MY FAIR LADY (1964)

Country: U.S.A.

Genre(s): Comedy / Musical / Romance

Director: George Cukor

Cast: Audrey Hepburn / Rex Harrison / Stanley Holloway

Plot
Wealthy Professor Higgins takes in poor Eliza Doolittle from the streets, intending to teach her to speak proper English, and become a renowned English lady.

What I Liked

“My Fair Lady” melds the sentimentality of Hollywood musicals, the charm of stage plays, and the amazement of the best motion picture epics into an impressive treat for the senses.  There are the requisite memorable melodies and several entertaining performances, but the real stars of the show are the sets and costumes.  Shot nearly half a century ago, the colors remain potent, the costumes iconic, and the many sets as impressive as any sound stage production I’ve ever seen.  Whether we’re in the bustling, dingy streets, the immaculate well-to-do neighborhoods, or a majestic ballroom, the craftsmanship and artistry invested in the settings are on a level usually reserved for the most extravagant of historical epics.  They turn turn-of-the-century London into a delightful and romantic fantasy land that would make Walt Disney jealous.

Speaking of animated, outdoing stars Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison for charm is Stanley Holloway as Hepburn’s drunken father, Alfred Doolittle.  Typically I’m not one for the entirely unrealistic portrayals of alcoholics as lovable scamps, which is exactly what happens here.  That’s one cliché that can’t have based on any truth at all.  However, Holloway is just so damn irresistible in his vivacity and bravado.  He steals every scene he’s in, makes amusing use of the sets he performs in, and generally pulls out all the stops in bringing fun to a movie that needs it.

Compared to co-stars Hepburn and Holloway, Rex Harrison turns in a decidedly understated performance with a subdued but very present charm of his own.  Almost speaking rather than singing his songs, his performance is more natural and believable than anyone else in the film.  He is convincing as self-centered Professor Higgins, and his awestruck perplexity at Eliza’s behavior provides a great deal of the movie’s comedic strength.

What I Didn’t Like

As for Audrey Hepburn herself... well, she was simply okay.  Of course she is lovely and her look in the film is as iconic as looks get.  But beyond her pretty face, she didn’t have much here.  Early on she’s annoyingly over-the-top with her bestial screaming.  We get it, you lack manners.  That doesn’t mean you have to be a harpy with a Cockney accent.  When she is finally tamed by Higgins (not really a spoiler, is it?) she’s just plain boring.  Hepburn never seemed to find a likable middle for her character, or maybe it just wasn’t written.  Regardless, I thought her male counterparts outshined her, in performance if not looks.

Beautiful the film may be, but the fact is that, generally speaking, I am just not a fan of musicals.  At nearly three hours in length, this one in particular was hard to get through.  I don’t know how many starts and stops it took me to get through this one.  Unfortunately I just find nearly ever movie of this genre boring, even the best of them.

It might have helped if, for all of its production values, the film had a little more complex choreography.  When combined with effective camera use, intricate and interesting movements is one thing I admire about a good musical.  There wasn’t much of any of that here.

Most Memorable Scene

“Get Me to the Church on Time” is one of two musical numbers where Holloway is allowed to shine and the one where he is the most brilliant.  The lovable drunk character is turned into something of a Bacchus, a resplendent god of debauchery, glowing with joy.  Mr. Doolittle lives the life he loves and loves the life he lives and those of us watching have a great time doing that.  It's not the best song of the lot ("The Street Where You Live" is) and I may not like the concept of a drunk being vivacious and charismatic, but Holloway and filmmakers make me forget all criticism and just enjoy the entertainment.  I find that extremely rare in a musical.

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5