My Fair Lady

While Pygmalion, with Wendy Hiller, follows G.B. Shaw's play more concisely My Fair Lady deviates a bit from the play however it still captures more the audience. Though, a 1964 movie may seem a bit boring for 2007 it has that special essence that makes it a great classical. My Fair Lady is in the form of a musical, which may seem annoying to those who do not enjoy constant singing. In my opinion, the singing was a perfect element in the movie especially the chorus which sang according the Professor Higgins feelings. In the movie the workers gather around Professor Higgins and sing according to the current situation. For example, while training Eliza the chorus would repeat "Poor Professor Higgins...Poor Professor Higgins", I think this added a humorous element. Some of the songs are very catchy like "The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plains". I found these songs very entertaining while watching the movie.
Audrey Hepburn's portrayal of Eliza Doolittle may not seem like the "flower girl" that Shaw describes because she has that "spark" that makes her seem elegant even if she is in rags. When Hepburn is shown in the ambassador's ball, she illustrates a real sophisticated duchess. From the way her lips move (making sure she doesn't mess up her words) to the way she is dressed, Hepburn portrays the elegance in every lady. Unlike Hiller, in Pygmalion, Hepburn shines in the ballroom. One could say that Hepburn is the epitome of elegance and sophistication in this scene. There is also an alteration in this scene from Shaw's play. First the character of Neppomuck is changed into Zoltan Zarpathy and we are presented to the Prince of Transylvania who wishes to dance with Eliza. This never happens in Pygmalion; however this was added into the plot in order to make the story more interesting and intriguing.
The other characters also play an important role. In my opinion, Professor Higgins seemed less rude in My Fair Lady. This could have been due to the constant singing. At the end of the movie Eliza goes back to Higgins instead of marrying Freddy, this is a huge change in the real Pygmalion. The director chose this path in order to give My Fair Lady a happy ending, instead of following the real storyline and maybe disappointing the audience.
Overall, My Fair Lady is an entertaining musical which can take you back in time however the audience is able to feel the essence of a classical movie. Hepburn's character in the movie truly captivates the audience.

Such a delightful film! This is probably one of Audrey's best performance! It's just so disappointing that she wasn't even nominated for the Oscar! Huh! I feel bad for her!

I have always loved musicals, growing up watching them all the time, but by far My Fair Lady was the best I have ever watched. I never tire of watching Audrey Hepburn transform from a common flower girl to a lady. Though I was dissappointed that Audrey's voice wasn't used in the songs, there are the original songs with Audrey's voice in the extra features. If you love musicals, this is a must-see!

This is my favorite movie ever. They did a good job with it two. The extra stuff stinks so buy it for the movie.

Excellent cast and wonderful music make this superb movie one of the best of all time. The Oh so true play based on the English social class distinction, as it used to be, and scenes and characters in Covent Garden just add richness to the whole story.

Featuring the characters from the Covent Garden fruit and vegetable market, of former times, together with the opera goers from the Covent Garden Opera House adds highlight to the cultural extreams that existed, "shoulder to shoulder" for so long.

The truly beautiful Audry Hepburn, Rex Harrison, Stanley Holloway, Wilfred Hyde-White, Gladys Cooper and company, give us the richness and romanticism of a bygone era.......just wonderful.