My Sister Eileen (1955) starring Betty Garrett, Janet Leigh, Jack Lemmon, Bob Fosse
My Sister Eileen is a romantic musical comedy about two girls from Ohio trying to make it in Manhattan.
Product Description
Sisters (Betty Garrett & Janet Leigh) who live in a Greenwich Village basement apartment, find themselves mixed up with a magazine publisher (Jack Lemmon) who gives Ruth (Leigh) her big chance as a writer.
Review
In short, My Sister Eileen is a funny musical comedy, about two young sisters from a small town trying to make it in New York City. Eileen is a natural beauty, and a sweet person. Her sister Ruth loves her — but feels that she’s always eclipsed by her sister’s beauty. There’s a lot of entertaining songs, romantic conflicts, etc. It’s very fun, sweet, and moves along at a fast pace. The entire cast does an excellent job.
The ending’s appropriately zany, as well. Brazil?
Cast of characters
- Janet Leigh (Psycho, Houdini) … Eileen Sherwood. The beautiful aspiring actress. She outshines her sister, although she doesn’t mean to. But she attracts men like honey attracts flies.
- Jack Lemmon (The Apartment, The Great Race) … Robert ‘Bob’ Baker. Magazine publisher, vying for Ruth’s hand. Although Ruth initially thinks of him solely as a professional relationship.
- Betty Garrett (Neptune’s Daughter) … Ruth Sherwood. Eileen’s sister. A plain-looking, aspiring writer.
- Bob Fosse (Cabaret) … Frank Lippincott. Soda jerk, rival for Eileen’s affection.
- Kurt Kasznar (Lili, Lovely to Look At) … ‘Papa’ Appopolous. The person who rents the sisters their basement apartment. Where the subway construction explodes all day long. A likable almost-con-man.
- Dick York (Bewitched, The Twilight Zone) … Ted ‘Wreck’ Loomis. A hilarious zany neighbor character.
- Lucy Marlow … Helen
- Tommy Rall … Chick
- Barbara Brown … Helen’s Mother
- Horace McMahon … Police Officer Lonigan
- Henry Slate … Second Drunk
- Hal March (The Atomic Kid) … Pete – First Drunk
Songs
- Atmosphere for Love
- Music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Leo Robin
- Performed by Chorus
- As Soon As They See Eileen
- Music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Leo Robin
- Performed by Betty Garrett
- I’m Great
- Music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Leo Robin
- Performed by Betty Garrett, Janet Leigh, Kurt Kasznar and Dick York
- There’s Nothin’ Like Love
- Music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Leo Robin
- Performed by Betty Garrett and Janet Leigh
- Reprised by Janet Leigh and Bob Fosse
- Give Me A Band And My Baby
- Music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Leo Robin
- Performed by Betty Garrett, Janet Leigh, Bob Fosse and Tommy Rall
- It’s Bigger Than You And Me
- Music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Leo Robin
- Performed by Jack Lemmon