Article summary

This bold 1938 production of George Bernard Shaw's famous play about a linguist who turns a Cockney flower peddler into a princess was codirected by Anthony Asquith (The Browning Version) and star Leslie Howard, who brings a calculated coldness to the character of Henry Higgins. There's no My Fair Lady sugarcoating here: Higgins is a brute using language as a weapon of class war and patriarchal subjugation of women. He's a likable brute, mind you, but a bully nonetheless, and his molding of poor Eliza (Wendy Hiller) into a Cinderella story is not a pretty sight. Everyone in the cast is in perfect accord with this production's take on Shaw's tale, and while this Pygmalion is a fairly radical enterprise, it is also very funny and handsomely realized. Hiller and Howard have never been better, and the rest of the cast, including Wilfrid Lawson, Marie Lohr, Scott Sunderland, and Jean Cadell, can't be improved upon. Edited by David Lean, who eventually directed Brief Encounter and Lawrence of Arabia. --Tom Keogh

Customer's review

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!

The most intelligent british comedy in the thirties

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.

George Bernard Shaw, ingeniously...

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.

Odd combination "Angel on My Shoulder/Pygmalion"

Angle
Eddie was rightfully bumped off by gangsters. You know where he goes. "Nick" (Claude Rains), offers a choice position in exchange for a favor. There is an incorruptible judge that needs corrupting. Now if Eddie would just impersonate him and be corrupted? Well you get the idea.
There is great interaction between Paul Muni and Claude Rains. This move takes unexpected twists and turns. I may remind you a little of "The Devil and Daniel Webster "(1941) ASIN: 6302919517. However no one can play "Nick" as well as Claude Rains I kind of like the way they return to the surface. I never trusted those types of elevators. Before you write off Anne Baxter as just another personality in this film remember that she was also Nefretiri in " The Ten Commandments" (1956) ASIN: 6300215830

Pygmalion
Windy Hiller [Major Barbara (1941) ASIN: 6302969840] Plays a Cockney flower seller. Seeking a better position sees professor of linguistics about improving her speech. Professor Henry Higgins (Leslie Howard) bets that he can pass her off as a duchess in six months by adjusting her speech pattern. The Film is good however I am used to the later version "My Fair Lady" and I miss the music. This is a screen adaptation of a George Bernard Shaw play based on Greek mythology. This is a must for your collection.

Excellent screen adaptation

Windy Hiller [Major Barbara (1941) ASIN: 6302969840] Plays a Cockney flower seller. Seeking a better position sees professor of linguistics about improving her speech. Professor Henry Higgins (Leslie Howard) bets that he can pass her off as a duchess in six months by adjusting her speech pattern. The Film is good however I am used to the later version "My Fair Lady" and I miss the music. This is a screen adaptation of a George Bernard Shaw play based on Greek mythology. This is a must for your collection.

Pygmalion

Article summary

Customer's review

A true British classic

The most intelligent british comedy in the thirties

George Bernard Shaw, ingeniously...

Odd combination "Angel on My Shoulder/Pygmalion"

Excellent screen adaptation

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