My Fair LadyNo one becomes a proper lady overnight--apparently it takes about six months. My Fair Lady is the story of a young woman named Eliza Doolittle (Audrey Hepburn), who sells handfuls of violets to passersby in the squalor of early 20th century Covent Garden. One rainy evening, she is observed by the tactless phonetic savant, Professor Henry Higgins (Rex Harrison), who suggests to his colleague, Colonel Hugh Pickering (Wilfrid Hyde-White), that his aptitude for language is so great, that he could transform Eliza beyond recognition, from rags to riches, by altering her manner of speech. Determined to make a better life for herself, Eliza asks for linguistic lessons, and their turbulent relationship begins in earnest.
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My Fair Lady was adapted for the screen originally from the stage play, "Pygmalion", by George Bernard Shaw, which in turn was an adaptation of the Greek myth about a sculptor who falls in love with a statue he carves. The story of Pygmalion/Henry Higgins is one of vanity and pride, which oozes from the arrogant Higgins. Henry Higgins is so obsessed with the perfection of his craft and proving his talents that he neglects Eliza's feelings. Because he is so self-absorbed, he is blinded to the fairer sex; his perceptions of them are that they are chattering shrikes lacking in intellect. It is puzzling how Higgins reached this conclusion, since aside from his sensible mother (Gladys Cooper) or his housekeeper, Mrs. Pearce (Mona Washbourne), he doesn't keep any company with any other women. Higgins and Pickering get along well enough, but their friendship is purely professional; it's likely that Higgins is without any real friends. His mother is wealthy, and Higgins does alright as a dialect coach, but he is sheltered from the realities of Eliza's world. Eliza is younger than Henry Higgins, but she cognizant of life on the streets. Eliza is proud that she has remained moral, and has not resorted to selling her body, taking offense at any suggestion that it is otherwise. But Eliza is also dreadfully poor--a trampled handful of violets represents the loss of a day's wages. This poverty has made Eliza self-sufficient, although her deadbeat dad, Alfred (Stanley Holloway), still mooches money off of her to fill his belly with beer at every turn. Eliza is smart enough to recognize that things are only getting worse. Her dreams of a better life, combined with Higgins' generous tip after unintentionally humiliating her in Covent Garden, makes her realize that she has to take action to improve her lot. Eliza isn't prepared for the rigors of Higgins' tutelage, forced to recite her vowels for days and elaborate training exercises involving marbles in her mouth. But these perceived cruelties are essential to her transmutation--but it is neither quick nor painless. Fighting in the trenches of diction and enunciation, Henry and Eliza form a bond. But My Fair Lady is not a love story, even if the tension between these protagonists suggests otherwise. Higgins finally admits to himself that he has feelings for Eliza--even if he scowls at her after she finally leaves him post-triumph at the embassy ball--but their relationship is more like that between a mentor and an apprentice or between friends than a steamy love affair. The closest thing to a romantic interest Eliza has is a young man whom she met in passing at the races at Ascot, a love struck fool named Freddy Eynsford-Hill (Jeremy Brett). The film glosses over what must have been a lengthy series of letters between them; this must be the only justifiable reason Eliza would consider marrying Freddy, because they have no chemistry together.
My Fair Lady draws attention to details that may not be practical for the stage. For instance, the large, elaborate sets are dramatic recreations of England--from the dirty streets of Covent Garden to the racetrack at Ascot. Locations and costumes look like period accurate photographs, depicting high and low society. The outfits Audrey Hepburn wears range from dirty rags to the iconic outfit she wears to the races, adding complexity to her character. The subtleties of actors' facial expressions become as important as the dialogue, like the look of sorrowful revelation that emerges on Rex Harrison's face as Higgins realizes that he has been responsible for pushing Eliza away, forced to acknowledge his mistake. Rex Harrison retains his role as Henry Higgins from the stage, while Audrey Hepburn's casting as Eliza Doolittle became one of her most iconic roles--the banter and chemistry between these two actors is pure magic. Even though Audrey Hepburn's singing is performed by Marni Nixon, she is unforgettable as the young woman whose life is turned around and upside down, made into a proverbial guinea pig as she desperately tries to make something better of herself. Audrey Hepburn is essentially playing two roles: that of the lowly flower girl with the cockney accent, barking loudly with exasperation and terror, and later as the "pillar of strength" who builds up the nerve to be her own woman, telling offHiggins and even Freddy (whom she accuses of doing nothing but talk). This is not a woman who has become hardened or lost her virtue for the sake of her confidence; she is stronger because she has stood by her convictions and took a gamble, and stuck with the lessons and hardships because she knew the result would be for her betterment. For all his arrogance and sarcastic superiority, Henry Higgins behaves like a child. He refuses to sympathize with Eliza; he claims that he's "always reasonable", even while he forces linguistic repetitions at three in the morning. When he finally discovers Eliza hiding out at his mother's home, he tries to "reclaim" her as if she were his possession. When he discovers that he is powerless to order her around, he proceeds to sulk in the corner. The lesson Higgins has to learn is not that he must be more careful with his "toys", but that he must not be so dismissive of colleagues like Eliza when they place their trust in him. There are few musicals where the interplay between the main characters is so delightful and perfect as it is with My Fair Lady, so expertly cast and performed that it makes every scene with Harrison and Hepburn a thrill.
Recommended for: Fans of a "loverly" musical about pride and humility, of professional relationships and camaraderie, and of the upper and lower classes, and how language unites and divides them. My Fair Lady is a crowning achievement of a stage-to-screen adaptation that is engaging, heartwarming, funny, and charming all at once, with memorable characters and music.
My Fair Lady draws attention to details that may not be practical for the stage. For instance, the large, elaborate sets are dramatic recreations of England--from the dirty streets of Covent Garden to the racetrack at Ascot. Locations and costumes look like period accurate photographs, depicting high and low society. The outfits Audrey Hepburn wears range from dirty rags to the iconic outfit she wears to the races, adding complexity to her character. The subtleties of actors' facial expressions become as important as the dialogue, like the look of sorrowful revelation that emerges on Rex Harrison's face as Higgins realizes that he has been responsible for pushing Eliza away, forced to acknowledge his mistake. Rex Harrison retains his role as Henry Higgins from the stage, while Audrey Hepburn's casting as Eliza Doolittle became one of her most iconic roles--the banter and chemistry between these two actors is pure magic. Even though Audrey Hepburn's singing is performed by Marni Nixon, she is unforgettable as the young woman whose life is turned around and upside down, made into a proverbial guinea pig as she desperately tries to make something better of herself. Audrey Hepburn is essentially playing two roles: that of the lowly flower girl with the cockney accent, barking loudly with exasperation and terror, and later as the "pillar of strength" who builds up the nerve to be her own woman, telling offHiggins and even Freddy (whom she accuses of doing nothing but talk). This is not a woman who has become hardened or lost her virtue for the sake of her confidence; she is stronger because she has stood by her convictions and took a gamble, and stuck with the lessons and hardships because she knew the result would be for her betterment. For all his arrogance and sarcastic superiority, Henry Higgins behaves like a child. He refuses to sympathize with Eliza; he claims that he's "always reasonable", even while he forces linguistic repetitions at three in the morning. When he finally discovers Eliza hiding out at his mother's home, he tries to "reclaim" her as if she were his possession. When he discovers that he is powerless to order her around, he proceeds to sulk in the corner. The lesson Higgins has to learn is not that he must be more careful with his "toys", but that he must not be so dismissive of colleagues like Eliza when they place their trust in him. There are few musicals where the interplay between the main characters is so delightful and perfect as it is with My Fair Lady, so expertly cast and performed that it makes every scene with Harrison and Hepburn a thrill.
Recommended for: Fans of a "loverly" musical about pride and humility, of professional relationships and camaraderie, and of the upper and lower classes, and how language unites and divides them. My Fair Lady is a crowning achievement of a stage-to-screen adaptation that is engaging, heartwarming, funny, and charming all at once, with memorable characters and music.