February 21, 2008

...My Sister Eileen (1955)

Columbia Pictures made My Sister Eileen when their deal to buy the film rights to Wonderful Town, a Broadway musicalization of the play My Sister Eileen, became too expensive. They hired Jule Styne and Leo Robin and made this second musical from the same (slight) source material that is only effective when not concentrating on silliness and long even when ending too quickly. So the songs are nice but forgettable, Betty Garrett is wonderfully staid as Ruth, Janet Leigh surprisingly adept as Eileen, and Robert (Bob) Fosse sweet as Eileen's suitor and athletic in a marvelous dance off with Tommy Rall.






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