Meine Schwester und ich (My Sister and I) is a musical comedy in two acts with prelude and postlude.
Benatzky based the work on a contemporary comedy by Georges Berr and Louis Verneuil.
[5] The music is scored for an orchestra of flute, two saxophones, two clarinets, bassoon, two French horns, two trumpets, oboe, harp, celeste, banjo, percussion and strings.
The rich young lady can afford to engage her own librarian, and music scientist Roger Fleuriot has been appointed to the post.
As he is saying farewell to his employer, she explains that she has a sister in Nancy, working as a saleswoman in Filosel's shoe shop.
He invites her to elope with him to Monte Carlo and she does not resist; they leave the shop in high spirits.
A few weeks after the wedding, Roger discovered the truth about the "sister" and retreated into his shell again; he is uneasy with the situation.
Not only does the judge deny the application to dissolve the marriage, but talks urgently and earnestly with Roger.
Dolly: "Um ein bisschen Liebe dreht sich das Leben" ("The world revolves around a little love") (tango) Roger: "Ich lade Sie ein, Fräulein" ("I invite you, Ma'am")[5] Roger: "Mein Mädel ist nur eine Verkäuferin in einem Schuhgeschäft mit 80 Franc Salär in der Woche" ("My girl is just a sales girl in a shoe shop, with 80 francs salary per week")[5] The musical comedy was filmed in 1954, directed by Paul Martin, with Sonja Ziemann, Adrian Hoven, Herta Staal, Paul Hörbiger and Werner Fuetterer in the main roles.
[7] In 1956 it was filmed again for television (black and white), this time under the direction of Franz Peter Wirth and with Anneliese Rothenberger as Dolly, Johannes Heesters as Roger and Kurt Großkurth as Filosel.
Friedrich Meier arranged the music, which was performed by Erwin Lehn and his Südfunk Tanzorchester (dance orchestra of the SDR).