Pygmalion (1938 film)
- Leslie Howard: Professor Henry Higgins
- Wendy Hiller: Eliza Doolittle
- Wilfrid Lawson: Alfred Doolittle
- Marie Lohr: Mrs. Higgins
- Scott Sunderland: Colonel George Pickering
- Jean Cadell: Mrs. Pearce
- Helen Westley: Aunt Sophie
- David Tree: Freddy Eynsford -Hill
- Everley Gregg: Mrs. Eynsford -Hill
- Leueen MacGrath: Clara Eynsford -Hill
- Esme Percy: Count Aristid Karpathy
- Violet Vanbrugh: ambassador
- Iris Hoey: Ysabel, society reporter
- Viola Tree: Perfidious, society reporter
- Irene Browne: Duchess
- Kate Cutler: old lady
The novel is a flower girl (Original Title: Pygmalion ) is a romantic - comedy film drama directed by Anthony Asquith and Leslie Howard in 1938, the British production was based on the play Pygmalion (1913 ) by George Bernard Shaw, who won for the screenplay adaptation with an Oscar. been.
Action
The snooty phonetics professor and expert on the language style of the Victorian era, Henry Higgins, makes a bet with his friend that he could a girl of the lower class to teach decent English, so this is considered to be a lady. He finds this girl in the London flower girl Eliza Doolittle, picks it up from the gutter and trains them to be socially respected lady. He finds that he has to deal with his ideas in this dealing with a person of a different layer.
Background
The film is the first English-language film, the bloody curse word ( damn, damn) used. At the premiere of Shaw's' spectacle in London on April 11, 1914 had led to a scandal and public criticism. The premiere of the play took place in German translation on August 16, 1913 at Vienna's Burgtheater. The American premiere at the Park Theatre on Broadway had on October 12, 1914 premiere and came up with 72 performances.
While the spectacle of the original ends by Eliza Doolittle Freddy Eynsford -Hill wants to marry, Shaw wrote an imaginary fragment as a continuation of the events after the marriage of Eliza and Freddy. In addition, Shaw wrote the ballroom scene shown in the movie specially for the filming. The created for the ballroom scene figure of the Hungarian Count Karpathy was the producer Gabriel Pascal modeled.
Before filming Shaw had an offer from Samuel Goldwyn over the film rights to his plays rejected because he was more impressed by the integrity of Gabriel Pascal as a film producer. The film ended up being the beginning of productions by Pascal, dedicated to Major Barbara (1941 ), Caesar and Cleopatra (1945 ) and Androcles and the Lion ( 1952) continued.
Shaw chose the theater actress Wendy Hiller, who had previously only shot with Lancashire Luck a movie, in person for the role of Eliza Doolittle from. Shaw's primal desire for the role of Professor Higgins was Charles Laughton. Wilfrid Lawson was just 38 years old when he took over the role of Eliza's father. The film also gave the British actor Stephen Murray as a police officer and Patrick Macnee their film debuts.
Moyna MacGill, who had a supporting role here as a female spectator was the only actress who participated in the musical film version of My Fair Lady (1964 ) of the Pygmalion substance and there took over the role of "Lady Boxington ". In both films eventually was Harry Stradling cameraman.
Reviews
" The love story of phonetics professor and the illiterate flower seller who from their streets jargon " is dissuaded, has been elegantly staged as a dialogue stressed film comedy that remains though strongly rooted in the theater, but preserved and excellently largely spirit, wit and charm of the original has. "
Awards
The film was at the Oscar ceremony in 1939 nominated for best film, the best main dish Dare and best actress. Excellent, however, only George Bernard Shaw and the other screenwriters Ian Dalrymple, Cecil Lewis and WP Lipscomb for best adapted screenplay.
Shaw was not present at the ceremony. The award presenter Lloyd C. Douglas joked, alluding to the ancient Pygmalion story: "Mr. Shaw 's story now is as original as it what three thousand years ago " ( Mr. Shaw's story today is as original as 3000 years ago). Shaw responded to the award less than enthusiastic:
While it was claimed that Shaw had never received the Oscar statuette, reported Mary Pickford, that the Oscar stood on the mantelpiece when she visited Shaw. When Shaw died in 1950, his home in Ayot Saint Lawrence became a museum. At this time the Oscar - figure had become so weak that the curator thought she was worthless and used as a doorstop. Later, the Oscar was repaired and issued.