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Summary: Wonderful! It has stood the test of time -- and triumphed!
Review: It started out as a play by George Bernard Shaw based on the Greek myth of a man who created a statue and then fell in love with it. The play, which was a spoof on the British upper class, was an immediate success and several movie versions followed. This 1938 version, in black and white, was nominated for four academy awards in 1939 and won an Oscar for best screenplay. Later, it was adapted to the musical hit, "My Fair Lady." The rest, as they say, is history. But Pygmalion should certainly not be forgotten.The cast is excellent. Leslie Howard is perfect as Henry Higgins, the professor of dialects who transforms a flower girl into a lady. And Wendy Hiller is sensational as Eliza Doolittle. There's a certain regal freshness and her British authenticity comes across beautifully. Even though "the rain in Spain" is spoken, rather than sung, it still keeps the same quality. And there is music throughout as background, lively original music created especially for the film. The supporting cast was excellent too. I particularly loved the performance by Wilfrid Larson as Eliza's father. The film moved fast and kept me totally captivated. The costumes were wonderful and the timing for the comedic moments perfect. I found myself laughing out loud in places and smiling to myself throughout. Certainly, this film has stood the test of time and even though it will always be compared to the musical we all know and love, I must say that Pygmalion can definitely stand on its own. Give yourself a treat and check it out. Highly recommended.
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Summary: The Evolution of Pygmalion
Review: Pygmalion is a brilliant success by George Bernard Shaw to modernize the legendary Greek tale of a sculptor who falls in love with his artsitic creation and wishes to bring her to life. The rags-to-riches tale of Eliza Doolittle captivates the reader with its fast paced storyline, and witty dialogue. Shaw fascinates the reader with complicated characters such as Henry Higgins, Doolittle, and Colonel Pickering. Set in England, during a period of sophistication and elegance, Higgins and Pickering were faced with the seemingly impossible task of transforming a filthy flower girl (Eliza) into a beautiful duchess. The outrageous antics that ensue are both humorous and entertaining. Shaw's playful dialogue and timeless plot have been updated to fit the social and cultural standards of our time. For example, Alan Jay Lerner's My Fair Lady is an internationally acclaimed musical adaptation of Shaw's classic play. 1999 brought yet another adaptation of Pygmalion, in the form of the film She's All That, penned by R. Lee Fleming Jr. This teen comedy brings a new twist to the classic characters of Shaw's play. Pygmalion is a quick read and an enjoyable way to spend the day, and the characters in the story will remain with you forever.
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Summary: Beware: awful edition!!
Review: This is a comment on the edition, not on the actual play itself (which is great). This edition of *Pygmalion* is incomplete, awfully incomplete. I ignore if Shaw rewrote the play, or what may have happened, but if you intend to read the real version, look for other publisher!
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Summary: Before the musical there was the movie (and Shaw's play)
Review: I always loved "My Fair Lady," but when I finally got to see the 1938 film version of George Bernard Shaw's "Pygmalion" I was surprised to discover is it an even better film. Leslie Howard is exceptional as Professor Higgins and Wendy Hiller is clearly his match as the cockney-speaking flower girl he transforms into a lady through his lessons in elocution. Howard and Hiller are certainly recognizable faces, but equally memorable is the supporting cast of Wilfrid Lawson as Alfred Doolittle, Scott Sutherland as Colonel Pickering, and Marie Lohr as Mrs. Higgins. But if you expect a happy ending, then you have obviously not read the play. Once you watch "Pygmalion," you will understand why some people wondered why anyone would ever bother to turn it into a musical (and what GBS must have thought about the whole affair).
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Summary: Before the musical there was the movie (and Shaw's play)
Review: I always loved "My Fair Lady," but when I finally got to see the 1938 film version of George Bernard Shaw's "Pygmalion" I was surprised to discover is it an even better film. Leslie Howard is exceptional as Professor Higgins and Wendy Hiller is clearly his match as the cockney-speaking flower girl he transforms into a lady through his lessons in elocution. Howard and Hiller are certainly recognizable faces, but equally memorable is the supporting cast of Wilfrid Lawson as Alfred Doolittle, Scott Sutherland as Colonel Pickering, and Marie Lohr as Mrs. Higgins. But if you expect a happy ending, then you have obviously not read the play. Once you watch "Pygmalion," you will understand why some people wondered why anyone would ever bother to turn it into a musical (and what GBS must have thought about the whole affair).
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Summary: A Wonderful Film -- the Drama of My Fair Lady
Review: 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."
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Summary: A true British classic
Review: 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!
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Summary: The most intelligent british comedy in the thirties
Review: The smart script from Bernard Shaw made it possible this monumental film. The myth of Pygmalion was translated to cinema with a dazzling direction and obviously one supeb cast ; this couple Leslie Howard and the always beautiful and charming Wendy Hiller stealed the show.
The tale about a poor girl who sells flowers in Covent Garden; a gamble between two men; the awake as human being is a match against all a new world of possibilities for this woman who suudenly transforms before us and everybody in a woman with class, charming and glamour.
All the script is filled with ingenious and laughable situations with that clever sense of humor, so typical of Shaw.
This unique match will impact the life of these three people with unthinkable consequences.
A delightful movie and one of the best english comedies ever filmed.
Remade in 1964 as My fair lady. But this one is one million years light better.
A must in your collection.
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Summary: The sweetest thing
Review: It is not very likely that George Bernard Shaw knew he was writing the play that would become one of the seminal romantic comedies of the 20th when he penned 'Pygmalion'. The play is delightful, with borrowed elements from many genres. There is comedy and romance, above all, but there is also a very clear social critic -- and even a Marxist idea of class struggle. What only enhances the reading of this masterpiece. Professor Henry Higgins is a linguistic expert who is much more interested in how people say the words rather than what they say. He ends up taking a bet that he is able to transform a simple cockney flower seller, Eliza, into a sophisticated and refined young lady, who would be able to fool the Queen herself. To succeed in such a move he claims he will change only the way she speaks. To work on Eliza he puts her up in his house and starts polishing her speech. This is not an easy job, because what the girl speaks is not English, but a language she has developed herself. After some time, the Professor decides to introduce her to a group of friends, without mentioning her backgrounds. At first the meeting is blast. Although Eliza can use a fine language it is clear she has not backgrounds to develop and keep up a conversation. And her behavior ends up being the laughing stock. But one of the guests notices how beautiful the girl is. Higgins feels sort of jealous and this could lead their relationship to another level. Shaw's prose is funny and touching at the same time. He uses devices, like everybody speaking at the same time, which only enhances the fun of the play and brings more truth to the action. His characters are lively and well developed. His social critic is evident. Eliza doesn't want to be rich or sound as such, she only wants to get a better job in a flower store, in other words, she only wants to be what she is. But the Professor insists on making her another person, very different from what she really is. Eliza's presence is the sweetest thing in the play. She is a nice and good-hearted girl, who suffers the consequence of her surroundings. The play is based on the Greek tragedy 'Pygmalion and Galatea', and was the base for one of the most famous musicals of the cinema, 'My Fair Lady'.
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Summary: George Bernard Shaw, ingeniously...
Review: George Bernard Shaw was simply ingenious when he wrote Pygmalion, and when the story was brought to the silver screen it did Shaw justice. Pygmalion is a socioeconomic drama where the distinguished Dr. Higgins (Leslie Howard) takes the a flower girl Eliza Doolittle (Wendy Hiller) under his wing in order to set a bet with Colonel George Pickering (Scott Sunderland). The bet consists of transforming the poor flower girl into a lady of class, but this also means changing Eliza's manner of speaking. Asquith and Howard illustrate several different topics such as tolerance and understanding using a familiar approach that the audience can recognize as Eliza undergoes the change. In the end, Pygmalion offers an exceptional cinematic experience.
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