New MY FAIR LADY film — Page 4

It's in Variety today and they say it's Keira Knightley.
Keira Knightley in Talks

Colin Firth or even Hugh Grant. Bridget Jones 3 here we come.

Will there ever be a movie musical where they cast people who can sing the role?

Marni Nixon is getting a tad too old for all this..

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Oh my dear sweet Lord. Jane Austen's "My Fair Lady." I think I'm going to vomit.

Now I understand all those sci-fi geeks who are always moaning about how George Lucas stomped all over their childhood memories with the "Star Wars" prequels.

That release reeks of the most astonishing hubris I have read in years.

Okay dream casting...

Anne Hathaway as Eliza (although I love Martine McCutcheon)
Colin Firth as Professor Higgins
Julie Andrews as Mrs. Higgins
James Marsden as Freddy
Danny DeVito as Alfred Doolittle

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The real star of the original movie was Cecil Beaton. The art direction, sets and costumes made the movie. The wallpaper in Higgin's library is as memorable as the performances. George Cukor's direction is very timid, and Hepburn is miscast.

The whole concept of using some representation of real London is interesting. And sharp direction would immediately distinguish it from the original.

I don't see a remake as a sacrilege. The original was a more opulent take of the stage show, with lots of the same creative people.

This is nothing like doing a remake of Citizen Kane. That was conceived, designed, written and directed by Orson Welles as a unique work of cinema. My Fair Lady was a reverent reproduction of the original Broadway staging.

I'm sure there were lots of people asking why on earth someone would take Shaw's perfect Pygmalion and turn it into a musical.

I think the producers should cast a talented unknown in the role of Eliza.

Frankly, despite the fact that both Hathaway and Knightley have a measure of international fame, neither is a proven box office draw.

Practically nobody is nowadays. Neither has the fame or Q rating of say, a young Julia Roberts - which is the only thing that justifies them being hired if the producers are looking for star power and box office heft.

There are a few movie stars who can put fannies in seats in SOME genres of films with which they are closely associated. For instance, Matt Damon in the Bourne movies, or Will Smith in high concept action movies or warm and fuzzy dramadies.

But when even Julia Roberts and Tom Hanks are no longer sure things at the box office, fixating on Anne or Kiera to the exclusion of others, makes no sense.

So why not give a talented unknown who fits the part like a glove, a chance.

And even more of a casting challenge than Eliza, is Henry Higgins.

I can't think of a single Brit actor who I think is able to to pull off the Higgins style of talk-singing with the needed aplomb.

I disagree that Audrey Hepburn was miscast. I think it would have been only fair to give Julie the role, but once Audrey had it, she was magical. I saw the film for the first time when I was eleven and I had never seen or heard of Audrey Hepburn before. Once I saw it, she became my favorite actress, and still is (21 years later!). I didn't bring any presuppositions about her to my viewing -- I wasn't used to her as Princess Ann or Sabrina or Holly Golightly -- and I thought she was wonderful. (I'm not saying that everyone who saw her in MFL had too many preconceptions about her, but I'm guessing it's the case for a lot of people.) Of course she was better after Eliza's transformation, but she threw herself into the WHOLE thing, and brought a waifish quality even to the first part that was very appealing.

Anyway, the only thing I have to say against her in the role is that she couldn't sing it, and if the producers are so all-fired bent on casting Keira Knightley or someone similar, it's obvious they don't care about making up for past mistakes in that department.

Updated On: 6/6/08 at 11:27 AM

This announcement really amused me, because over Christmas, my dad (who adores My Fair Lady) just randomly brought up the topic of a remake and, suggested that Hugh Laurie would make an excellent Henry Higgins. Which i have to agree with, because the guy is an excellent actor, is musically talented, and can do cranky with a sense of humor.
Beyond that we threw out some random suggestions, like bringing back the old duo and putting Stephen Fry in as Colonel Pickering, maybe having David Tennant play Freddie. But the biggest point my dad made was that for Eliza's transformation to be believable, you really need a young unknown to play the part. That was the biggest fault with Audrey Hepburn, is that she was already such an icon, it was harder to accept her cockneyed-flower girl persona.
Of course, the original film is a masterful piece of work, and really, i find the musical to be one of the best pieces that's ever existed on Broadway, so the fact that they want to add to the script is a little disconcerting.

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I really like the idea of Ms. Knightley as Eliza. I'd still like confirmation that that's really her singing in "The Edge of Love." I just don't see how that could be her voice.


The casting of Higgins really concerns me. There are actors I could see them going with who would be such a let down in this role. Colin Firth makes sense and, unfortunately, I could easily see him being cast, but in reality, he wouldn't bring anything to the character. IMO, he'd be boring. Rex Harrison didn't just play the snide, overbearing professor (THAT others can and have done well), he brought so much bite and flair to the character. I hope they get a real thespian with that kind of magnetic quality for this role.

It's too bad Roger Rees isn't a tad younger. He would be perfect.

Here is a clip of Keira Knightley singing in her new film edge of love. She sounds pretty good actually.
Keira Knightley Singing