Plot Details: This opinion reveals minor details about the movie's plot.

My Fair Lady is one of the finest movies ever made. When it first came out on home video a few years ago I had to be one of the first to own it and have it in my library. The set I own is on two cassettes. Since then it has been put on one cassette and that is wonderful idea.

The movie starts out in the city streets of London on a clear and beautiful day. The city is a hustle and bustle of activity from vendors and customers. The costumes are amazingly accurate with details from the time. The colors are deep and true for the clothes. It sets the tone for a hard working group of people who are not afraid to get their hands dirty. In contrast we see the “upper” class in their fine suits and crisp white shirts as well as their well-polished shoes. Their hands are not dirty and they seem to be taken aback at the “common folk”.

The movie centers around a flower girl named Eliza Doolittle or Liza as we come to know her. She desperately wants a better life but is not sure how she can get out of the “gutter” as it is referred to by the “upper class”. She longs for the finer things in life. After a showing at the local theater, the upper class begins to go through the streets to find their carriages. Liza sees the opportunity to sell some flowers to make a little money. She is pushed aside and sits down by a pillar in front of the theater. She suddenly hears every word she is saying repeated! She has no idea who this man is our what he wants and fears he is out to hurt her. Unknown to her he is a language specialist and has studied many versions of the English Language. He hers he butcher the English Language and is about to be ill himself. He swears he could teach her how to be a lady in a fine flower shop and leaves the door open if she wants to try.

This is where the first song comes in titled “Why Can’t the English Learn to Speak?” and that song sets the tone for the whole movie. As time goes on Professor Higgins (played by Rex Harrison) decides he wants to record someone into his phonograph. Liza shows up on the doorstep and their journey to change an ugly ducking into a swan begins. The challenge was done on a bet with Colonel Pickering (in jest) that he could do it. Liza is at first encouraged by Colonel Pickering not to take the bet but finally agrees. She wants to be a lady.

The journey is a magical one. Liza discovers she is more than just a flower girl and along the way falls in love with Professor Higgins. Professor Higgins falls in love with Liza but fights it all the way. Her transformation from a flower girl to a lady is like watching a caterpillar turn in to a butterfly. Everything about her changes except whom she is inside. Inside she is still that young girl looking to find her place in her world or his world. She cannot go home since she no longer fits in and no one recognizes her. She cannot go to Professor Higgins home because it is not her home or their home.

The music keeps the movie flowing like a gentle stream. Our ears are treated to gentle music, strong solo performances and astounding “musical numbers” of dancers, singers and color!


My Fair Lady Cast

Professor Higgins Rex Harrison
Eliza Doolittle Audrey Hepburn
Colonel Pickering Wilfrid Hyde-White
Freddie Eynsford -Hill Jeremy Brett
Alfred Doolittle Stanley Holloway

My Fair Lady went on to become a highly successful movie musical. It received twelve Academy Award nominations in 1964 and took home eight statuettes including Best Director- George Cukor, Best Actor- Rex Harrison, and Best Picture of the year, as well as Best Sound, Scoring, Costumes, and color Cinematography. Audrey Hepburn did not receive a Best Actress nomination for her performance because most of her songs in the film were dubbed by singer Marni Nixon. (I did not know that until I began to do a search online about the movie and its history. I always thought it was Audrey singing!)


The movie has a running time of almost three hours. I am glad we have the two-cassette version at times. We can take a break, grab some snacks, go to the bathroom and get set for the second half of the movie.

I was fortunate to find a CD with the whole musical score on it on Ebay. There is much more My Fair Lady merchandise to be had but that will have to wait a bit. I am content with my new (slightly loved) CD.

Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: VHS
Video Occasion: Better than Watching TV
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 9 - 12