I saw this movie many years ago, probably forty or more...and as a child I was stunned by its magnificence and captivated by Hepburn's, and especially Harrison's, charm. I saw it again last night and I was (predictably) dissapointed. Just to put things in perspective, I love clasics, although not much musicals, but "The King and I" is one of my favorite classic movies, so, there you have it. For starters, it is unfair for a 35 years old actress to pretend to be 21. Rex Harrison, who I like quite much, looks also somewhat old for the role, but compensates by the fact that his singing and comedic skills are strong and he is the only reason why Professor Higgins is not completely hateful. He delivers, by far, the best performance of the movie. Hepburn makes an effort to look ragged and dirty, but she is not believable as a street florist. Enter the first act and I start to feel uncomfortable. Eliza yells and her cockney accent is horrid. They sing a few horrible songs too, among cabbages and garbage and I can't find the charm to it. Eliza's father is a drunkard and a dirty far too old philanderer that I don't find charming at all (bless poor Stanley Holloway's soul!). Professor Higgins is obnoxious and pedantic and completely devoid of redeeming qualities (not Harrison's fault). The movie goes on with more forgettable musical numbers. Even the celebrated "I could have danced all night" is dissapointing, mostly because the lipsync is atrocious. Proud bachelor Professor Higgings delights us with his (well singed) misogynistic and pedantic songs. Hepburn and Harrison have zero chemistry. Eliza becomes a lady overnight by the sheer force of better diction and nicer clothes. Near the end, the level of misogyny and sexism is repulsive, and I am not one to be offended by these things easily, especially when watching a movie 57 years old. As I stated before, I absolutely love "The King and I" (released almost 10 years earlier than MFL) and there can't be a more obnoxious and stubborn character than that of Yul Brynner. But the pedantic King Mongkut of Siam is charming, funny, and deliciously cheeky. Prof. Higgings has no redeeming qualities, nor has he any visible arc and his unabashed low opinion of women in general, which he keeps repeating in his charming songs, at first accepted as funny and quirky, becomes simply bad taste. The romance is ridiculous; not once does he as much as glance at her with anything but indifference. Towards the end, he seems to consider Eliza more as a pet or maid than a woman worth of his respect and his love, and Eliza, seems to be pleased with this arrangement... off she goes to fetch his slippers...How can anyone consider this romantic, is beyond me.
Review of My Fair Lady
