Common Sense Media Review
Audrey Hepburn charms in musical; verbal abuse, sexism.
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My Fair Lady
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 11 parent reviews
Based on 26 kid reviews
Kids say the movie is a classic filled with memorable music and comedic performances, particularly highlighting Audrey Hepburn's role. However, many reviews express concern over its outdated themes of sexism and classism, with some viewers finding the storyline problematic or boring.
- memorable music
- outdated sexism
- entertaining performances
- mixed reviews
- lengthy runtime
- problematic themes
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
In MY FAIR LADY—director George Cukor's adaptation of the Broadway musical based on George Bernard Shaw's play Pygmalion—it's 1912 London. Cockney street peddler Eliza Doolittle (Audrey Hepburn) is handpicked by linguistics professor Henry Higgins (Rex Harrison) in a bet against his friend Colonel Pickering (Wilfrid Hyde-White) that he can pass her off as an aristocrat. Higgins works overtime teaching stubborn, assertive Eliza how to speak, walk, and behave like a "proper lady." He comes to learn that, while social class is superficial, true class comes from how humans treat one another.
Is It Any Good?
Witty songwriting, comical and charismatic performances, and lush set and costume designs almost make up for this movie's sexist slant. My Fair Lady seems innocent, but, like many "classics," it shows flaws on closer inspection. Higgins is, quite frankly, a bully. He goes through the motions of learning a lesson, but in the end, it's not clear that he's actually going to change his bad behavior. Eliza is interesting because she's trying to be financially independent during a time when a woman's options were limited. Unfortunately, any message of female empowerment gets buried under Higgins' constant tirades against women and (spoiler alert!) Eliza's final choice to go back to him. The movie also has a romantic lead who sings about stalking his crush during "On the Street Where You Live," and a father who sells his daughter for beer money, among other things.
If you can set all of that aside, My Fair Lady remains a visually delightful, charming movie. Hepburn's unique comic flair shines through in the race scene at Ascot. And despite his character's issues, it's hard not to like Harrison (who won an Oscar for this role) as crotchety Professor Higgins. Stanley Holloway is also lovable as Eliza's ne'er-do-well father. The costumes are great, and, of course, the songs are wonderful, if a bit long at times. It's easy to see how this movie won so many awards, including the Academy Award for Best Picture. If you can overlook the story's many problems, it's still lots of fun to watch.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how social class is portrayed in My Fair Lady. What distinguishes someone from a higher or lower class in this movie? How does that compare to people with different income levels in today's world?
How does the movie portray drinking through Eliza's dad, Alfred? What was your takeaway from that?
Do you think Professor Higgins changes in the end? What do you think happens to Eliza after she returns to his house?
Professor Higgins has strong opinions about women and people as a whole. Did you find yourself agreeing or disagreeing with his views? Do you see people in real life who share his views? How do you think people today would react to someone like Henry Higgins in the real world?
How do the characters in My Fair Lady demonstrate perseverance and self-control? What about humility and integrity? Why are those important character strengths?
Movie Details
- In theaters : December 25, 1964
- On DVD or streaming : October 6, 2009
- Cast : Audrey Hepburn , Rex Harrison , Wilfrid Hyde-White
- Director : George Cukor
- Inclusion Information : Gay Movie Director(s) , Queer Movie Director(s)
- Studio : Warner Bros.
- Genre : Musical
- Topics : Arts ( Music and Sing-Along )
- Character Strengths : Humility , Integrity , Perseverance , Self-control
- Run time : 172 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Awards : Academy Award - Best Picture Winner , Academy Award - Best Picture Nominee , Academy Award - Other Category Winner , Academy Award - Other Category Nominee , BAFTA - BAFTA Winner , BAFTA - BAFTA Nominee , Golden Globe - Golden Globe Award Winner , Golden Globe - Golden Globe Award Nominee
- Last updated : November 7, 2025
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