MY SISTER EILEEN

US, 1955, 108 minutes, Colour.
Janet Leigh, Jack Lemmon, Betty Garrett, Bob Fosse, Kurt Kasznar, Dick York, Tommy Rall.
Directed by Richard Quine.

This version of My Sister Eileen has quite a pedigree. It was based on a play by Joseph Fields. It was made into a film in 1942, directed by Alexander Hall, with Rosalind Russell and Janet Blair. This version is a musical. However, there was a musical version, Wonderful Town, with music by Leonard Bernstein. However, for this film he was unwilling to let the music be used and the producers went to Jule Styne (Funny Girl) for the songs.

Janet Leigh is the Eileen of the title – an attractive young woman who, with her quieter sister Ruth, goes to New York City for fame and fortune. They find a rundown apartment to live in. Eileen gets mixed up with Bob Fosse (good) and Tommy Rall (bad). In the meantime, Ruth played by Betty Garrett submits a story to publisher Bob Baker, Jack Lemmon, who is attracted by the story with the result that Ruth pretends to be Eileen.

The film was made at Columbia, directed by Richard Quine who directed a number of musicals and comedies, especially with Jack Lemmon including Bell Book and Candle, The Notorious Landlady, How to Murder Your Wife. While the film was made at Columbia, most of the talent came from MGM and had experience in musicals, especially Betty Garrett, Bob Fosse, Kurt Kasznar, Tommy Rall. Janet Leigh had been a star in a range of films at MGM. However, this was the era when cinema musicals were not so much in favour and musicals found their way to television. This is what happened to Wonderful Town, filmed in black and white for television in the late 1950s with Rosalind Russell reprising her role as Ruth.

This is a very cheery and chirpy entertainment, a musical typical of the 1950s.

1. The appeal of the this musical comedy, its quality both as musical and as comedy?

2. The emphasis of the title, the attractiveness and centrality of Eileen? The point of view of Ruth? the stories that Ruth told? the relationship between the two sisters?

3. How attractive was the conventional structure of the plot: Girls at large in the big city? the atmosphere of the city? Settling in, confrontation with men, job search? The fairy tale aspects of the plot? happy ending? Realism and fantasy? the world of the musical comedy? Audience willing suspension of disbelief?

4. The appeal of the songs, the music? contribution of the dancing, the spectacular choreography? the settings for the dances and the participation of the main characters the atmosphere created in the city by the songs and the dances?

5. The presentation of the girls arriving in New York and their confrontation with the city? The importance of Appopolous? his confidence tricks in getting them to the apartment? the comic detail of the disastrous apartment? the beginning of their difficulties and their having to cope with them?

6. How well did the film derive humour from the job seeking of Eileen? Ruth and her stories and her trying to put them across as real? the insight into the two girls via this job seeking ?

7. How attractive was the personality of Ruth? Her strength as a character? Her skill at writing stories, her fantasy and imagination? The emphasis on her plainness and her presenting herself in the stories? the impact on Bob Baker? Her inviting him for a meal? Her helpfulness with Eileen? the other men? the dizzy details of identity and smoothing things over? the happy ending via Ruth?

8. How attractive was Eileen? Her personality and character? Her attractiveness being a difficulty for getting jobs, her comedy derived from the way that men pursued her? Her participation in the situations? The naivete and attractiveness of her character?

9. Frank and Chick representing men? their pursuit of Eileen? Types, work? Their contribution to the choreography?

10. The sub-plot of Wreck and Helen? What did this contribute to atmosphere, comedy, ironic comment on relationships? Helen’s mother?

11. The character of Bob Baker as the New York man? his falling in love with the sister the girl from the country?

12. This kind of film as symbolising America, the way of life, the American dream, country and city, work and achievement, men and women, falling in love? How attractive as an example of this kind of story?