Come On Eileen

I'm not sure why I queued up My Sister Eileen, but when I noticed that it starred Betty Garrett (see Dark and Stormy Night, On the Town), I had to push it to the front. She just turned 90, you know.

The story: Ruth (Garrett) and Eileen (Janet Leigh) are small-town girls who move to Greenwich Village to seek their fortunes, Garrett as a writer, her sister Eileen is an actress. They get a funky basement apartment, meet some wacky characters, and start to starve in style.

1. Ruth can't get guys to notice her once they meet her sister Eileen
2. Ruth can't sell her stories, but her editor (Jack Lemmon) likes the ones about Eileen
3. Ruth pretends to be Eileen to get her editor to chase her
   

The story behind the story: Ruth and Eileen really existed, and the stories were more or less real. They were made into a Broadway play, and a musical, Wonderful Town, with music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Comden and Green. It was also made into a movie (1942) starring Rosalind Russell with a cameo by the Three Stooges (That's why I queued this up! I thought it was the other version!). This version, however, doesn't have music by Bernstein, Comden and Green. They wanted too much money, so Jule Steyn did this one (1955 - try to keep track).

Did I mention they also made a TV series out of the stories in 1960? Or that the real-life Eileen married Nathaniel West (Day of the Locust) and died with him in a car wreck the day after Hemingway died? Why haven't I heard of any of this?

Anyway, Garrett does a great Eve Arden-style sharp-witted/tongued dame who will never get the guy. Janet Leigh does a nice breathy blonde - reminds me of Marie Wilson in My Friend Irma (was that radio show based on this story as well?). The story seems like an afterthought - it never seems to gel. Jack Lemmon as Garrett's editor seems out of place, like a 60's character in a 40's musical. Which brings me around to the choreography.

Choreography by Bob Fosse (who also plays one of Eileen's beaux). That means lots of walking around stiffly with jazz hands and angular attitudes. I love his style, but I'd hardly call it dancing. But it's so jazz!