Solteiras às Soltas

Rosalind Russell was one of the finest comediennes in the American movies, and this in a period which saw the likes of Claudette Colbert, Carole Lombard, Jean Arthur, Ginger Rogers, Irene Dunne, Katharine Hepburn and others. Russell was a rarity: though all the others often played dizzy women, in her comedies, Russell always played smart, hard-edged career women (the exception was her first major comedy role, as the catty Sylvia in THE WOMEN).

At a time when HANNAH TAKES THE STAIRS is set to open, with its lackadaisical heroine pursuing a writing career as she tries to make sense of her romantic entanglements, it behooves us to remember MY SISTER EILEEN, which (when it was filmed in 1942) is the prototype, as the two Sherwood sisters (Ruth, played by Rosalind Russell, and her younger sister Eileen, played by Janet Blair) come to New York City to try their hands at writing (for Ruth) and acting (for Eileen). The slapstick annoyances, the charmingly maladroit Greenwich Village denizens (part ethnic, part "bohemian"), the stereotypical romantic encounters, all make for a charming entertainment. In the wake of the sexual frankness of HANNAH TAKES THE STAIRS, MY SISTER EILEEN might seem dated, but it's a lovely reminder of the wit and the humor of the generation growing up during World War II, when women were (again) finding new possibilities in the workplace, but still had the same problems finding proper dates.

...Or maybe it is "Those Girls"?

This film stars Rosalind Russell as Ruth Sherwood, an aspiring writer, who moves from small town Columbus, OH to New York with her sister, Eileen (Janet Blair), an aspiring actress. Ruth and Eileen's father does not approve of his unmarried daughters moving to the city to pursue their careers, but grandma wholly approves and all but forces her son to let them go. ("Let?"- my understanding is both are adults - but then this is 1942) In New York, with limited funds ($100), the ladies look for a place to live. They end up at this apartment in Greenwich Village where, as a result of lack of sleep and desire to keep looking, they end up agreeing to a trial stay in the basement of the building. The deal is that they can live in the apartment for a month for free and if they like it, the rent will be $45/month afterward. If they hate the apartment, the landlord (Abner Kravitz with a big wig and mustache) will give them $45 for their trouble. The girls decide to stay, but there are lots of problems with this apartment.

The apartment is above a section where they are blasting the rock to build a subway. The girls are occasionally jolted by the explosions. Since Ruth and Eileen are in a basement apartment, they have the street pedestrian traffic walking past their windows. Their neighbors also seem to let themselves in willy nilly into their apartment. Also a previous tenant, Effie, whose career as a prostitute is alluded to, still has her Johns coming to her old place for a "psychic reading." Meanwhile, while all this is going on, Ruth and Eileen are trying to find jobs in writing and acting, respectively.

Eileen seems to have an almost hypnotic affect on men, rending Ruth practically invisible. Ruth ends up meeting the editor (Brian Aherne) of a magazine, The Mad Hatten, a magazine desperately in need of updating. I liked Aherne and Russell together. I thought that Aherne's calm, sophisticated demeanor complimented Russell's more wacky one. Russell and Janet Blair were excellent executing their physical comedy scenes--the conga line with the Portuguese Navy was especially funny--and must have been exhausting!

A final note - because they are short on funds the sisters are reduced to eating the cheapest of foods - spaghetti. This may be the first film that proposes the Atkins diet when Ruth mentions that eating only spaghetti (high carb) is making her fat.

Recommended for fans of classic comedy and carb counters everywhere.

While this could not be considered a classic by any means, it is very enjoyable and a fun way to spend an afternoon. The humor is on point, but at times I felt like I was supposed to laugh when I didn't feel like laughing. Other than that, it was great. They didn't try to pad out the plot, and the plot that was there ran smoothly.

The ending was slightly implausible and too happy-sappy for me, but for the most part it didn't drag down the quality of the film.

Rosalind Russell was good, as usual, and Janet Blair was good as the sister Eileen. The rest of the characters that drift in and out of the lodgings of Eileen and Ruth (Roz Russell's character) have varying levels of effect. I liked the Portuguese soldiers, but I understand that some of the stereotypes might be considered a little dated. It's still good fun, though.

If you're a Roz Russell fan or a classic film lover, I reccomend this one.

Abner! Abner! yup, that's George Tobias from "Bewitched" behind the wig and over-sized mustache playing the bushy/pushy artist and landlord in this first film version of "My Sister Eileen". Rosalind Russell and Janel Blair are sisters who come from Ohio to the big city to find fame and fortune in New York. There are some clever lines, mostly given to Russell, but it must be the direction of Alexander Hall holding this back. The Three Stooges make an appearance, and a very flat-line Brian Aherne. He keeps stepping out of the woodwork to tell Ruth (Russell) that her stories will or will not be published. Viewers will recognize Donald MacBride as the neighborhood cop, trying to keep things under control. Gordon Jones is the out of work muscle guy from upstairs, married of course, since we're well into the Hays Code by this time. He always seems to play the wrestler, the truck driver, and people named "Tex". The girls have many adventures, but the Portuguese navy is involved, and for some reason, they put Eileen (Blair) in jail, which doesn't really make sense, but you have to buy into it. It probably made more sense before it was all whitewashed for the audience. The basic story must have good footings, since the film has been remade, and it was even turned into a TV show in the 1960s. Janet Blair, who had the least experience in films at the time, turns in the best acting performance. Interesting note- Frank Quine, who had played Lippincott in the 1942 film version, directed the 1955 remake starring Janet Leigh, Jack Lemmon, and Betty Garrett. Haven't seen that one yet, but it must have been pretty good, since that one made it to video. and the 1955 version was a musical! one odd connection - the 42 version has George Tobias, and the 1955 version has Dick York, both would end up on the TV show "Bewitched"

The film begins in Columbus, Ohio and young Eileen has visions of stardom on the stage--though she only has worked in community theater. Her older sister, Rosalind Russell, is an aspiring writer and they agree to both go to New York to seek fame and fortune. Along the way, they meet a bazillion crazy characters who wander into their basement apartment faster than is humanly possible. And, yes, I truly do mean wander into the apartment. It's like Grand Central Station in there and after a while the gimmick just doesn't make sense. Subtle it ain't!

MY SISTER EILEEN is a screwball comedy that is very, very aware that that is exactly what it should be. While often cute and enjoyable, all too often the film seems to think that by being too loud, too chaotic and too goofy, it will be a successful film. Personally, I enjoyed it but wish they'd perhaps slowed the whole thing down and tried for at least some subtlety and style. It made the pacing of ARSENIC AND OLD LACE and BRINGING UP BABY seem absolutely slow by comparison!! Throughout this film, whenever the action seems to slow, the film makers seem to just randomly toss characters into the mix with the instructions "act kooky"--sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. As a result, it's a very hit or miss production. However, fortunately, the film ends on a very high note with a surprise (and funny) cameo appearance. I won't say more--it might spoil the fun.

Overall, it's a good time-passer and a decent film, but don't expect magic.