yes, it takes a woman, to bring you the sweet things in life

HELLO DOLLY makes me cry.  I’ve been watching it all morning, and when Barbra Streisand thanks her dead husband for sending her a sign, letting her know it’s okay to shack up with Walter Matthau, I have to fix my eye makeup.  "Money, pardon the expression, is like manure.  You’ve got to spread it around, encouraging young things to grow."  Dolly can do anything she sets her mind to.  She’s humor, vulnerability, and wit.  She’s real.  And she’s a redhead.  In an instant, a moment, I am gloriously in love with this musical.  It’s a story of a woman going for what she wants.  As compulsive and over the top as she can be, in the end, you fall in love with her, for her ability to know and get what she wants just by being true to herself.

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COMMENTS:

  1. Sorry to lurch off-topic in the first post but I SAW STEPHANIE YESTERDAY! It was amazing (excuse me if this isn't proper etiquette for citing sightings but it was just so . . . exciting). I hadn't even heard of 'Greek Tragedy' until the NYT article but have fallen for it hard and deep since then. And I just had a feeling I was going to see her and I did! I was walking down Broadway singing the Triumph the Insult Dog song (quietly) on the way to the movies and there was Linus! And at the end of his leash was Stephanie! Just to reinforce a point often made, she is GORGEOUS, better looking even than the pictures on the site. I was, as I always am on such occasions, completely dumbstruck and didn't say a word, just passed by in silent admiration. But it was great, it really was, it really really really was. OK, now back to your regularly-scheduled topic, already in progress . . .

  2. "Heartburn," with Meryl Streep. The key lime pie in the last scene. In fact, really the whole damn movie. Makes me cry every time, but not the kind of weepy, feel lonely kind of cry that a lot of "girl" movies inspire. The excellent, inspired kind of cry–where you're crying, but thinking, "Fuck yeah."

  3. Dolly, the cloned sheep?
    She has done a movie? Intersting.
    I'm a bit sad cause you've censored a previous comment of mine without apparent reasons. I only wrote I like this blog.
    Please dont delete this, I really like Barbra Streisand (but I am not gay!).

  4. oh kathryn. "heartburn". one guy's perspective. the scene where they're eating spaghetti in bed, it was just so friendly, so fun, so close, so romantic, so youandme. my wife thought it was just perfect, that oh, WE should do that. and we did, we watched something or other, some northern exposure episodes we had taped. and it WAS friendly, and fun, close and romantic, sheandi, herandme, us. she thought it was just perfect. was. "was" perfect. no way, my eyes aren't shiny, that's not a lump in my throat, and no, i don't wanna watch a movie right now,okay…i'm gonna go for a walk…oh man, it sure is monday…

  5. I prefer the femme fatales…not that this is really related. These women don't make me cry. But Barbra Stanwyk in Double Indemnity is pure sultriness…and a scheming bitch. I love it. That's what I need…a woman like that to take my hubris down 5 notches, and make me fight hard to bring it back up higher than ever before. She'll help, of course…break me down and build me back up stronger than before. And I'll carry her shopping bags, of course…

  6. The movie Fall – it's an amazing and heartbreaking love story. I can watch it again and again and never tire of it. The ending always makes me cry – sometimes more than others. It's hardly typical, the ending wrenching, but there's hope. It's my hello dolly.

  7. unfortunatley i've never seen hello dolly but refer to your emotions about it, to me it's funny girl. by the way: did you know that walther didn't like – no he hated it to play hello dolly with b.streisand? he hated her and everything that you love on her….

    (this is a german woman from germany/europe writing after she read an article in the new yorks time about you and your blog. but this woman hasnt yet read all your blog and so she tries to give you a hello stephanie from oversea) (you're damn goodlooking so whats wrong??? ;-))

  8. unfortunatley i've never seen hello dolly but refer to your emotions about it, to me it's funny girl. by the way: did you know that walther didn't like – no he hated it to play hello dolly with b.streisand? he hated her and everything that you love on her….

    (this is a german woman from germany/europe writing after she read an article in the new yorks time about you and your blog. but this woman hasnt yet read all your blog and so she tries to give you a hello stephanie from oversea) (you're damn goodlooking so whats wrong??? ;-))

  9. Speaking of Matthau and the Bad News Bears (and conceding that this question is WAY off point), does anyone know if the current directors had the balls to put in the types of lines that appeared in the original (such as this dandy: "All we got on this team are a buncha Jews, spics, niggers, pansies, and a booger-eatin' moron!").

    I do not plan to see the film because I do not want to spoil my childhood memories of the original (just as I have no intention of seeing the Dukes of Hazzard — still one of my all time favorite TV shows). But, I nevertheless am curious as to the level of PC-ness that has snuck into films these days.

  10. If someone sees me, I wish you'd just say hi. I promise I won't bite. Linus, however, is another story. Just the same, say, "Hi." It's nice.

  11. Walter Matthau reminds me of my old next door neighbor. I have always been a fan of his, especially as Mr. Buttermaker in the Bad News Bears. I can't wait to see the remake, but totally void of the remake is the famous Chico's Bail Bonds Sponsorship on the back of their uniforms that made them so lovable.

  12. When I was a freshman in college, my suitemates had never seen dolly. i took it upon myself to educate them and they loved it! (surprising no one of course) My girls and I walked around quoting and making jokes to our fellow "dollysts" for months afterward. Fun Times

  13. I don't cry at movies and I don't have a particular soft spot for Streisand (The album cover with her wearing a Superman t shirt and tube socks still gives me the willies) but if you haven't seen "The Unsinkable Molly Brown' starring Debbie Reynolds or Bernadette Peters in 'Annie Get Your Gun' then you have missed out on some of my favorite magic stage and screen moments.

  14. I have to agree with the crew. I love "The Way We Were". I also love Sabrina (old and new version).. Memories….LOL

  15. I love "The way we were" too, and "Breakfast at Tiffany's".
    American movies are great and unique.

  16. greetings from milan, italy.
    i read about your site on a newspaper.
    i can't understand all the things you write,
    but i enjoyed the visit.
    ciaooooo

  17. When I was younger I'd rent Funny Girl and watch it everytime I had a boy break my heart. I'd just tell myself: if Babs can make it so can I.

  18. "Hello Dolly" has been my favorite musical since I was a little girl! It has music that makes you want to dance and characters you root for, even when they're exaspirating (ahem, Horace). It's too warm and emotional to be cliche, even though a less experienced matchmaker than Dolly could figure how things would work out in the end. :-) Dolly is the kind of girl you want to be chums with and have on your side — bright and charismatic, she tells people what to think and how to feel with such subtlety and good intentions it's charming instead of annoying.

  19. But Steph, what if we are only in NYC for a couple of days on vacation and we don't know where to accidently see you? I'm assuming you won't be at the statue of Liberty or catching a performance of "Spamalot"…

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