Wonderful Town (1958)

So sang the friendly residents of the West Village in the hit 1953 Broadway musical where Rosalind Russell repeated her role of Ruth Sherwood, the Ohio born writer who moved with her sister Eileen to Manhattan and found a world of laughter, a world of tears, a world of love, and especially a world of fears. Oh, let me not forget about the Conga, a dance she is forced to perform with the Brazilian naval academy.First seen as a play on Broadway with Shirley Booth as Ruth, "My Sister Eileen" made it to the screen in 1941 starring the Oscar Nominated Russell and Janet Blair. A decade later, the play was musicalized and the movie was remade with a different score. As great as Betty Garrett and Janet Leigh are in that film, the Jule Styne score just does not compare with Leonard Bernstein/Betty Comden/Adolph Green's rousing melodies. For Russell, getting to play Ruth the third time around was the charm, because by 1958, practically every household in America had a television set. While most of the cast was replaced for this black and white T.V. version and the running time edited, the choice morsels have remained. For those who have seen stage productions of this, they won't be disappointed. Russell, coming off the success of "Auntie Mame", had a great year. One of the odd things which has always bothered me about the role of Rur, however, is that she is considered to be Eileen's poor plain sister, yet practically every actress who has played her is more than just slightly attractive. Consider Elaine Stritch, Eve Arden, Nanette Fabray, Cloris Leachman, Lucie Arnaz, Donna Murphy and Brooke Shields. Such "non-beauties" as Nancy Walker and Kay Ballard also played the part, but their comedic talents made them appear beautiful on stage. Russell is a career oriented lady whose beauty comes from within as well as outside which makes her glow all the more.The wonderful characteristic about Eileen is that she is a precious blonde cutie who doesn't thrive on her cuteness and make her obnoxious. Most of Broadway's current crop of blonde divas would overplay the part and make the character a bit too cheery while the way it should be played is with a knowing coyness. Jacquelyn McKeever plays the part exactly that way and it totally works.Six years before playing Nicki Arnstein opposite Barbra Streisand, Sydney Chaplin took on the role of Bob, the magazine publisher who takes a shine to Roz. She is afraid of big city romance, however, and shares this with the audience in "100 Easy Ways", one of the funniest leading lady songs on Broadway. When she duets the comical "Ohio" with McGeever, it is a tribute to every small town scaredy cat who dared to take a step into any huge metropolis, let alone scary New York City.Of course, the opening number is Christopher Street, an ironic choice for a setting considering its historical significance a decade later. "Here we live, here we love. This is the place for self expression", such magnificent foresight for the future. Repeating their roles from Broadway are Cris Alexander as one of Eileen's beaus and Dort Clark as a cynical reporter after Eileen himself. So the next time you are feeling tired of being "Babbity, Provincial", grab yourself a plane ticket (or train or bus) and get to Broadway ASAP.

Leonard Bernstein's music has always come across as highly memorable and rhythmically incisive, that is evident here, Candide and especially West Side Story. He is also a great and influential conductor(though with some quirky podium mannerisms that you either take or leave), particularly in Mahler. Wonderful Town lives up to its name, it's a great musical with a story that sparkles and this TV film is wonderful. The sets are not as opulent as you'd like and have a somewhat shoddily cardboard look, but the lovely costumes and skilled(if not exceptional) filming compensate. So does everything else, of which the standard is very high to outstanding. The music doesn't disappoint, not quite West Side Story good but they have immense charm to them, are fun and don't distract from the story. The score is whimsical, expertly orchestrated and incisive and all the songs work, the best being Swing, Ohio and One Hundred Easy Ways, Ever since hearing Beverly Sills and Sherrill Milnes' rendition It's Love is also a very nice song. The clever and witty lyrics really work in the songs' favour. The choreography is spirited, always full of life and as though the stars are enjoying themselves, Conga, One Note Rag- just hilarious that number is- and Swing are the highlights choreographically. The script is light-hearted and charming, as well as witty and funny, some of it is fluff but endearing fluff that is. The direction is solid and always in command of what is happening, keeping things moving while not feeling too heavy. The cast give it their all and give winning performances. Jacquelyn McKeever is a beautiful and very likable Eileen with a sweet voice, she works really well with Rosalind Russell in Ohio and with Sydney Chaplin in It's Love. Chaplin is charming and good-natured, very ideal for the role and works within the film. Stealing the show is Russell, her singing is not the most beautiful or tuneful(though it is more listenable than it was in Gypsy) but her personal radiance, lively stage presence, spitfire comic timing and her ability to attack everything she's been given with gusto make it a most memorable performance. Overall, wonderful in almost every aspect apart from the sets. 9/10 Bethany Cox

This 1958 TV special aired about 5 years after Rosalind Russell starred in and won a Tony award for the Broadway musical based on the MY SISTER EILEEN book. The show ran for 16 months.Russell plays Ruth Sherwood, an aspiring writer who moves from Ohio to Greenwich Village with her would-be actress sister Eileen. There, they sisters meet all kinds of kooks as they try to make it in the big city. Will the girls succeed? Will they find love? Or will they pack up and go back to Ohio? The music for this show was written by Leonard Bernstein with lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green. By today's standards the production on this TV special is pretty bad. The sets all look like cardboard. But once you get past that and the music starts and Russell makes her first entrance, you forget all about the shoddy look.Russell has several great numbers in this show. She duets with Jacquelyn McKeever (as Eileen) on "Ohio." She then solos on "One Hundred Easy Ways," a wry song about losing men. Russell closes out Act 1 with the boisterous "Conga!" with a bevy of Portuguese sailors. In Act 2, Russell stops the show with the amazing "Swing," a production number that sees Roz go from square to hep, with the help of the local kooks. At age 47, Russell kicks up her heels in this terrific song-and-dance number. Russell and company close the show with the hilarious "Wrong Note Rag" at a club where Eileen has gotten a job.Russell is nothing short of a whirlwind of song and dance and her usual drop-dead retorts. Sydney Chaplin is solid as her love interest. McKeever is also good as Eileen. Others in the cast include Cris Alexander, Jack Fletcher, Dort Clark, and Jordan Bentley as "Wreck." Despite the rough condition of the surviving tape from 1958, this show is just mesmerizing. It's a rare chance to see a great performance by a great star. WONDERFUL TOWN was never made into a movie despite its smash hit status on Broadway (where it also won a Tony for best musical of 1953).

I feel that "Wonderful Town" is great for those of us that dislike the "over done" type Broadway musicals. (Although, I think of it now, over done IS what Broadway IS about!) The story, very simple: two sisters that come from Ohio to hit it big in New York city. But of course, it's not as easy as it sounds. I think they also have some of the biggest sterio typical characters I've yet to see on one screen! Jackie McKeever (a practicly unknown stage actress. Which she'd been and is going to be for the rest of her life!) plays the bubble-headed blond, Eileen. All she cares about is when is her next man going to show up! Which dosen't seem to hard sense almost every man she meets starts to drool when he see's her!Her reasons for coming to New York are very simple. To brake into the theater! ("Well, you have the face and build for it.") Next you have Ruth, Eileen's big sister. Played by none other than Rosalind Russell. Ruth is attractive, tall, dark, sharped witted and repelle's almost every man she meets! ("I did run into one man. And he said, 'Why the hell don't you watch where your goin'!'") There are a lot of other character's that need no going into if you'v read the book, seen the movie or seen the play. The musical numbers for the most part are fun and easy to take. the best song's have to be, "Ohio," (preformed by McKeever and Russell.) One Hundered Easy Ways to Lose a Man," "Swing,"(both mainly done by Roz. Although she has never been thought of for her singing, she was brilliant! She made it all fun and gave everything she did "energy!" Even though she was 51 years, she was still beautiful and more vibrent then the whole cast put together!)"Quite Girl" and "The Wrong Note Rag." I musn't forgett Cris Alexander! He was very funny, and very loveble in the role of Frank Lippincott. He played of everyone very well and was a fine actor. (I think he and Roz were the one's that held the whole thing together, really.)But all and all, this was a great virsion. You well never see these musical numbers done as peppy, or the Ruth so funny and still so radient and lovely. La, what a Wonderful Town it was....