That Fosse was in tip-top form in this movie was confirmed by mega dancer Barrie Chase, who after attending the screening stated in no uncertain terms concerning Fosse’s performance, “Bobby never danced better. Film’s most renowned number in “Eileen” is the testosterone-charged “Alley Dance,” in which Fosse challenges, and to my eye, outdances the estimable Rall, making the number an illustration of the future dancing with the past. As time progresses, Ruth collects a lot of rejection slips and Eileen fails to secure any auditions. From a play: My Sister Eileen by Joseph Fields and Jerome Chodorov. They become acquainted with their neighbor Ted Loomis, an athlete who lives with his fiancée Helen. Thanks for your comment, Michael. As he rushes off for vacation, he counsels her to write about things she knows rather than the artificial stories she had sent him. Based on a novel, the original “My Sister Eileen” premiered in 1942 starring Rosalind Russell as Ruth and Janet Blair as Eileen. Betty Garrett, Janet Leigh, Bob Fosse and Tommy Rall perform "Give Me a Band and My Baby" (choreographed by Fosse) in the 1955 film, MY SISTER EILEEN It doesn’t look like his work at all. Film. Even the musical numbers had to be positioned at different places in the storyline.[3]. Visual Arts. In order to calm them down, Ruth and Eileen initiate a Conga line, which rapidly evolves into a wild dance party in the street that draws the attention of the police, and everyone is arrested. . Ruth claims her sister is simply a product of her imagination and the experiences she described actually are her own. Soda fountain manager Frank Lippencott lends her a sympathetic ear and offers his assistance, assuring her many theatrical people eat at the counter. Bob returns from vacation and meets with Ruth to tell her his favorite stories are about Eileen and her romantic misadventures. Ruth is, by her own account, a rather buxom young girl, to her sister's delicate beauty. Writers: Blake Edwards; Richard Quine. First up was KISS ME KATE (MGM, 1953), the Hollywood version of the Broadway show, an uneven and lumbering film despite its marvelous Cole Porter score (including the soaring “Wunderbar“). who generates the most amusement and upholds the tarnished dignity of males. The film tells of two naive Ohio sisters settling in Greenwich Village to pursue their dream careers in the big city. My Sister Eileen is a 1955 American CinemaScope comedy musical film directed by Richard Quine. by Carrie Dunn - Sep 16, 2015. Screenwriter/director Richard Quine, who had portrayed Frank Lippincott in the 1940 stage play and the 1942 screen adaptation,[3] originally cast Judy Holliday in the role of Ruth Sherwood. [2] Because the film couldn't bear any resemblance to Wonderful Town, a studio attorney was assigned to make sure there were no similarities between the two. My Sister Eileen ran for 866 performances and in 1942 it was filmed by Columbia, with Rosalind Russell gaining an Oscar nomination for her expertly timed portrayal of Ruth. 10 iconic movie-musical dances, according to a Broadway choreographer. / Street Date June 19, 2018 / Available from the Twilight Time Movies Store / 29.95 Starring: Janet Leigh, Jack Lemmon, Betty Garrett, Bob Fosse, Kurt Kasznar, Dick York, Lucy Marlow, … It … What's more, she can dance and sing. Intrigued, Bob asks her for a date, but Ruth declines, and later tells Eileen she finds him dull and unattractive. In 1953, Joseph A. My Sister Eileen Blu-ray Twilight Time 1955 / Color / 2:55 widescreen / 108 min. As far as musical remakes of dramas and comedies go, this one is pretty bad. Choreographer Nick Winston On LET'S DANCE AGAIN. Directed by Richard Quine. A lightweight musical w/o much of a plot (2 small town women try to make it in New Yawk) but still interesting for a coupla reasons. Genres: Musical, Comedy, Romance. [8], For the 1942 film starring Rosalind Russell, see, Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mamma's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feelin' So Sad, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=My_Sister_Eileen_(1955_film)&oldid=994446163, Pages using infobox film with unknown empty parameters, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 15 December 2020, at 19:37. Not confirming or denying, just sayin’. Ruth is pursued by the Brazilian naval cadets, who have misunderstood her intent in meeting their ship. The Technicolor My Sister Eileen (1955) is the musical film based on the Ruth McKenney stories that inspired the earlier movie comedy My Sister Eileen (1942) and the Broadway musical Wonderful Town. When the two, in a scene of mad seduction, sing "It's Bigger Than You and Me," the breadth of the spoof is established and the high point of the comedy is reached. Thus, in short order My Sister Eileen would seem as irrelevant as Moon Over Miami. You may like to read my description of Robert Alton’s style which is on display in “Best Things.” Description here: https://artsmeme.com/2018/07/21/hollywoods-hardest-hit-on-white-christmas-1954-the-dancers/. My Sister Eileen Broadway in 1940 - My Sister Eileen . Plucky, starry-eyed sisters Ruth (Garrett) and Eileen (Leigh) leave Ohio and move to New York to seek their fortunes. 1953 : 5 (0) Kiss Me Kate Choreographer, Actor . Upon arrival at the theater, they discover it is a burlesque house where striptease is the main attraction. Meanwhile, Eileen meets Frank Lippencott (Bob Fosse, who also handles the choreography for this film), also offering to help her with her career. And his off-hand maneuvering around Miss Garrett to shatter her resistance is grand. When they proved to be too costly, he decided to hire Jule Styne and Leo Robin to write a different score. My Sister Eileen (Original, Play, Comedy, Broadway) opened in New York City Dec 26, 1940 and played through Jan 16, 1943. Thus, in short order My Sister Eileen would seem as irrelevant as Moon Over Miami. My Sister Eileen. My Sister Eileen is a book of stories of two sisters from Ohio in the 1920s and 30s and the shenanigans they get into. It is in anamorphic widescreen format with audio tracks in English and Portuguese and subtitles in Japanese. What sources are those sources? A fun technicolor musical and childhood favourite. Mortified, Eileen rushes out. Directed by: Richard Quine. Dance history happened when Fosse, then a contract dancer working for choreographer Hermes Pan, got the go-ahead to fashion his own duet with Carol Haney for “From This Moment On.” A choreographer was born. . Ruth aspires to be a writer, while Eileen hopes to achieve success as an actress. Starring: Janet Leigh, Bob Fosse, Betty Garrett, Jack Lemmon. He thought "some Bob Fosse choreography and Jule Styne–Leo Robin songs wittily capture the Village esprit" but felt the subplot involving Lemmon was "alarmingly chauvinistic." My Sister Eileen is a 1942 American comedy film directed by Alexander Hall and starring Rosalind Russell, Brian Aherne and Janet Blair.The screenplay by Joseph A. Aspiring writer Ruth Sherwood (Betty Garrett) moves to New York with her man-magnet sister, Eileen (Janet Leigh). The Brazilian Consul intervenes on their behalf, and the girls return home to pack their belongings. A little over a year after the film's release, Garrett and Parks replaced Judy Holliday and Sydney Chaplin, respectively, on Broadway for a month in the smash hit Comden-Green-Styne musical Bells Are Ringing. My Sister Eileen (22-Sep-1955) Director: Richard Quine. The original Broadway production of My Sister Eileen opened on Dec 26, 1940. Another film I first saw on B&W TV during a sweltering summer at my grandmother’s in Spanish Harlem, My Sister Eileen left so little impression on me in 1972 I had virtually no memory of it. He invites her to dinner to discuss the publication of a story, and when he tries to kiss her she runs off, suggesting she may be less experienced than her stories suggest. Welcome to arts•meme, the fine-arts blog founded in 2008 by arts journalist Debra Levine. My Sister Eileen Scripters have turned out a simplified filmusical, in that the tunes and dances come naturally to situations and are not overly staged. is particularly nimble on her legs — and for which Mr. Styne and Mr. Robin have dished up some apt and lively songs . Jan 22, 2012. A choreographer was born. Three Stooges brief appearance at the end of the movie "My Sister Eileen". My Sister Eileen is a 1955 American CinemaScope comedy musical film directed by Richard Quine. They live in a basement apartment in Greenwich Village with an assortment of oddball tenants as they pursue success and romance. Dance. This is the film that started my life long love affair with the wonderful Jack Lemmon, that introduced me to the wonderful charm and comedic talents of Betty Garrett (to be further explored when I discovered her other films eg. "[7], Sony Pictures Home Entertainment released the film on Region 1 DVD on February 22, 2005. A cast of sincere character actors — Janet Leigh, Betty Garrett, Jack Lemon, Fosse, and Tommy Rall — populate the world of “Eileen.” And they give full throttled commitment to Fosse in his first major film-choreography credit. Every thing to the contrary must be proven. screened on August 25, 2018 at UCLA Film & Television Archive’s “Fosse, Fosse, Fosse!” retrospective. 'My Sister Eileen' is just what the doctor ordered. My Sister Eileen (22-Sep-1955) Director: Richard Quine. Unaware it was Chick, who made the call in order to ensure being alone with Eileen, she rushes off. [4] The musical sequences were choreographed by Bob Fosse, who played Frank Lippincott in the film. subscribe | contact us | advertise | terms of use | privacy | design by i*net systems© 2021 arts•meme — All Rights Reserved. With Janet Leigh, Jack Lemmon, Betty Garrett, Bob Fosse. Lemmon is charming and even sings a song, but dancers Bob Fosse and Tommy Rail steal the show with their amazing choreography. Subscribe. It stars Janet Leigh, Betty Garrett, and Jack Lemmon. My Sister Eileen focuses on Ruth and Eileen Sherwood, sisters from Ohio who moved to New York City to pursue their respective careers. Sparse but colorful location footage adds to “Eileen”‘s period charm. In fact Miss Garrett is okay in shining letters . When the actress got into a contract dispute with the studio, she was replaced by Betty Garrett, who had been essentially, but not officially, blacklisted due to her marriage to Larry Parks, a one-time member of the Communist Party, who had been forced to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee. title details and video sharing options. Ruth has a letter of introduction to Bob Baker, editor-in-chief of Mad Hatter magazine. Helen sees Ted comforting Eileen, and mistakenly assumes the worst. According to Kevin Boyd Grubb in Razzle Dazzle: The Life and Work of Bob Fosse, "Fosse's choreography bolstered even the weaker songs" in My Sister Eileen. Skip to main content Skip to footer site map. with the Isadora Duncan Dance Company, https://artsmeme.com/2018/07/21/hollywoods-hardest-hit-on-white-christmas-1954-the-dancers/. It also has Bob Fosse in his first position as the film’s primary choreographer. Bob's secretary is certain Ruth's stories are not as autobiographical as she claims. Her way with a line is homicidal. Editor Bob Baker (Jack Lemmon) helps them along and choreographer Bob Fosse (working on his first feature-length assignment) co-stars as one of Eileen's (many) love interests. Sign up here! The choreographer of that film was Robert Alton. . The following day, Ruth receives a phone call asking her to cover the arrival of the Brazilian Navy for the local paper. Its success on Broadway prompted Harry Cohn, head of Columbia Pictures, which had released the 1942 screen adaptation of the play, to seek the film rights to the musical. Twilight Time announced that they will release the film on blu-ray on June 19, 2018. Back My Sister Eileen. My Sister Eileen is a series of autobiographical short stories by Ruth McKenney, originally published in The New Yorker, which eventually inspired many other works: My Sister Eileen (a 1938 book), a play, a musical, a radio play (and an unproduced radio series), two motion pictures, and a CBS television series in the 1960–1961 season. . . Witty Ruth and pretty Eileen Sherwood, sisters from Columbus, Ohio, relocate to New York City and settle in a rundown basement studio apartment in a Greenwich Village building owned by Papa Appopolous. Bob arrives at the apartment, professes his love for Ruth, and tells her he is publishing her stories. "[6], In his review of the DVD release of the film, Steve Daly of Entertainment Weekly graded it B. my sister eileen delivers very well in terms of quirky dance numbers, with absurdly complex choreography, of easily forgettable, but happiness-inducing songs, and of atmosphere, by using the new york of dreamers who are trying to "make it" as a backdrop. Mr. Lemmon is a charming comedy actor, getting more so in each successive film. IMDb, the world's most popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content. A classic musical based on "My Sister Eileen" by Joseph Fields and Jerome Chodorov. Our light & fun newsletter arrives in your in-box every three weeks. Fields and Jerome Chodorov is based on their 1940 play of the same title, which was inspired by a series of autobiographical short stories by Ruth McKenney originally published in The New Yorker. (This musical film is totally different from the 1953 Broadway musical Wonderful Town, though both are based on the original Ruth McKenney source material.). Fosse’s choreography suits their abilities, showcasing their impeccable style and strengths. meme‘s Debra Levine, despite delivering a talk, “Bob Fosse, Dancer,” prior to the two movie musicals (both named for ladies!) On The Town). [She] has the proper skepticism and the right desperation for the role. Audience Reviews for My Sister Eileen. Music. 1955 : 8 (0) Give a Girl a Break Actor . Biography Probably the most accomplished and well-known director/choreographer who ever lived, Bob Fosse first gained notice as a choreographer/performer in such films as Kiss Me Kate (1953) and My Sister Eileen (1955). Ted asks the girls if he can stay with them while Helen's mother visits and Eileen agrees despite Ruth's uncertainty. Frank is in love with her but, mistakenly thinking Ted lives with the girls, accuses Eileen of being a bohemian and departs. In My Sister Eileen—overall a weak film when compared with Leonard Bernstein's theatrical version of the same materials in Wonderful Town—the two become rivals, each trying to outdo the other in an attempt to woo Eileen (Janet Leigh). Then came the discovery of the evening: how delightful, lithe, appealing, and talented a star in a major speaking role was Robert Louis Fosse, aka Bob, in MY SISTER EILEEN (1955). [5], As Soon As They See Eileen — Performed by Betty Garrett, I'm Great — Performed by Betty Garrett, Janet Leigh, Kurt Kaszner and Dick York, There's Nothin' Like Love — Performed by Bob Fosse and Janet Leigh, It's Bigger Than You and Me — Performed by Jack Lemmon, Give Me a Band and My Baby — Performed by Betty Garrett, Janet Leigh, Bob Fosse and Tommy Rall, Conga — Performed by Betty Garrett, Janet Leigh, Kurt Kaszner and the Brazilian Navy, Bosley Crowther of The New York Times observed, "Happily let it be stated that Miss Garrett and Miss Leigh are okay. In the early 1950's, he was a dancer and actor in several films, including ''Kiss Me Kate'' and ''My Sister Eileen.'' Alton also choreographed “Choreography,” “Mandy,” “Love, You Didn’t Do Right by Me” and more. Footnote: Not to belabor but for the record: artsmeme restates its concurrence with the Verdon Fosse Legacy that Bob Fosse had no involvement — as dancer, choreographer, choreographer’s assistant, or dance-in — in White Christmas. These are essential talents in this production, in which Miss Leigh . The flick, a Columbia Pictures adaptation of the source material of Broadway’s “Wonderful Town,” with new (and markedly forgettable) songs by Jule Styne and Leo Robin, followed the 1942 Rosalind Russell version also made at Columbia. It stars Janet Leigh, Betty Garrett, and Jack Lemmon. Not a wrong move.”, The movie’s finale (spoiler alert) is a hilarious encounter between Betty Garrett and a platoon of Brazilian sailors, staged by Fosse as Keystone Kops comedy, in which the gorgeous-hunk Brazilians are set ablaze by a single word, “Conga!”. Chick comes to the apartment, and is thrown out by Ted when Eileen needs help fending off the reporter's advances. IMDb, the world's most popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content. The Twilight Time Blu-ray of My Sister Eileen is a stunningly good encoding of a movie that was rediscovered in the 1990s when it came out on letterboxed laserdisc — previously it had been an unwatchable grainy pan-scan mess, chopped up with TV commercials. My Sister Eileen is gay and bouncing. I appreciate McKenney's sense of humor most of the time. Aldo Ray turned down his part of Ted as being too small and it was given to Dick York, a Columbia contract star. My Sister Eileen (Original, Play, Comedy, Broadway) opened in New York City Dec 26, 1940 and played through Jan 16, 1943. It stars Janet Leigh, Betty Garrett, and Jack Lemmon. The play originally was filmed in 1942. Another film I first saw on B&W TV during a sweltering summer at my grandmother’s in Spanish Harlem, My Sister Eileen left so little impression on me in 1972 I had virtually no memory of it. 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