My Sister Eileen

Rating:
Summary: A Nice Musical Comedy With a Young Bob Fosse
Review: "My Sister Eileen" was Fosse's first official assignment as a film choreographer. He had already co-choreographed his dances for three musicals he made at MGM but didn't get any credit for it.
This film offers a rare chance to see him perform his own steps in front of the camera. He wasn't just a legendary Broadway director and choreographer, he was also a brilliant and nimble dancer with a sweet singing voice. His early stuff was influenced by Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire and Jack Cole, so don't expect the small intricate dancing with bowler hats that became his trademark.
Fosse is featured in three numbers: the quartet "Give Me A Band and My Baby", which is pure fun, the romantic ballroom routine "There's Nothing Like Love" where he partners "Psycho"'s Janet Leigh, and the explosive "Alley Dance" in which he competes with one of the best yet underrated dancers of Hollywood's Golden Age: the versatile Tommy Rall. The number shows a couple of early Fosse favorites such as the "Steam Heat" hat trick, cartwheel jumps and somersaults.
The rest of the cast is also quite remarkable: Betty Garrett is adorable with her dead-pan humour and Janet Leigh is simply sweet as Darlin' Eileen. And if you ever wanted to hear Jack Lemmon sing, here's your chance.
Director Richard Quine and young Blake Edwards wrote a rather unspectacular screenplay. Jule Styne and Leo Robin did a decent job with the songs but I definitely prefer Leonard Bernstein's "Wonderful Town".
"My Sister Eileen" is a nice little musical comedy. It's ideal to cheer yourself up on a dark and rainy evening.
By the way, this film isn't presented in its original Cinemascope format. The video version was slightly formatted. Well, let's hope for the DVD release.

Rating:
Summary: A charming, screwball musical
Review: Most folks will pay attention to this film becuase it's an early piece by choreographer Bob Fosse -- but it is a fun bit of froth that easily stands on its own. An absolutely delightful musical comedy, starring Betty Garrett as a smart smalltown girl determined to make it in New York City. She moves there with her with her glamourous, ditzy sister Eileen, whose good looks open more doors than do Garrett's brains and moxie. A nice film about struggling to get ahead in the Big Apple, with a script that takes its time and several exuberently goofy dance numbers, gleefully choreographed by a young Bob Fosse, who also plays one of the sister's avid suitors. The penultimate dance scene is side-splittingly hilarious, featuring a swarm of recently disembarked Cuban sailors on the prowl for American women, who form an inexhaustable conga line that snakes chaotically through the gal's tiny apartment. Thoroughly entertaining... a great, lighthearted film with some fabulous acting and bright, winning performances by all involved.

Rating:
Summary: Entertaining Classic!
Review: What a great movie! It is refreshing to see so much energy brought to the silver screen. The casting makes this movie! It has something for everyone: dancing, singing, funny misunderstandings, apartment problems and much more. This movie provides the entire family with good clean entertainment which is almost extinct in today's Hollywood. Jack Lemmon is wonderful opposite Betty Garrett. Janet Leigh also does a superb job as the sister with everything!