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Pygmalion - Criterion Collection | Year: 1939 Classification: Comedy Directed: - Leslie Howard - Anthony Asquith Actors/Actresses: - Leslie Howard - Wendy Hiller A Wonderful Film -- the Drama of My Fair Lady This is an enchanting film for which George Bernard Shaw won an Oscar (which I believe he displayed proudly) for best screenplay after adapting the play "Pygmalion." It is true that the movie lacks the grand production values of "My Fair Lady," but it is much closer to the drama that Shaw had in mind. The dialogue is much richer than "My Fair Lady," which still managed to keep much of the language of the play and some of the movie. Like many of Shaw's plays, it is built around his pet ideas -- here (in a simple form) the notion that class distinctions are not genuine and could be overcome through education. Unlike some of Shaw's plays which read like socialist tracts, this one has very human characters who keep your interest throughout (in contrast to "Major Barabara" which was a rather tedious movie). For me, Wendy Hiller make a marvelous Eliza Doolittle. Although Leslie Howard is very good (and presumably what Shaw had in mind), it is hard to forget the bluster Rex Harrison -- a great actor himself -- brought to the role of Professor Higgins. Hiller brings a wonderful dignity and pathos to the role of Eliza Doolittle. The rest of the cast is very good and the sets are very authentically set in Edwardian England. This is definite buy if you like Shaw, theatre in general, good movies from the 30s, or want to see a richer version of "My Fair Lady." Holds Up Astoundingly Well! See It! Just in case you didn't know it, both Leslie Howard and Wendy Hiller were heavy weight British acting talents. Howard was even a major star in American movies and is mainly remembered for playing Ashley Wilkes in "Gone With The Wind." This is a very different role for him from that role. Wilkes and Hiller were both perfect for the roles of Eliza Doolittle and Henry Higgins, the cockney flower girl who is tutored by the linguistics expert to turn her into a lady. Many people don't like watching the original play because it doesn't end happily with the two together as it does in its musical version, "My Fair Lady." However, the filmmaker saw the writing on the wall here, even before the musical came out, and makes one change only to the Bernard Shaw play, that ending. So here too we have the happy ending. This is as fresh and perfect as the day it was made. Every word of dialogue counts and is perfect in this satire of the British class system. Every character is superb and I especially loved every moment Alfred Doolittle, the epitome of the lower classes kicked into the middle class, was onscreen. Hubby watched it with me and remarked several times, "I can't believe how good this is." Frankly, even I was surprised that this black and white film from the 1930s, set then as well, is in no need of a remake whatsoever. A true classic that no one should miss. A true British classic This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film. This film is based on the play by George Bernard Shaw. The film was even scripted by Shaw so it definately is the best version of the film. The story later inspired the much more famous musical film "My Fair Lady" I have not seen "My Fair Lady" so I am not one to compare. The film follows a phonetics and linguistics expert, Henry Higgins. He has such a knowledge of accents that he can tell what town a person is from by hearing them speak for only a few seconds. He later makes a bet with a colleague that he can train a common girl from Cockney to speak "proper" English and fool people into thinking she is a duchess. The Criterion DVD has no special features but the picture quality is quite good for a film of its age. This film is one of my new favorites! Buy Pygmalion at Amazon.com Buy posters at Allposters.com Jamster - the latest ringtones for your phone!  Search with Walhello on the Internet on Pygmalion Search with the Priority Search Engine on Pygmalion This page in other languages: Suomeksi | Nederlands | Deutsch
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