman
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Production Co: 20th Century Fox, Chenault Productions
Rating: G
Genre: Musical, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 12, 1969, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 1, 2013
Runtime: 2h 26m
Sound Mix: Surround

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