My Fair Lady (1964)

User Rating:

7.9/10   

Director:

George Cukor

Writers:

Alan Jay Lerner (book)
George Bernard Shaw (play)
(more)

Release Date:

25 December 1964 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Family | Musical | Romance

Tagline:

The loverliest motion picture of them all!

Plot:

A misogynistic and snobbish phonetics professor agrees to a wager that he can take a flower girl and make her presentable in high society.

Plot Keywords:

Flower Girl | Professor | Wager | Linguist | High Society

Awards:

Won 8 Oscars. Another 13 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

Audrey Hepburn	...	Eliza Doolittle
Rex Harrison	...	Professor Henry Higgins
Stanley Holloway	...	Alfred P. Doolittle
Wilfrid Hyde-White	...	Colonel Hugh Pickering
Gladys Cooper	...	Mrs. Higgins
Jeremy Brett	...	Freddy Eynsford-Hill
Theodore Bikel	...	Zoltan Karpathy
Mona Washbourne	...	Mrs. Pearce
Isobel Elsom	...	Mrs. Eynsford-Hill
John Holland	...	Butler
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Elizabeth Aimers	...	Cockney (uncredited)
Helen Albrecht	...	Ascot Extra (uncredited)
John Alderson	...	Jamie (uncredited)
Mary Alexander	...	Cockney (uncredited)
LaWana Backer	...	Ad Lib at Church (uncredited)
Frank Baker	...	Elegant Bystander (uncredited)
Lois Battle	...	Second Maid (uncredited)
Brittania Beatey	...	Daughter of Elegant Bystander (uncredited)
William Beckley	...	Footman (uncredited)
Marjorie Bennett	...	Cockney with Pipe (uncredited)
Oscar Beregi Jr.	...	Greek Ambassador (uncredited)
Betty Blythe	...	Lady at Ball (uncredited)
Diana Bourbon	...	Ascot Extra (uncredited)
Iris Bristol	...	Flower Girl (uncredited)
Sue Bronson	...	Toff (uncredited)
Meg Brown	...	Ad Lib at Church (uncredited)
Buddy Bryant	...	Prince of Transylvania (uncredited)
Walter Burke	...	Bystander Who Warns Eliza (uncredited)
Bea Marie Busch	...	Cockney (uncredited)
Colin Campbell	...	Ascot Gavotte (uncredited)
Jeannie Carson	...	Ad Lib at Church (uncredited)
Paulle Clark	...	Ad Lib at Ascot (uncredited)
Natalie Core	...	Ascot Extra (uncredited)
Tom Cound	...	Footman (uncredited)
Jennifer Crier	...	Mrs. Higgins' Maid (uncredited)
Maurice Dallimore	...	Selsey Man (uncredited)
Allison Daniell	...	Ad Lib at Ascot (uncredited)
Henry Daniell	...	Ambassador (uncredited)
Donna Day	...	Cockney (uncredited)
Roy Dean	...	Footman (uncredited)
Thomas Dick	...	Cockney (uncredited)
Brendan Dillon	...	Leading Man (uncredited)
Anne Dore	...	Ad Lib at Church (uncredited)
Pauline Drake	...	Ad Lib at Church (uncredited)
Harvey B. Dunn	...	Ascot Extra (uncredited)
Sandy Edmundson	...	Toff (uncredited)
Joe Evans	...	Cockney (uncredited)
Kai Farelli	...	Juggler (uncredited)
Raymond Foster	...	Cockney (uncredited)
Raymond Foster	...	Undtermined Role (uncredited)
Stanley Fraser	...	Ad Lib at Church (uncredited)
Charles E. Fredericks	...	King George V in Fantasy Sequence (uncredited)
Lea Genovese	...	Toff (uncredited)
Ayllene Gibbons	...	Fat Woman at Pub (uncredited)
Jack Goldie	...	Ad Lib at Church (uncredited)
Jack Greening	...	George (uncredited)
Beatrice Grenough	...	Grand Lady (uncredited)
Clive Halliday	...	Costermonger (uncredited)
Sam Harris	...	Guest at Ball (uncredited)
Marjory Hawtrey	...	Ad Lib at Ascot (uncredited)
Eric Heath	...	Costermonger (uncredited)
Monika Henreid	...	Ad Lib at Church (uncredited)
Eugene Hoffman	...	Juggler (uncredited)
Samuel Holmes	...	Cockney (uncredited)
James W. Horan	...	(uncredited)
Clyde Howdy	...	Ad Lib at Church (uncredited)
Kendrick Huxham	...	Elegant Bystander (uncredited)
Lillian Kemble-Cooper	...	Lady Ambassador (uncredited)
Phyllis Kennedy	...	Cockney (uncredited)
Colin Kenny	...	Ad Lib at Church (uncredited)
Goldie Kleban	...	Cockney (uncredited)
Peter Ladefoged	...	Voice of Linguistics Lesson (uncredited)
Alma Lawton	...	Flower Girl (uncredited)
Queenie Leonard	...	Cockney Bystander (uncredited)
William Linkie	...	Cockney (uncredited)
Moyna MacGill	...	Lady Boxington (uncredited)
Laurie Main	...	Hoxton Man Not Hoston (uncredited)
Sidney Marion	...	Ad Lib at Church (uncredited)
Eric Martin	...	Ad Lib at Church (uncredited)
Owen McGiveney	...	Man at Coffee Stand (uncredited)
John McLiam	...	Harry (uncredited)
Shirley Melline	...	Ad Lib at Church (uncredited)
Carol Merrill	...	Toff (uncredited)
Gigi Michel	...	Toff (uncredited)
Lenore Miller	...	Cockney (uncredited)
John Mitchum	...	Ad Lib at Church (uncredited)
Barbara Morrison	...	Ascot Extra (uncredited)
Marlene Morrow	...	Toff (uncredited)
Alan Napier	...	Gentleman Escorting Eliza to the Queen (uncredited)
Nick Navarro	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Marni Nixon	...	Eliza Doolittle (singing voice) (uncredited)
James O'Hara	...	Costermonger (uncredited)
Patrick O'Moore	...	Man (uncredited)
Richard Peel	...	Costermonger (uncredited)
George Pelling	...	Ad Lib at Church (uncredited)
Barbara Pepper	...	Doolittle's Dance Partner (uncredited)
Hilda Plowright	...	Bystander (uncredited)
Jack Raine	...	Extra (uncredited)
Olive Reeves-Smith	...	Mrs. Hopkins (uncredited)
Christopher Riordan	...	Suitor at Ball (uncredited)
David Robel	...	Cockney (uncredited)
Dinah Anne Rogers	...	First Maid (uncredited)
Victor Rogers	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Corinne Ross	...	Cockney (uncredited)
Baroness Rothschild	...	Queen of Transylvania (uncredited)
Wendy Russell	...	Ad Lib at Church (uncredited)
Kenny Salvatt	...	Racegoer in 'Ascot Gavotte' Sequence (uncredited)
Miriam Schiller	...	Landlady (uncredited)
Buddy Shea	...	Ad Lib at Church (uncredited)
Orville Sherman	...	Ascot Extra (uncredited)
Bill Shirley	...	Freddy Eynsford-Hill (singing voice) (uncredited)
Jacqueline Squire	...	Parlor Maid (uncredited)
Michael St. Clair	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Geoffrey Steele	...	Taxi Driver (uncredited)
Sandy Steffens	...	Toff (uncredited)
Grady Sutton	...	Ascot Extra / Guest at Ball (uncredited)
Henry Sweetman	...	Cockney (uncredited)
William Taylor	...	Cockney (uncredited)
Joy Tierney	...	Cockney (uncredited)
Gwendolyn Watts	...	Cook (uncredited)
Ron Whelan	...	Algernon / Bartender (uncredited)
Elzada Wilson	...	Ad Lib at Church (uncredited)
Nick Wolcum	...	Ad Lib at Church (uncredited)
James Wood	...	Cockney (uncredited)
Ben Wright	...	Footman at Ball (uncredited)
Ben Wrigley	...	Costermonger (uncredited)

Directed by
George Cukor

Writing credits
Alan Jay Lerner		(book of musical play)
George Bernard Shaw		(play) (as Bernard Shaw)
Alan Jay Lerner		(screenplay)

Produced by
James C. Katz	....	producer (1994 restoration)
Jack L. Warner	....	producer

Original Music by
André Previn		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Harry Stradling Sr.		(director of photography) (as Harry Stradling)

Film Editing by
William H. Ziegler		(as William Ziegler)

Production Design by
Cecil Beaton
Gene Allen		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Gene Allen
Cecil Beaton		(uncredited)

Set Decoration by
George James Hopkins

Costume Design by
Cecil Beaton
Michael Neuwirth		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Gordon Bau	....	makeup supervisor
Jean Burt Reilly	....	supervising hair stylist
Dean Cole	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
Frank McCoy	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Robert J. Schiffer	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Marvin G. Westmore	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Sergei Petschnikoff	....	unit manager
Rudi Fehr	....	post-production supervisor (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
David Hall	....	assistant director

Art Department
Cecil Beaton	....	scenery designer

Sound Department
David Behle	....	recordist (1994 restoration)
Douglas Greenfield	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby (1994 restoration)
Brian Kane	....	transfer supervisor (1994 restoration)
Jack Keller	....	recordist (1994 restoration)
Robert J. Litt	....	mixer (1994 restoration) (as Robert Litt)
Francis J. Scheid	....	sound
Murray Spivack	....	sound
George Groves	....	sound recordist: studio (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Jay Cox	....	optical and title: Imagica USA (1994 restoration)
Tetsuo Kawano	....	optical and title: Imagica USA (1994 restoration)
Brad Kuehn	....	digital supervisor: Cinesite (1994 restoration)
Kevin Lingenfelser	....	digital artist: Cinesite (1994 restoration)
Alan G. Markowitz	....	optical and title: Imagica USA (1994 restoration) (as Alan Markowitz)
Jerry Pooler	....	digital artist: Cinesite (1994 restoration)
P. Christopher Reyna	....	optical and title: Imagica USA (1994 restoration) (as Christopher Reyna)
Thomas J. Smith	....	digital artist: Cinesite (1994 restoration)

Camera and Electrical Department
Gerald Perry Finnerman	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Frank Flanagan	....	gaffer (uncredited)
Michael A. Jones	....	rigging gaffer (uncredited)
Mel Traxel	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Robert Willoughby	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Eleanor Abbey	....	costumer (uncredited)
Dave Berman	....	assistant costume designer (uncredited)
Geoffrey Brown	....	costumer (uncredited)
Norma Brown	....	costumer (uncredited)
Betty Huff	....	costumer (uncredited)
Anne Laune	....	costumer (uncredited)
Bob Richards	....	costumer (uncredited)
Gerda Robinson	....	costume design coordinator (uncredited)
Joe Wiatt	....	costumer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Joe Gonzalez	....	negative cutter: ICE Negative Cutting (1994 restoration)
William Pine	....	color timer: Deluxe Laboratories (1994 restoration) (as Bill Pine)
Boyd Steer	....	negative cutter: ICE Negative Cutting (1994 restoration)
John F. Burnett	....	assistant film editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Alexander Courage	....	orchestrations
Robert Franklyn	....	orchestrations
Alan Jay Lerner	....	lyrics by
Frederick Loewe	....	composer: additional music
André Previn	....	music conducted by (as Andre Previn)
André Previn	....	music supervisor (as Andre Previn)
Robert Tucker	....	vocal arrangements
Albert Woodbury	....	orchestrations (as Al Woodbury)

Other crew
Gil Gagnon	....	production coordinator (1994 restoration)
Robert A. Harris	....	restoration (1994 restoration)
Michael Hyatt	....	restoration (1994 restoration)
Michael Hyatt	....	technical assistant (1994 restoration)
Joanne Lawson	....	assistant: Mr. Harris (1994 restoration)
Greg Leigy	....	technical assistant: Cinesite (1994 restoration)
Herman Levin	....	stage producer: musical play
Hermes Pan	....	choreography
Leah Barnes	....	milliner (uncredited)
Max Bercutt	....	unit publicist (uncredited)
Carl Combs	....	unit publicist (uncredited)
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title designer (uncredited)
Peter Ladefoged	....	advisor: phonetics (uncredited)
Mort Lichter	....	unit publicist (uncredited)
Sergei Petschnikoff	....	production administrator (uncredited)
Susan Seton	....	dialogue director (uncredited)

Thanks
Gene Allen	....	special thanks (1994 restoration)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Pictures (presents)

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1964) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1964) (France) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. Films (1964) (Finland) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1973) (USA) (TV) (original airing) (pan/scan)
• CBS/Fox (1990) (USA) (VHS) (pan/scan)
• CBS/Fox (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• CBS/Fox (1992) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1994) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Fox Video (1994) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• CBS Video (1995) (USA) (VHS)
• Fox Video (1995) (USA) (VHS)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (1996) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Encore Entertainment (1998) (UK) (video) (laserdisc)
• Paramount Home Video (2001) (USA) (VHS)
• Oy Fox Films (1977) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Abril Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• MGM/CBS Home Video (1980) (USA) (video)
• Oy Europa Vision AB (1995) (Finland) (VHS)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (1999) (Finland) (DVD)
• Showtime (????) (Finland) (video)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (Finland) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1980) (1982) (1991) (1996) (2002) (Finland) (TV)

Other Companies

• DeLuxe Laboratories  65mm preservation interpositive by (1994 restoration)
• Warner Bros. Studio Services  re-recorded at (as Warner Hollywood Studios) (1994 restoration)
• Goldwyn Sound Facility  re-recorded at (1994 restoration)
• Cinesite  main title and additional scenes digitally restored at (1994 restoration)
• Imagica USA Inc.  optical and title restoration by (1994 restoration)
• I.C.E. Negative Cutting  negative cutting (as ICE Negative Cutting) (1994 restoration)
• Pacific Title  titles (1994 restoration)
• Eastman Kodak  restoration produced on film by (1994 restoration) (as Eastman Kodak Films)
• Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Film Archive, The  special thanks (1994 restoration)
• Boston Light & Sound  special thanks (1994 restoration)
• Four Seasons Hotel, Bevely Hills, LA  special thanks (1994 restoration)
• Panavision  special thanks: restoration (1994 restoration)
• Pro-Tek Film Preservation Vault  special thanks (1994 restoration)
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes (uncredited)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)  acknowledgement: is the author of this motion picture for the purpose of copyright and other laws (1994 restoration) (as CBS Inc.)

Runtime:

170 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (35 mm magnetic prints) | DTS (re-release) | Dolby Digital (re-release) | Mono (16 mm prints) | Mono (35 mm optical prints) | 70 mm 6-Track (RCA Sound Recording) (70 mm prints)

Certification:

Iceland:L | USA:Approved (PCA #20570) (original rating) | USA:G (re-rating) (1970) | South Korea:All | Brazil:Livre | Canada:PG (video rating) | New Zealand:G | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Chile:TE | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | UK:U | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Backlot, Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Many critics found Wilfrid Hyde-White to be rather bland as Colonel Pickering. However, this may have been intentional on the part of the producer, since he didn't want anyone to steal the show from Rex Harrison as Higgins.

Goofs:

Continuity: Higgins arm on the back of the chair during 'Let A Woman In Your Life'.

Quotes:

Professor Henry Higgins: Eliza, you are to stay here for the next six months learning to speak beautifully, like a lady in a florist's shop. If you work hard and do as you're told, you shall sleep in a proper bedroom, have lots to eat, and money to buy chocolates and go for rides in taxis...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "What's My Line?: (1964-10-25)" (1964)

Soundtrack:

Why Can't the English?

MFL will always be one of my favorite movies..

I first saw this film when I was eight years old, after receiving it as a first communion present from my mother. For months I watched the movie on an almost daily basis, and it was quickly a favorite. I thought it was absolute perfection.

Now that I am a bit older.. I notice that is does have quite a few flaws. It doesn't really capture the essence of Shaw's Pygmalion, but I don't think that should really take away from the movie; they should be treated as separate entities. Some of the sets are a little, well, cramped, but consider what they had to work with, they did a pretty good job.

And then there is the dubbing issue. I recently special on MFL on AMC, and they showed "Wouldn't It Be Loverly" and "Show Me" with Audrey's voice, and though Audrey may not have the perfect melodic voice of Marni Nixon, her voice was much more "Eliza". I really do think they should have just used her voice. If you watch "Funny Face", you get a good feel for voice, which I think is beautiful in a unconventional way.

Then, there is the question of whether Julie Andrews should have played Eliza in the film version of MFL. I've gone back and forth on this issue. Now, Audrey Hepburn is my favorite actress of all time, and Julie Andrews is a close runner-up, so it really is hard to "choose". Of course Julie's voice is much better than even Marni Nixon's... but like I said before, I don't think a perfect singing voice really would suit Eliza. And as for which would play a better Eliza overall.. I really don't know. I wasn't alive to see MFL on Broadway, so I really can't compare the two. What I do know is that Audrey gave an amazing performance. Anyway, as someone else said, if Julie had played Eliza, who would have played Mary Poppins? ;)