Hello, Dolly!

Here's the film that, joined by DOCTOR DOOLITTLE and STAR!, sounded the death knell for the film musical, a stroke it still hasn't recovered from. It's also the film where Streisand allegedly slapped Matthau, and he slapped her back. But she had no problem bullying director Kelly: it's an exercise in star turns, surrounded by elephantine blandness. The supporting cast look, and act, like refugees from Disney or Oral Roberts University, handpicked not to ruffle the star. Whatever terrific future lay ahead for Tune and Crawford, you've no inkling of it from all the too cute mugging here. Not only is Streisand far too young (and it makes one weep to think of all the m...