170 Minutes
Directed By: George Cukor
Written By: Alan Jay Lernor
Based On The Play: George Bernard Shaw
Staring: Audrey Hepburn, Rex Harrison, Stanley Holloway, Wilfrid Hyde-White, Gladys Cooper, and Jeremy Brett
I’ve grown accustomed to her face! She almost makes the day begin! I’ve grown accustomed to the tune that she whistles night and noon. Her smiles, her frowns, her ups, her downs, are second nature to me now, like breathing out and breathing in… I was serenely independent and content before we met! Surely I could always be that way again… And yet… I’ve grown accustomed to her looks, accustomed to her voice, accustomed… to her… face. -Professor Henry Higgins
Review
Audrey Hepburn is both beautiful and hilarious in My Fair Lady. The music captivates you, the performances were spectacular, and the play was transformed exceptionally onto film. This is one of my favorite musicals of all time. There is a magic, overall enthusiasm and excitement about My Fair Lady that we don’t often see in today’s musicals or film period. Without question this is a looooong movie, but it is one well worth every second of pleasure while viewing it.
A street rat vagabond becomes the subject of a debate between two socialites. One believes that his skills are so high that he could even transform one of the street people into a well spoken, well mannered elitist. The bet is on and Eliza becomes the guinea pig. Of course both Eliza and Henry get much more than they bargained for. Henry realizes what a spitfire and Eliza’s stubborn nature will do to inhibit her progress while Eliza has to constantly stuff who she below the cuff for outwards appearances, thus having her feelings tremendously stomped on regularly. All the while something more develops between the two that neither 
really realize until it seems too late.
Hepburn’s transformation as Eliza Doolittle from crazy vagabond to elegant socialite is an amazing and invigorating evolution. Even as the loud, foul mouthed Eliza Hepburn is charming. Her character will make you laugh, even cringe at times, but she is so charismatic you can’t turn away from the screen. When she takes on the role of a soft spoken intellect she become enamoring, beautiful on the outside just as she already was on the inside. The conflict of balancing her true personality and the liberation of knowledge and social enlightenment becomes a compelling character arc to watch unfold, especially when her feeling for Henry become confused as well.
The romance seems an impossible prediction at the beginning, but a natural solution by the finale. We fell in love with Eliza so why shouldn’t Henry as well? It by all means seems like an impossible relationship, but the unfolding of it was such a natural and slow creation it somehow seemed to make all the sense in the world. When Henry realized he loved Eliza for not who she had become but for who she was it was the best part of the movie.
My Fair Lady is a classic for a reason. Staring the glamorous and enthralling Audrey Hepburn she was at her very best with the delightful Rex Harrison. Each moment they were onscreen together was a moment you couldn’t peel your eyes away from it. This was a movie that showed musicals when they had passion and excitement and heart that is so different in today’s perception. It truly is like taking a trip in a time machine as it really captures the essence of that time and era. I adore this movie.
I do not love this movie (I just loathe Henry Higgens, but then I’m not a flower girl so he has little effect on me) but it is a classic for a reason and the score is so catchy. “Show Me”? Damn I like that song…if only more women were like that
Oh the music is to DIE for!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sad you don’t love it though. It took me quite a bit to believe the love between the two, but then I guess that’s what makes it feel so real.
I have a slight love-hate relationship, but don’t worry I still think it’s great even if I was backing the other musical that year (the superfragilisticexpialidocious one).
Mary Poppins is FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wish I had submitted my musicals for your blogathon in time, but I lost track of time over the weekend.
I LOVE this movie. I’ve always adored Audrey and this is one of her most memorable roles to me. I didn’t buy the love story at first, but by the time Higgins sang ‘I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face’ I was sold. Yes, who doesn’t love Eliza? ‘Move your bloomin’ arse!!!’ Classic!
My mom bought this VHS when I could barely speak English, but even then I had the songs memorized. ‘I could’ve danced all night’ is probably my favorite. Glad to see this girly gem amongst all your action stuff, Heather
I do like movies that things that don’t blow up in, just not as much usually! Ha!
This is one of my favorite musicals and romances of all time though. It is utterly classic, and yes girly. Audrey Hepburn never makes me feel like I’m being precocious when I’m being girly. She just breathes femininity and does it with such elegance and ease. I felt the same way about Natalie Wood.
It’s so funny you mention that because my Communications teacher at University uses this film as one of the examples of learning to speak.
Wonderful write-up, Heather! And I am glad you chose to highlight this film. I’m not much into musicals at all, but this is an exception. A great adaptation of the “Pygmalion” play by Shaw and it keeps much of it in. Harrison was born to play this role and Hepburn, as you said, is absolutely adorable and charming. Her transformation is a great one (though she did not do her own singing). You make some astute comments on her character here. I always show this film when I teach “Pygmalion” and the students usually like it. I also love Eliza’s father here…great performance. I just always HATE the last few minutes. I hate how Hollywood changed the ending of the play and she comes back to him. What is she coming back to? To fetch his slippers and be a floormat to him still? That is what the film is telling me and seems to be a gigantic step back for women. Barring that, I do love watching it and love the DVD extras on the special edition.
I actually got to work on Pygmalion back in the years of high school and that’s where I found my love for the film. The girl who played Eliza left school for Chicago to pursue a career in theater and she was incredible. But it was her that sparked my love of Eliza and inspired me to watch “My Fair Lady”. I didn’t realize Hepburn didn’t do her own singing!!!!!!!!! She does have such a lovely voice. I wonder why not.
Hollywood is still unfortunately trying to take steps backward for women and the sexes in general. Of probably the ten romance or romantic comedies I saw this year, they gave an awful perception of what men are like and what women are like. It’s horribly dated and I wonder who is buying into it anymore?
Yeah, I forgot who did the actual singing, but it was not Ms. Hepburn. Harrison doesn’t really need to sing. He speak-sings all of his songs. The end of the play is great because it has Higgins screaming out for Eliza, and she never comes back. Shaw actually wrote a lengthy epilogue as to why he ended it the way he did and defending his ending. It’s an interesting read.
Marni Nixon…I think her name was who also sang for Natalie Wood on West Side Story and Deborah Kerr and The King & I (I think I’m right on that).
PS. You should listen to the Broadway recording with Julie Andrews – absolutely smashing.
Oh how I love Julie Andrews and I think my mom my actually have that recording.
THANK YOU!!! That was bothering me….
Sorry Heppy…don’t have that recording but wish I did
Mom has spoken and she doesn’t! Sadness!
Shucks, sorry you don’t have it.
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I agree this is probably a must see for movie lovers but I just can’t do it. Lately, I can’t get in the mood for anything pre-1970.
I go in spurts like that. I have a load of classics sitting next to my TV and have since the Oscars. I haven’t watched on of them. It’s summertime, a oldie lull was bound to happen.
Is this flick realy 170 minutes long? Does that seem excessive for a musical?
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Well not really. West Side Story / The Sound of Music are both long and a lot happens.
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