A chance meeting between two noted british linguists, professor henry higgins sir rex harrison and colonel hugh pickering wilford hydewhite, leads to a wager that will test higgins skills. Oct 21, 2014 when the movie version of my fair lady premiered 50 years ago today it was an adaptation of a stage show that was a musical remake of a play that was loosely based on an ancient myth. His rival is invited into her house, but would rather just stand outside on the street where she lives. And some savvy theatergoers know that it was based on the play pygmalion, by george bernard.
Fans of my fair lady have always wondered why the studio never bothered to have an enhanced restoration of this movie to the dvd format. The most the leading man can concede about the heroine is that he has grown accustomed to her face. Embarrassingly, by the time the movie opened, mary poppins had made her more than enough of a star to. In my fair lady, which is the best stage musical of all time and one of the most loved romances, no one ever gets kissed. The movie, which starred rex harrison and audrey hepburn, won eight academy awards, including that for best picture. After screening the rough cut, jack warner, who had not wanted to cast harrison, rose in silence, turned to the actor and bowed. My fair lady is a 1964 american musical comedydrama film adapted from the 1956 lerner and loewe stage musical based on george bernard shaws 19. Rain in spain julie andrews, robert coote, rex harrison.
And both her father and the man she loves consider marriage to be an. My fair lady 1964 in this beloved musical, pompous phonetics professor henry higgins rex harrison is so sure of his abilities that he takes it upon himself to transform a cockney workingclass. Although, the basic story line and underlying themes are the same, there are a. My fair lady features a number of memorable songs, including i could have danced all night, get me to the church on time, and ive grown accustomed to her face. In honor of its 50th anniversary, this eight time oscar. Carousel, my fair lady and kiss me, kate are classics of the canon, while pretty woman, a new musical, is adapted from a smash film. Also sign me up for fanmail to get updates on all things movies. Or, more accurately, it has reclaimed the ending that george bernard shaw intended for pygmalion, the play it is based on, in 19. The movie my fair lady tells love story between a flower girl, eliza doolittle, and a phonetic professor, henry higgins. Warner, a great studio mogul nearing the end of his functional career his very next film as producer was the 1967 adaptation of lerner and loewes camelot, a fat beast that resulted. Presumably, once filming was over, the dress was returned to the owner. Get ready to sing along as we guide you through the musicalinfused. My fair lady 1964 where to stream and watch decider.
The musical and movie are based on the movie adaptation of the stage play pygmalion by george bernard shaw. Nixon was a ghost singer in many movie musicals, not just in my fair lady. Although, the basic story line and underlying themes are the same, there are a number of differences between the two famous works. With a screenplay by alan jay lerner and directed by george cukor, the film depicts a poor cockney flower seller named eliza doolittle who overhears an arrogant phonetics professor, henry higgins, as he casually wagers that he. Parents need to know that my fair lady is an entertaining musical for all ages, though it may be too long almost three hours for the youngest kids. March 7, 2014 i watched this movie again last night for the first time in 50 years. The ostentatious black and white ensemble sported by eliza doolittle at the royal ascot races is one of the most unique costumes ever worn by miss hepburn onscreen. Sit back, relax, grab some popcorn and a coke while you enjoy the all time classic. Its roots reach back to greek mythology, and the story of the sculptor pygmalion, who falls in love with one of his creations which then comes to life. When i first saw it, this movie left me with a bad taste in my mouth because of the awful ending it has. Behind the cameramy fair lady turner classic movies. In addition to her voice work in films, nixons varied career included opera and musicals on broadway. With audrey hepburn, rex harrison, stanley holloway, wilfrid hydewhite.
So notorious became this dubbing, so egregious was it made to appear, that although my fair lady was nominated for 12 oscars and won eight including best picture, actor. My fair lady is a 1964 american musical comedydrama film adapted from the 1956 lerner and loewe stage musical based on george bernard shaws 19 stage play, pygmalion. The story concerns eliza doolittle, a cockney flower girl who takes speech. By far, this is my most favorite classical musical.
My fair lady, released in 1964, is hailed as one of the greatest films ever made and i had the opportunity to watch the remastered 30th anniversary edition for the first time while spending christmas at yosemite national park. Snobbish phonetics professor henry higgins agrees to a wager that he can make flower girl eliza doolittle presentable in high society. George bernard shaw intended for his play pygmalion the. My fair lady held its premiere at the criterion theatre in new york. My fair lady 1964 was experienced director george cukors film musical adaptation of george bernard shaws 1912 play pygmalion that had played successfully on broadway from march 15, 1956 to 1962. His subject turns out to be the lovely eliza doolittle audrey hepburn, who agrees to speech lessons to improve her job prospects. My fair lady and other pygmalion adaptations new york. It is based on the 1957 stage musical my fair lady by lerner and lowe. The 1964 audrey hepburn movie version of my fair lady is based on the broadway musical starring julie andrews with. Every time you pronounce the letter h correctly the flame will waver, and every time you drop your h the flame will remain. You did it robert coote, rex harrison, betty wolfe. Shooting started in august 1963 and ended in december. Check out the official my fair lady 1964 trailer starring audrey hepburn. Despite a somewhat flawed and erratic third act, my fair lady rises on the strength of its lush costumes and settings, as well as several great and memorable songs, turning this into a musical.
My fair lady hollywoods legendary womans director, george cukor the women, the philadelphia story, transformed audrey hepburn into streeturchinturnedproperlady eliza doolittle in this film version of the lerner and loewe musical. Finally this classic movie gets the digital treatment it deserves. Eliza doolittle, played by audrey hepburn, was a poor girl with lowclass accent. The play my fair lady, adapted by alan jay lerner book and lyrics and frederick loewe music from the 19 play pygmalion by george bernard shaw, opened on broadway in 1956 and won six tony awards, including best musical. Oct 21, 2015 fiftyone years ago wednesday, audrey hepburn took center stage at the world premiere of my fair lady the story of a snobbish professor and a cockney flower girl. My fair lady, american musical film 1964 adapted from the longrunning broadway musical of the same name. My fair lady by alan jay lerner and frederick loewe is a musical based on george bernard shaws classic play, pygmalion, which was first performed in 19.
What happened to audrey hepburns embassy ball gown. My fair ladythe academy awardwinning musical film my fair lady produced by george cukor in 1964, was based on the play pygmalion by george bernard shaw written in 19. The movie, directed by george cukor and with production design, scenic design, and costumes by cecil beaton, was restored in 1994 by james c. Renowned english costume designer cecil beaton made this extraordinary piece for the actress, who is. My fair lady is the best and most unlikely of musicals, during which i cannot decide if i am happier when the characters are talking or when they are singing.
My fair lady great story, great music, awful ending by robert roten, film critic. Discover the growing collection of high quality most relevant xxx movies and clips. The story of the broadway musical my fair lady is familiar to people with knowledge of musical theater. My fair lady, american musical film, released in 1964, that was adapted from the longrunning broadway musical of the same name and proved to be a great popular and critical success. Read the full synopsis of my fair lady, 1964, directed by george cukor, with audrey hepburn, rex harrison, stanley holloway, at turner classic movies. My fair lady original soundtrack original soundtrack. The film, said at the time to have the largest advance ticket sales of any movie in history. Find out where my fair lady 1964 is streaming, if my fair lady 1964 is on netflix, and get news and updates, on decider.
See the full list of my fair lady cast and crew including actors, directors, producers and more. My fair lady is a musical based on george bernard shaws 19 play pygmalion, with book and lyrics by alan jay lerner and music by frederick loewe. This steelbook release contains the blu ray of the movie plus a region 1 dvd and a blu ray containing a wealth of extra documentaries and features that are most interesting. My fair lady is now more lovelier than ever with a breathtaking new restoration playing in cinemas nationwide for a limited time only. Audrey hepburn the rain in spain my fair lady 1964. Not only does my fair lady feature an involving story with compelling characters, but theres not a dud to be found on the roster of more than a dozen songs, the bestknown of which, i could have danced all night, is familiar to almost everyone even those who havent seen the movie. Shaws plot was derived from latin poet ovids story in the metamorphoses about a character named. Perhaps shes not ideal in the earliest scenes of the movie her dirtiness is never quite believable but it has to be said that despite this smallish drawback she. Or, more accurately, it has reclaimed the ending that george bernard shaw intended for pygmalion, the play it. Few genres of films are as magical as musicals, and few musicals are as intelligent and lively as my fair lady. It has riches of story, humor, acting and production values far beyond the average big picture.
The production, starring harrison as higgins, julie andrews as eliza, and holloway as her father, ran for 2,717 performances, until september 1962. Thanks to cukors efficiency, my fair lady was completed in less than four months. The story concerns eliza doolittle, a cockney flower girl who takes speech lessons from professor henry higgins, a phonetician, so that she may pass as a lady. Gloriously witty adaptation of the broadway musical about professor henry higgins sir rex harrison, who takes a bet from colonel hugh pickering wilford hydewhite that he can transform unrefined, dirty cockney flower girl eliza doolittle audrey hepburn into a lady, and fool everyone into thinking she really is one, too. The marilyn monroe story rare 1963 documentary duration. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing my fair lady near you. My fair lady is the best and most unlikely of musicals, during which i cannot decide if i am happier when the characters are talking or when.
According to the turner classic movie trivia page on my fair lady, the ball gown was an antique dress flown in from england. Oct 24, 2014 audrey hepburn the rain in spain my fair lady 1964. How to learn english pronunciation with my fair lady 1964. Inevitably, the original soundtrack to my fair lady is remembered, like the film, for the absence of julie andrews, who starred in the broadway and london stage productions, but was deemed, at least at the time when the casting decision had to be made, not enough of a star to carry the movie.
My fair lady demonstrates importance of whats on the. Its a classic not because a group of stuffy film experts have labeled it as such, but because it has been, and always will be, a pure joy to experience. The director bartlett sher with lauren ambrose, who plays eliza doolittle, during a rehearsal of my fair lady, which ms. Domineering speech expert henry higgins rex harrison, in his finest performance transforms 19thcentury cockney flower girl eliza doolittle the neverlovelier audrey hepburn into a beautiful, swanlike lady. The classic musical my fair lady is a makeover story, but on a deeper level, it is the tale of two people who make each others lives a little more loverly. Following its release on christmas day 1964, the film version of my fair lady brought in a. I could have danced all night julie andrews, betty wolfe.
My fair lady and pygmalion share a basic storyline, in which poor flower girl eliza doolittle is transformed into a lady at the hands of phonetics professor. The movie, which starred rex harrison and audrey hepburn, won eight academy awards, including that. The original broadway and london shows starred rex harrison and julie andrews. The dialogue by alan jay lerner wisely retains a great deal of pygmalion by george bernard. In the case of my fair lady, rex harrrisons vocals and synced image match perfectly as does everyone else. My fair lady has a great story, plot and music that will have you humming the tunes long after you finish watching the movie. No other sex tube is more popular and features more my fair lady scenes than pornhub. Mar 05, 2018 the bloated megamusicals of the 1960s were a shaky incarnation of the genre, and my fair lady had the misfortune of coming under the personal attention of jack l. One of the bestknown items in the history of movie trivia is that hepburn did not sing her own songs, but was dubbed by the gifted marni nixon. Shaws plot was derived from latin poet ovids story in the metamorphoses about a character named pygmalion who fell in love with a beautiful ivory statue of a woman.
She also performed in some great concerts, including major recordings. After they hear a cockney flower girl caterwaul in the street, higgins proposes to transform the girl, eliza doolittle audrey hepburn, into a refined. Its a biting satire that treats both the most egotistical snob and the lowliest street person with gentle humor and respect. The wildly successful musical my fair lady, produced for the stage in 1956 and as a film in 1964, is based on the play pygmalion, penned in 19 by irish author george bernard shaw. Fiftyone years ago wednesday, audrey hepburn took center stage at the world premiere of my fair lady the story of a snobbish professor and a cockney flower girl. Written by frederick loewe and alan jay lerner, my fair lady tells the story of a young woman in edwardian london and her chance encounter with a linguistics professor. Although concealed at the time, she sang in films such as the king and i, and west side story. Apr 05, 2016 my fair lady hurricanes hardly ever happen now, you see that flame. My fair lady in technicolor and super panavision 70 must clean up for warners.