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My Fair Lady Overview:

My Fair Lady (1964) was a Drama - Family Film directed by George Cukor and produced by Jack L. Warner.

The film was based on the musical of the same name written by Alan Jay Lerner performed at the Mark Hellinger Theatre, NY, & Broadhurst Theatre, NY & Broadway Theatre, NY from Mar 15, 1956 - Sep 29, 1962.

SYNOPSIS

Lerner and Loewe's Broadway success comes to the screen with a ravishing Hepburn in the title role made famous onstage by Julie Andrews and Harrison repeating the character of Dr. Henry Higgins. The now-familiar story of the Cockney market girl who conquers society as well as her mentor's heart is beautifully realized by Cukor, assisted by sets and costumes designed by famed photographer Cecil Beaton (the Ascot Races sequence is a virtual runway fashion show of Beaton's glamorous handiwork), and the invisible Marni Nixon as Hepburn's singing voice. Memorable songs include: "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face," "The Rain in Spain Stays Mainly in the Plain," and "You Did It!" among many others. This quintessential film musical was based on Shaw's 1913 play, Pygmalion. The 30th anniversary video includes a fully restored print, the original theatrical trailer, promotional film, and CBS news footage of the star-studded premiere.

(Source: available at Amazon AMC Classic Movie Companion).

Academy Awards 1964 --- Ceremony Number 37 (source: AMPAS)

AwardRecipientResult
Best ActorRex HarrisonWon
Best Supporting ActorStanley HollowayNominated
Best Supporting ActressGladys CooperNominated
Best Art DirectionArt Direction: Gene Allen, Cecil Beaton; Set Decoration: George James HopkinsWon
Best CinematographyHarry StradlingWon
Best Costume DesignCecil BeatonWon
Best DirectorGeorge CukorWon
Best Film EditingWilliam ZieglerNominated
Best Music - ScoringAndre PrevinWon
Best PictureJack L. Warner, ProducerWon
Best WritingAlan Jay LernerNominated
See More Oscar Winners

My Fair Lady BlogHub Articles:

Silver Screen Standards: Eliza’s Voice in My Fair Lady (1964)

By Jennifer Garlen on Aug 10, 2021 From Classic Movie Hub Blog

Silver Screen Standards: Eliza’s Voice in My Fair Lady (1964) The socio-economic and geographical markers of dialect loom large in George Bernard Shaw’s influential play, Pygmalion, its 1938 film adaptation, and the splashy musical version that stars Audrey Hepburn as the fair lady of its ti... Read full article

Win Tickets to see “TCM Big Screen Classics: My Fair Lady” (Giveaway runs now through Feb 2)

By Annmarie Gatti on Jan 21, 2019 From Classic Movie Hub Blog

Win tickets to see “My Fair Lady” on the Big Screen! In Select Cinemas Nationwide Sun Feb 17 and Wed Feb 20 “Aowh, wouldn’t it be lover-ly.” CMH continues with our 4th year of our partnership with Fathom Events - with the 2nd of our 14 movie ticket giveaways for 2019, courtesy of F... Read full article

My Fair Lady (1964)

By Beatrice on Apr 29, 2018 From Flickers in Time

My Fair Lady Directed by George Cukor Written by Alan Jay Lerner from a play by George Bernard Shaw 1964/USA Warner Bros. Repeat viewing/Netflix rental One of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die Beautiful music, great acting, gorgeous production values.  Who could ask for anything more? Prof... Read full article

31 Days of Oscar Blogathon 2015 (Week 3: The Crafts) : My Fair Lady and the Outstanding Costumes of Cecil Beaton

By The Wonderful World of Cinema on Feb 18, 2015 From The Wonderful World of Cinema

I have to say that Cecil Beaton is my favourite photographer, but he was also an incredible costume designer. He created the costumes of 14 movies: Kipps, Dangerous Moonlight, On Approval, The Young Mr. Pitt, Anna Karenina (1948), An Ideal Husband, Beware of Pity, Dandy Dick, The Truth about Women... Read full article

My Fair Lady (1964)

By 4 Star Film Fan on Jan 19, 2014 From 4 Star Films

Adapted from the play Pygmalion, originally written by George Bernard Shaw, My Fair Lady stars Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison. It follows a speech therapist (Harrison) as he tries to win a bet with an old acquaintance that he can pass off a poor flower girl as a duchess. He takes Eliza Doolitt... Read full article

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My Fair Lady Quotes:

Professor Henry Higgins: You see, the great secret, Eliza, is not a question of good manners or bad manners, or any particular sort of manners, but having the same manner for all human souls. The question is not whether I treat you rudely, but whether you've ever heard me treat anyone else better.
Eliza Doolittle: I don't care how you treat me. I don't mind your swearing at me. I shouldn't mind a black eye; I've had one before this. But I won't be passed over!
Professor Henry Higgins: Well then, get out of my way, for I won't stop for you. You talk about me as though I were a motor bus.
Eliza Doolittle: So you are a motor bus! All bounce and go, and no consideration for anybody. But I can get along without you. Don't you think I can't!
Professor Henry Higgins: I know you can. I told you you could.
[pause]
Professor Henry Higgins: [quietly] You've never wondered, I suppose, whether... whether I could get along without you.
Eliza Doolittle: Well, you have my voice on your phonograph. When you feel lonesome without me you can turn it on. It has no feelings to hurt.
Professor Henry Higgins: I... I can't turn your soul on.
Eliza Doolittle: Ooh, you are a *devil*. You can twist the heart in a girl the same way some fellows twist her arms to hurt her!
Alfred P. Doolittle: I knew she had a career in front of 'er!
Eliza Doolittle: [singing] I shall not feel alone without you, I can stand on my own without you. So go back in your shell, I can do bloody well without...
Professor Henry Higgins: [singing] By George, I really did it, I did it, I did it! I said I'd make a woman and indeed, I did. I knew that I could do it, I knew it, I knew it! I said I'd make a woman and succeed, I did!
[speaking]
Professor Henry Higgins: Eliza, you're magnificent. Five minutes ago, you were a millstone around my neck, and now you're a tower of strength, a consort battleship. I like you this way.
[pause]
Eliza Doolittle: Goodbye, Professor Higgins. You shall not be seeing me again.
Eliza Doolittle: I sold flowers; I didn't sell myself. Now you've made a lady of me, I'm not fit to sell anything else.
Professor Henry Higgins: [singing] Women are irrational, that's all there is to that! Their heads are full of cotton, hay, and rags. They're nothing but exasperating, irritating, vacillating, calculating, agitating, maddening and infuriating hags!
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My Fair Lady Facts
Most of Audrey Hepburn's singing was dubbed by Marni Nixon, despite Hepburn's lengthy vocal preparation for the role. A dubber was required because Eliza Doolittle's songs were not transposed down to accommodate Audrey Hepburn's "low-mezzo voice" (as Marni Nixon referred to it), the way Guenevere's songs were transposed down to accommodate Vanessa Redgrave's limited vocal range in 'Camelot (1967)'. Audrey Hepburn sang most of "Just You Wait", as well as the reprise to the song, herself, showcasing her ability to sing perfectly at ease when the songs were set in a reasonable tessitura. Audrey also sang one or two lines, elsewhere in the score, such as 'Sleep, sleep, I couldn't sleep tonight!' in "I Could Have Danced All Night". Thus, the claim that Marni Nixon dubbed all of Audrey Hepburn's singing (as asserted by such people as syndicated columnist Hedda Hopper), is false.
The 1994 restoration by Robert A. Harris used a variety of methods to return the film to its original condition. The opening credits were digitally re-created using pieces of surviving frames. A few shots were digitally restored by scanning the 65mm negative or separation masters and output back to VistaVision (and enlarged back to 65mm). Some shots were simply re-composited via separation masters. Despite this, most of the film was able to be restored directly from the camera negative. For the sound, only the six-track magnetic print master (used to add sound to 70mm prints) survived. This was digitally restored and used to create a new six-track mix (faithful to the original version), as well as new Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 mixes for modern sound systems.
The movie was advertised as the most eagerly anticipated production since Gone with the Wind.
Stanley Holloway originated the role of Alfie Dolittle on Broadway, but it was thought that a better known actor would be more suited for the film version.
Most roadshow film presentations made at that time had an overture recorded especially for the film, meant to be heard while the lights in the theater were still up and the movie screen curtains were still closed. Then, at the end of the overture, the lights would go down and the film would start with what was known as its Main Title music. The overture to the stage version of "My Fair Lady" was longer than the film's opening credits, but Lerner and Loewe apparently still wanted to use it. So, rather than using the typical roadshow format of Overture and Main Title music to get around this, the filmmakers shot the film so that half of the Overture is heard against shots of flowers appearing on the screen; then halfway through the Overture, the lights go down and the opening credits begin.
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