The problem with most musicals is that most if not all of the numbers are longer than they need to be and become tedious. OLIVER! immediately comes to mind as a prime example. MY FAIR LADY succeeds as a musical because the numbers are shorter, interspersed (i.e. interrupted) with dialogue, and on a few occasions reprised either on their own, or in an alternative version, or as a part of another number. Because the numbers are shorter, they are better integrated with the plot and are as much a part of the story as the dialogue itself, another aspect that sets MFL apart from most other musicals. This also means that there is a larger quantity of musical numbers in MFL, and that they are of great variety -- from the "stuffy" Ascot number to Higgins' musical soliloquies about male superiority.
I saw MFL on stage nearly 20 years ago, but I didn't see the film until recently. I was surprised how well I remembered nearly all the numbers; they really stick with you. In short, an excellent piece of work by Lerner and Loewes!
It doesn't end there, however. This was essentially Cukor's last great film, and the direction and cinematography is flawless. Harrison and Hepburn are obviously outstanding (why Audrey didn't at least get a nomination for her performance is beyond me), and they are supported by a colorful group of characters who are also played to perfection. The intense, rapid-fire dialogue keeps the picture moving.
Despite the billing, Harrison is really the leading player, as the film is driven by his character's boundless energy and arrogance (Hepburn is really the "central" character). Thus, MFL is a fast-paced, energetic adaptation of Shaw's work with an excellent soundtrack. It might, in fact, be suitable for all ages were it not for some mild language and light sexual innuendoes. In addition, Higgins' rantings, which we can laugh at as adults, could be taken too seriously by impressionable pre-teens, so this is really not a picture for young children. Otherwise, however, an excellent movie.
I saw MFL on stage nearly 20 years ago, but I didn't see the film until recently. I was surprised how well I remembered nearly all the numbers; they really stick with you. In short, an excellent piece of work by Lerner and Loewes!
It doesn't end there, however. This was essentially Cukor's last great film, and the direction and cinematography is flawless. Harrison and Hepburn are obviously outstanding (why Audrey didn't at least get a nomination for her performance is beyond me), and they are supported by a colorful group of characters who are also played to perfection. The intense, rapid-fire dialogue keeps the picture moving.
Despite the billing, Harrison is really the leading player, as the film is driven by his character's boundless energy and arrogance (Hepburn is really the "central" character). Thus, MFL is a fast-paced, energetic adaptation of Shaw's work with an excellent soundtrack. It might, in fact, be suitable for all ages were it not for some mild language and light sexual innuendoes. In addition, Higgins' rantings, which we can laugh at as adults, could be taken too seriously by impressionable pre-teens, so this is really not a picture for young children. Otherwise, however, an excellent movie.