TCM Pick O’ The Day: Wednesday, January 7th
by John NolteMy Sister Eileen - (1955) – Two sisters from Ohio, one pretty, one witty, plot to take New York City by storm. Director: Richard Quine Cast: Janet Leigh, Jack Lemmon C-107 mins, TV-G
One of those big budget, mid-fifties, widescreen musicals released as the genre was on the wane both creatively and at the box office. What it has going for it, however, is a wonderful performance by Betty Garrett, who plays the unfortunate sister living forever in the shadow of the stunning Eileen, played by the stunning Janet Leigh.
The film’s highlight is “The Competition Dance,” performed and choreographed by the late, great Bob Fosse with Tommy Rall. Fosse’s the blonde one, but both defy physics. For those of you who might miss this tomorrow, the clip above has been provided for your convenience.
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21 Comments
I love musicals, but I haven’t seen that one. Great stuff. Thanks!
I saw Bob Fosse in the 1953 movie Kiss Me, Kate on the big screen at the Stanford Theater in Palo Alto. He was a fabulous dancer, but my heart belongs to Gene Kelly.
“the clip above has been provided for your convenience”
What the? Geez John, kinda formal aintcha? I know you got a new gig and all but don’t go all formal and whoosy on us the first day out! Next thing you’ll be wearin’ a tie for craps sake!
So the “clip above” was good but your Bobby Van clip at DHP is still the best for my money.
(clears throat)
“A link to the aformentioned Bobby Van clip has been provided for your convenience.”
http://dirtyharrysplace.com/?p=3728
Texacalirose, re: Gene Kelly — I’ll fight ya for him.
Gina, I was a wee lass when I first saw him just singin’, just dancin’ in the rain. I was changed forevah! You know what I mean.
Ladies, I actually had the pleasure of talking to Mr. Kelly on the phone in the early 1980s; he was working at FFCoppola’s doomed Zoetrope Studios, and I called on a regular basis to see if they were hiring (hey, I could push a broom!), and was lucky enough one night to find his assistant left, but he hadn’t—-don’t think I stammered too much.
THRILL OF A LIFETIME! Almost as wonderful as watching Mister Kelly dance. He was wonderfully patient and kind; if I did not already love him, I would have after that conversation.
And Mr. Kelly appreciated the talents of Betty Garrett; put her in supporting roles in two of his wonderful 1940s MGM features, On The Town and Take Me Out To The Ballgame. For that reason, I first watched Eileen, and will watch it again tomorrow, if I can.
The story of Ruth’s sister Eileen has had many incarnations. It started as a series of magazine articles which were adapted into a play followed by a film version (starring Rosalind Russell, also well worth a watch). Then came the musical version “Wonderful Town” (also starring Roz Russell I believe) followed by this film. Love Bob Fosse! And there’s no mistaking his work.
When I see a long shot that complex done so tightly, I almost can’t enjoy it because I’m wondering how many takes it took to get it in the can as I watch. I said, “almost.”
Fabulous stuff.
DVR set to record. Thanks for the recommendation. I watched the video with my 17 year old and she was stunned by Fosse. I realized I had clued her in on who he was, but had failed to ever show her his dancing. I appreciate your recovering my parental misstep for me.
John, I’m so glad to see you’ve carried this feature over from DHP!! Even though I don’t have cable, the PODs always provide movies to add to my Netflix queue. Now I’ll have to add this one.
I have seen more inspiration from this site, in the last eighteen hours, than I have seen at Townhall, HumanEvents, WorldNetDaily, and yes, Reason Magazine, combined, in the past six months
MWM, what a great story!
And TR, yep, I know exactly what you mean.
wow… I LOVE musicals. Sadly Hollywood has replaced the wonderful music with pornagraphic depictions of women.
An underseen gem. I would say underrated, but those who see it know how good it is, so that’d be putting the cart before the horse. The story is the same one that was adapted for “On The Town.” Director Richard Quine was one of Lemmon’s best friends—it’s rumored that Quine often played Ape #3 (Lemmon was #2) as part of Ernie Kovacs’ Nairobi Trio. Lemmon and Quine made quite a few pictures together—this, “Bell, Book and Candle” and “How To Murder Your Wife” are probably the best of their collaborations.
In pop-culture terms, there is a lot to appreciate here. The source material is a play based on autobiographical stories published in The New Yorker by Ruth McKenney. That material became a play, which homogenized many of the details of the characters’ bohemian, Greenwich Village lives. The play became a movie, then another musical (“Wonderful Town”, music by Leonard Bernstein), and separately, this musical.
Richard Quine, who directed this movie musical, played the Bob Fosse role in the original play and the first non-musical movie.
McKenney – who was blacklisted for Commie connections (as was Betty Garrett’s husband, Larry Parks) – never saw the play, movie, or musicals, being too distraught by the death of her sister (“Eileen”) just a few days prior to the first opening. Eileen was the wife of novelist Nathaniel West (“The Day of the Locust”, “Miss Lonelyhearts”), and they were killed together in a traffic accident.
I thought all male characters in musicals were gay? Are we promoting homosexuality here? I’m confused…..
My Sister Eileen is on my “to watch” queue at Netflix. I’ve never heard of it until I saw an old promo for the TV show that was based on it. Love Jack Lemmon.
Pick O’ The Day will be a regular feature?
Even if you find good television on other channels, I hope you always include a little something about what’s playing on TCM. People need to be reminded of the wonderful old movies. And even the silly or fun movies that weren’t such great art (and wasn’t meant to be). I’d take any of the Bowery Boys movies over most of the stuff made today.
One suggestion, when you say My Sister Eileen is going to be on tomorrow, you ought to mention the time — midnight. Otherwise, people might tune in for prime time.
This has the makings of ‘Best New Blog’ in 2009. What a nice way to start out the year with great performances and insightful essays.
DH, I’m simply grateful beyond words for an absolutely wonderful number like this. This is the kind of thing that just leaves me gazing and listening with a big grin on my face and big sense of wonder and gratitude in my heart. Along to be sure with a certain regret that Love of my Life Janet Leigh somehow escaped a life of wonder and gratitude with me. That’s really what most captures my heart about numbers like this though: I come away with both delight and longing. A not unpleasant combination of sensations. Again, thanks.
Good film! I’m not a huge fan of musicals (outside of the Astaire & Rogers or Busby Berkeley films) but this is definitely a good one. The original, non-musical version with Rosalind Russell is pretty good as well.
Since most of my television viewing is TCM, I have to say, I love these features. It’s great to know that there are other TCM-a-holics out there.
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