Plot Details: This opinion reveals major details about the movie''s plot.
A pair of amoral sh!theels have a disagreement as to whether environment or genetics determine success so a nominal bet is made and the social experiment begins…
Based on George Bernard Shaw’s play Pygmalion and adapted from the Broadway musical by Lerner and Lowe, Warner Bros. My Fair Lady (1964) is now forty years old.
Warner Bros. spared no expense on My Fair Lady, using the best of everything. Sets, costuming, score, cinematography, direction by famed “women’s director” George Cukor – he directed Garbo and Katherine Hepburn in their star making performances; and an all-star cast.
Starring the luminous Audrey Hepburn as Cockney flower seller Eliza Doolittle, the casting choice by Jack Warner stirred controversy as Hepburn replaced the then unknown Julie Andrews who had starred in the Broadway hit. Although My Fair Lady garnered eight Academy Awards, Andrews had sweet revenge when her Mary Poppins released the same year by rival studio Walt Disney scored her the Best Actress Oscar while Hepburn failed to be nominated. To be fair, I think Audrey could well have won the Oscar and should have been nominated, but I hardly ever agree with the Academy’s picks.
Rex Harrison reprises his Broadway role as Professor Henry Higgins, the guy who bets he can convert the flower girl into a lady. His performance is without parallel as he enunciates every syllable with split second precision. Also noteworthy is the work of fellow Broadway collaborator Stanley Holloway as Eliza’s father Alfred. Fans of television’s Sherlock Holmes will recognize a young Jeremy Brett as Eliza’s lovesick suitor.
The songs are all familiar and even a casual viewer will recognize them. A partial list includes,
· The Rain in Spain
· Wouldn’t it be Loverly?
· With a Little Bit of Luck
· On the Street Where You Live
· Get Me to the Church on Time
· I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face
· Show Me
The production design is stunning. There is no comparison with the quality lavished on My Fair Lady with films currently. Like Lawrence of Arabia we will never see this level of filmmaking again. One thing that absolutely floors the viewer is the beautiful colors and detail of the gorgeous Technicolor production. What should be noted is the film had deteriorated so badly, everything had faded to beige prior to being restored in 1994. Many thanks must go to restorers Robert Harris and James Katz, who also have the magnificent restorations of Spartacus and Lawrence of Arabia to their credit.
The Warner Bros. DVD is presented in 2.20:1 theatrical format while the two tape VHS version is 4x3 full screen. The DVD includes a full length commentary, a featurette on the making of My Fair Lady, alternate versions of two songs by Audrey Hepburn, and theatrical trailer. The VHS also contains the “making of” featurette.
My Fair Lady is a pure joy to behold. It’s a film that everyone should see and is a part of my own video collection.
A priceless classic MY FAIR LADY has become one of the most popular musicals of all time. Based on George Bernard Shaw's 1913 play PYGMALION the film ...More at Family Video
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