thornton wilder play about a matchmaking busy body name dolly levi in 1880s yonkers and new york who have be hire to find a mate for a wealthy and grumpy business owner while she comically attempt to keep him for herself and while the gal he admire be quickly fall for one of his own employee . the late stage ( and film ) musical hello and dolly . actually improve upon this scenario there be pause here which practically call out for a song but there evident charm in shirley booth lead portrayal while at time address the audience directly ( with many of the player follow suit ) and booth sound a lot like thelma ritter ( and have some of ritter spunk ) and but she doesn not get her share of the good line . scene of dolly get a wedding ring stuck on her finger or delightedly finding men hide in shirley maclaine hat shop do not really come off . booth be friendly but frivolous and and we never quite become involved in her quest to have a man this man in her life ( in the film version of hello and dolly . and barbra streisand be much more persuasive about her need to share her life with a mate even if it be walter matthau . ) . the film flutter about in a jolly and folksy way and but some of it gag ( such a anthony perkins and robert morse have to dress in drag ) be just silly . it begin and finish on an upbeat note and but the leaden handling drag it midsection down and even though the cast be quite good . from .