My Fair Lady (1964)
Whether or not you’re a die-hard Julie Andrews fan, nearly everyone can agree that the problem of My Fair Lady wasn’t merely the casting. Surprisingly, director George Cukor didn’t know how to handle the production. The “filthy” London streets were far too clean and orderly. It started the film with such an amateur atmosphere, it was nearly impossible to recover. The rest of the film’s tone was hardly better; the pace of the dialogue, scenes, and songs were extremely slow. It felt like a taped live performance, where the actors waited for the audience to laugh. And when a terribly unrealistic singing dub is fed into the leading lady’s mouth, a slow tempo doesn’t do her any favors.
But onto the casting: what was Hollywood thinking? Audrey Hepburn, the epitome of elegance, could never play someone low class. Her Cockney was terrible, her expressions overdone, and her “I’m just a flower girl” act didn’t cut past the first row. With mere smudges of dirt on her nose, she seemed like if she washed her face she would absolutely be respectable enough to mingle with polite company. She did not look like “a prisoner of the gutter”. Her hair looked clean and was pulled up into a Gibson, her clothes were intact but merely dusty, and she carried herself with poise and grace – as always. There were many other choices to cast Eliza Doolittle, one of which would have been an unknown to achieve the “Scarlet O’Hara effect” and shock audiences when she does change her accent and her appearance. With sufficient “ugly” makeup, Samantha Eggar, Vanessa Redgrave or even Julie Christie would have been more convincing.
Henry Higgins is an easy role to play, and any Englishman approaching middle age could have played it. James Mason would have been wonderful, as he’d already played a controlling teacher in The Seventh Veil. David Niven could have done any Rex Harrison role in his sleep, but with far more charm and sex appeal. Peter O’Toole got his “revenge” when he played in a tv version of Pygmalion and gave Professor Higgins the life George Bernard Shaw always wanted. Ray Milland, Cary Grant (who refused), George Sanders, all would have been better choices than Rex Harrison. He may have gotten away with “rapping” his songs because the lyrics were clever, but to anyone who knows Jay Lerner’s music, it’s insulting to just ignore his notes. Rex was also far too old for Audrey to be attracted to him. As a mentor and father figure, she’s supposed to admire him; but to want a romantic attachment would require some degree of appeal. Rex is so mean (without any undercurrent of playfulness as Peter O’Toole gave the character) and acts so disinterested in courtship, it makes Audrey seem like she has mental problems.
In a recent biography I read of Cary Grant, I finally discovered the reason behind his refusal of Henry Higgins. He was more interested in playing Eliza’s father and hamming up his old vaudeville days. While he would have been cute, I would have loved to see Michael Caine hamming up his old Cockney accent (with age makeup of course).
The really only wonderful part of the movie is Audrey’s black and white Cecil Beaton costume when she goes to the races. Obviously, it was fabulous enough to get turned into a Barbie doll! But, even this wonderful gown has its fault: because she looks so incredible, why is Henry Higgins surprised to see her all dolled up to go to the ball? She’s so much more impressive and Audrey Hepburn-ish when they go to the races; it’s anticlimactic when she descends down the stairs before Intermission. So, save yourself three hours and just buy the Barbie doll.
Want to watch it? Click here to see it on ok.ru and thanks "Classic Movies Kristine Rose" for posting!
More Rex Harrison movies here!
More Audrey Hepburn movies here!
But onto the casting: what was Hollywood thinking? Audrey Hepburn, the epitome of elegance, could never play someone low class. Her Cockney was terrible, her expressions overdone, and her “I’m just a flower girl” act didn’t cut past the first row. With mere smudges of dirt on her nose, she seemed like if she washed her face she would absolutely be respectable enough to mingle with polite company. She did not look like “a prisoner of the gutter”. Her hair looked clean and was pulled up into a Gibson, her clothes were intact but merely dusty, and she carried herself with poise and grace – as always. There were many other choices to cast Eliza Doolittle, one of which would have been an unknown to achieve the “Scarlet O’Hara effect” and shock audiences when she does change her accent and her appearance. With sufficient “ugly” makeup, Samantha Eggar, Vanessa Redgrave or even Julie Christie would have been more convincing.
Henry Higgins is an easy role to play, and any Englishman approaching middle age could have played it. James Mason would have been wonderful, as he’d already played a controlling teacher in The Seventh Veil. David Niven could have done any Rex Harrison role in his sleep, but with far more charm and sex appeal. Peter O’Toole got his “revenge” when he played in a tv version of Pygmalion and gave Professor Higgins the life George Bernard Shaw always wanted. Ray Milland, Cary Grant (who refused), George Sanders, all would have been better choices than Rex Harrison. He may have gotten away with “rapping” his songs because the lyrics were clever, but to anyone who knows Jay Lerner’s music, it’s insulting to just ignore his notes. Rex was also far too old for Audrey to be attracted to him. As a mentor and father figure, she’s supposed to admire him; but to want a romantic attachment would require some degree of appeal. Rex is so mean (without any undercurrent of playfulness as Peter O’Toole gave the character) and acts so disinterested in courtship, it makes Audrey seem like she has mental problems.
In a recent biography I read of Cary Grant, I finally discovered the reason behind his refusal of Henry Higgins. He was more interested in playing Eliza’s father and hamming up his old vaudeville days. While he would have been cute, I would have loved to see Michael Caine hamming up his old Cockney accent (with age makeup of course).
The really only wonderful part of the movie is Audrey’s black and white Cecil Beaton costume when she goes to the races. Obviously, it was fabulous enough to get turned into a Barbie doll! But, even this wonderful gown has its fault: because she looks so incredible, why is Henry Higgins surprised to see her all dolled up to go to the ball? She’s so much more impressive and Audrey Hepburn-ish when they go to the races; it’s anticlimactic when she descends down the stairs before Intermission. So, save yourself three hours and just buy the Barbie doll.
Want to watch it? Click here to see it on ok.ru and thanks "Classic Movies Kristine Rose" for posting!
More Rex Harrison movies here!
More Audrey Hepburn movies here!