My Sister Eileen

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