...Sweet Charity (1969)

There's something about this film version of the musical Sweet Charity that is just oft-putting although I'm not sure if it is the overproduction, Charity's overdesperation, or the film's overlength. Shirley MacLaine as the titular dance hall hostess is only middling and tends to grate as the film reaches it's denouement. The classic soundtrack (including Big Spender, If My Friends Could See Me Now, There's Gotta Be Something Better Than This, et. al.) is incredible but, like the movie poster pictured, the movie itself is just wonderful musical segments (directed and choreographed by Bob Fosse, no less) stitched together by an unsatisfying, confusing and outdated story.

...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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