Finally My Fair Lady has been updated to high definition. This Blu-ray edition is amazing--the film is crystal clear and looks as thought it could have been produced yesterday. The colors are bright and every frame is brilliantly clear.
The Story of My Fair Lady
My Fair Lady is based on George Bernard Shaw’s play Pygmalion The film was adapted from the Broadway play My Fair Lady by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe. It’s filled with memorable songs and scenes and is a timeless classic.
This movie tells the story of Eliza Doolittle (Audrey Hepburn), a young cockney flower girl who is taught to be a lady by Professor Henry Higgins (Rex Harrison), a haughty linguist. He takes her into his house and teaches her how to speak correctly, dress, and act like a well-bred lady.
Sprinkled in the story are songs that have become part of music history: “All I Want;' “The Rain in Spain;' “I Could Have Danced All Night;' “Get Me to The Churchl' and “I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face.”
New on the Blu-ray
Besides the high-definition movie, the new Blu-ray includes many bonus features that will not only entertain fans of the film, but also enlighten them and possibly surprise them with facts about the film and the actors.
To me, the most interesting bonus feature is titled “More Loverly than Ever: My Fair Lady Then and Now.” This is hosted by Jeremy Brett who played Freddy Eynsford-Hill in the film. With interviews with Julian Holloway, the son of Stanley Holloway who played Alfred P. Doolittle, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Martin Scorsese, and others, viewers get inside scoops about the making of the film.
Some of the fascinating tidbits divulged here include the fact that over fifty percent of all of the films produced are gone forever due to age and disintegration. The studio had to carefully repair this film, sometimes pixel by pixel, to bring it back from the edge of extinction and transfer it to high definition. A behind-the-scenes look at the restoration is amazing to watch.
Martin Scorsese says restoring these films is “very important for future generations.” Scorsese says My Fair Lady is “The last of the great musicals from Broadway to hit the screen.”
The opening of the movie in 1964 was “the gala event of the decade.” And the film is described as “a feast for the eyes and ears.”
An interesting fact revealed in the bonus feature is that Cary Grant was originally sought to play the role of Henry Higgins, but insisted it go to Rex Harrison who played it on Broadway. Also, James Cagney was offered the role of Alfred P. Doolittle, but declined.
Although Audrey Hepburn recorded the vocals, her songs were ultimately dubbed, as were the songs sung by Jeremy Brett’s character of Freddy Eynsford-Hill.
There are plenty more interesting facts divulged in this disc, including how the song “I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face” came to be. It’s a very interesting story and shows how songwriters can instantly come up with a song.
This Blu-ray is truly a delight and a great addition to any film library.
- My Fair Lady Blu-ray Edition. Dir. George Cukor. Perf. Audrey Hepburn, Rex Harrison. Paramount Home Entertainment, 1964. Blu-ray release, November 15, 2011. Running time: 172 minutes.
