My Fair Lady

Main Plot

"My Fair Lady," directed by George Cukor, is a musical adaptation of George Bernard Shaw's play "Pygmalion." The story revolves around Henry Higgins, a phonetics professor who is both arrogant and confident in his skills. He makes a bet with Colonel Pickering, another linguistics expert, claiming he can transform Eliza Doolittle, a poor flower girl with a strong Cockney accent, into a refined lady of society simply through teaching her proper speech and etiquette. As Eliza undergoes her rigorous training, she and Higgins develop a complex relationship, with each influencing the other in profound ways. The film explores themes of social class, identity, and transformation, culminating in a narrative that questions the true nature of gentility and personal change. The musical is celebrated for its rich score, memorable songs like "The Rain in Spain" and "I Could Have Danced All Night," and its vibrant costumes and set designs, all contributing to its portrayal of early 20th-century London society.

Characters

• Audrey Hepburn played Eliza Doolittle, a flower seller transformed into a refined lady through speech lessons from phonetics professor Henry Higgins.
• Rex Harrison plays Professor Henry Higgins, a phonetics expert who transforms Eliza Doolittle from a Cockney flower girl into a refined lady.
• Stanley Holloway plays Alfred P. Doolittle, Eliza's father, who exploits his daughter's transformation for financial gain and social elevation.

Ending Explained

In the conclusion of George Cukor's film "My Fair Lady," Eliza Doolittle, having transformed from a Cockney flower girl into a refined lady through the tutelage of Professor Henry Higgins, asserts her independence. After successfully passing as a duchess at an embassy ball, Eliza's relationship with Higgins becomes strained. Higgins treats her as just another one of his successful experiments, failing to acknowledge her feelings and contributions. Feeling unappreciated and used, Eliza leaves Higgins, seeking solace with her father and later, Freddy Eynsford-Hill, who is enamored with her. Higgins, initially dismissive of Eliza's departure, soon realizes her importance in his life, not just as a project but as a person he has grown to depend on. He finds himself lost without her, which is a significant shift from his earlier, more self-sufficient and arrogant demeanor. The film ends with Eliza returning to Higgins' home, where he nonchalantly asks, "Where the devil are my slippers?" This line suggests that while their relationship dynamic retains some of its former patterns, Eliza's return on her own terms indicates a new level of mutual respect and understanding, albeit subtly conveyed.