Dolly Levi age range.- Page 2

[humbugfoto]

Posted: 8/8/10 at 12:31am

"Look at the old girl now, fellas!" certainly doesn't apply to a 26 year old woman, and not even a 36 year old woman.

And I always got the impression that Ephraim left her comfortably well off?

[jimmycurry01]

Posted: 8/8/10 at 2:12pm

You've never heard a 36 year old woman refer to herself as an old girl, especially while being nostalgic? You must not have many female friends in their 30s.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 8/8/10 at 2:26pm

humbug - you need to go back and read the script -- Dolly has lines like - 'If you live hand-to-mouth, you have to be ambidextrous." Ephraim did not leave her comfortably well off. She probably puts on a good show for appearances but she definitely has to work to make her living. She's not a matchmaker simply out of the goodness of her heart.

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/8/10 at 7:03pm

Don't forget, The Matchmaker was Ruth Gordon on Broadway and Shirley Booth in the film. They were definitely women of "a certain age."

I agree with those who say Streisand looked older an more matronly in the film. She was also either pregnant with Jason, or had just had him before they started shooting. That's why she's not necessarily fat, but definitely "thicker" around the middle. Chalk it up to motherhood. Had she played the part a year earlier or a year later, she might have looked "too young" for it. I think she looks at least 5-10 years younger in "What's Up Doc?" --- a movie she made five years AFTER "Dolly." But I always think corsets and upturned, high hairdos make younger women look older anyway.

I'm probably in the minority when I say I adore the film version. I find it delightful, sort of existing in its own "ice cream sundae" reality. Makes me smile every time I watch it. And I like the entire cast. Whatever horrible off-screen tension existed between Streisand and Matthau doesn't show on film to me. They are terrific together, and very funny! Great chemistry. I chalk that up to two professionals, who knew how to put their personal feelings aside when the cameras were rolling.

Some film musicals haven't aged as well as I hoped they would. "Dolly" has actually aged really well.

Anyway, back to the topic at hand: Mrs. Levi should be mid 30s to mid 40s. If she's younger, her emotions seem a bit silly and overwrought, especially the "parade passes by" bit. If she's older, it can easily lean into "camp."

More so than it already does, that is. :)

[aspiringactress]

Posted: 8/8/10 at 8:37pm

Somewhere between mid-30s and early 50s.

Also, part of the joke of her handing out those business cards is that she's desperate for work. So no, she's not comfortable thanks to Ephraim's money.

I hadn't seen the show for so long, and just went to see a youth theatre production (because my brother was playing Barnaby) and was reminded what a lovely show it is...it makes me so happy!

[Edna Turnblad]

Posted: 8/8/10 at 9:48pm

I also adore the movie. I decided to watch it on Netflix last year, and couldn't bet enough of it!

[nobodyhome]

Posted: 8/9/10 at 2:09am

"Don't forget, The Matchmaker was Ruth Gordon on Broadway and Shirley Booth in the film. They were definitely women of 'a certain age.' "

Who forgot? Gordon's been mentioned in this thread, though Booth wasn't.

+++++++

In The Merchant of Yonkers and The Matchmaker, there's no reason to believe that Ephraim was particularly well off. Dolly's never been to the Harmonia Gardens. It's a fancy place she's heard about.

That's one reason why Hal Prince turned down Hello, Dolly! Merrick asked him to direct it at some point before Champion was asked (or at least before Champion signed on), probably because he'd directed a production of The Matchmaker that Merrick had possibly seen or at least heard good things about.

But he turned it down because he didn't understand why the waiters were singing about how happy they were to have Dolly back where she belongs when she'd never been there before.

Updated On: 8/9/10 at 02:09 AM

[bryan2]

Posted: 8/9/10 at 3:02pm

I loved Barbra in the movie even if she was way way miscast
Does anyone remember her name was Dolly Gallagher Levi
a nice irish woman....seems a stretch for Babs to pull off
but the singing was superb!

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 8/9/10 at 3:15pm

I may be wrong, but I think in the film of HELLO DOLLY she is only ever referred to as "Dolly Levi" - I think they eliminated her 'Gallagher' roots in light of Streisand's casting..

[bryan2]

Posted: 8/9/10 at 4:40pm

They did drop the Gallagher

[JOak]

Posted: 8/9/10 at 5:22pm

Samantha Spiro at 41 won this year Best Actress in a Musical Olivier for playing Dolly. The revival she starred in was competing against the current ALNM and won best revival.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 8/9/10 at 5:30pm

I believe that the sentiment is that she and Ephraim LIVED and therefore there was no money to speak of when he died.

[JOak]

Posted: 8/9/10 at 5:38pm

Dolly wants to marry Vandergelder so she can spread his money around helping people. She was taught this by Ephraim who used to say: "Money, pardon the expression, is like manure. It's not worth a thing unless it's spread around encouraging young things to grow."

In conclusion: Dolly's poor.

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/9/10 at 6:10pm

Yeah, I always got the feeling that Dolly (in the musical) and Ephraim Levi had money but spent it. For all we know, he left her with a pile of debts or at least not well off. She went to work doing anything and everything she could to earn a living (and was very clever about it, too). We at least can assume by the fuss at the Harmonia Gardens that she frequented the place at a time in her life when she had money. They all adore her and are "glad to see her back where she belongs."

While I think of it ... I actually love this story.