Oscar History
Film Bitch History
Welcome

The Film Experience™ was created by Nathaniel R. All material herein is written by our team.

This site is not for profit but for an expression of love for cinema & adjacent artforms. 

Powered by Squarespace
DON'T MISS THIS

Follow TFE on Substackd 

COMMENTS

Oscar Takeaways
12 thoughts from the big night

 

Keep TFE Strong

We're looking for 500... no 390 SubscribersIf you read us daily, please be one.  

I ♥ The Film Experience

THANKS IN ADVANCE

What'cha Looking For?
Subscribe
« War of the Words | Main | Oscar Gown Clearance Sale! »
Thursday
Mar032011

Distant Relatives: My Fair Lady and The King's Speech

Robert here, with my series Distant Relatives, where we look at two films, (one classic, one modern) related through a common theme and ask what their similarities and differences can tell us about the evolution of cinema.

Why can't the English learn to speak?

Yes, yes, learning to enunciate properly and overcoming a stutter aren't exactly the same thing. In fact, these two films don't have to both be about issues of speech and speech therapy. One of them could be about learning to play darts or cribbage. It's just to our benefit that they do tread such similar ground that it throws light on the more important similarities between them. As for the less important, but still interesting, similarities: both take place in England, both feature alliteratively named speech therapists, both are Best Picture Oscar winners. So what is the important similarity? Both are about class. Both feature an individual of one class, tasked with helping an individual of another class, and by doing so the great divide between the classes shrinks just a bit.


In the unusual case that anyone doesn't know the details of these films’ plots, despite one having achieved cultural significance and the other bloggospherific over-analysis here they are: In My Fair Lady, the lady or lady-to-be is Eliza Doolittle (Audrey Hepburn), a poor cockney flower girl who is taken in by snobbish Professor Henry Higgins (Rex Harrison)  as party of a wager with the promise of being taught to speak and made in to a proper Englishwoman. In The King's Speech, Prince Albert or Bertie later to be King George (Colin Firth), needing to overcome a debilitating stammer and become a proper monarch, enlists the help of unconventional speech therapist Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush). While I stand by my assertion that the skill requiring improvement could be anything, one reason why speech makes for such a compelling story (as opposed to cribbage) is that it is unavoidably tied into our self image and identity. We are, to the outside world, a combination of sight and sound. While the control we have over our physical beauty is to an extent limited, the control we have over our speech and the impression that it makes is endless. If the impression is poor, we personally bear the blame. Both My Fair Lady and The King's Speech are essentially stories about makeovers (the former being more obvious thanks to the pretty dresses), or at least stories about makeovers as macguffins.

You've got a friend in me

Really they’re stories about love and friendship, and they revolve around characters who we find exceedingly easy to empathize with. Eliza with her brazen boisterousness not at all befitting her humble situation and her unwillingness to be bullied by Higgins gives her a populist punch. Bertie, poor Bertie who lacks confidence and trembles in fear and embarrassment gets our sympathy quite easily too. As Albert Brooks pines in Broadcast News “Wouldn’t this be a great world if insecurity and desperation made us more attractive?” But to audiences, they do make a character attractive. We can see in them the parts of us we fail to share with each other. So Eliza and Bertie win us over and quickly, as does Lionel Logue, the man who seems to have his life in order but occasionally has to deal with his own failings and mediocrities too. Henry Higgins takes some time to cozy up to. I’d say in this internet age, his frustration at all less cultured than he is pretty recognizable, though I’m not sure that the original intent was for it to invoke our sympathies.


So it is that insecure, desperate Bertie and Eliza, with their closest familial relations swept up by somewhat less genuine and more manipulative love and friendship must find their confidence by venturing out of their class. Here it is that the films start to become flipped mirrors. Eliza is that of the lower class venturing up. Bertie is of the upper (very upper) class venturing downward. In this latter case our path is easy. If Lionel can help Bertie it will be a triumph of the sincerity of the humble man helping a king cut through the shelter of royal aristocratic fog and become a great leader. Yes, it is feel good and it is timely in that it reflects a reality we so long for. For Eliza it has to be a little more difficult. Pompous Professor Higgins helping little Liza do good is no desirable message to take home. Not unless she changes him too by injecting a bit of plain charm into his stuffy world.

 

And they all lived...

There are other backward reflections among the films as well. In My Fair Lady it is an act of friendship (a friendly bet) that sets in motion the seeds of love. In The King’s Speech it is an act of love (the determination of a dedicated spouse) that sets in motion the seeds of great friendship. Both films play off the idea that the classes are closer than we believe, that our decency can transcend them, the lower may need the upper for the opportunity to excel but the upper needs the lower more to be renewed of their humanity. It may be a fantasy, but the one thing The King’s Speech has that My Fair Lady does not is that label “based on a true story” If anything has changed in the forty-five years between the films it may be our need to see that label to believe it.


One last thing that hasn’t changed in forty-five years, and a post-script I’m only too delighted to delve into is cursing. Yes cursing, the great common equalizer, which plays an important role in both films. The first time we hear Bertie curse it’s a delight. It brings him down to our level. It’s funny. It’s charming. And when Eliza Doolittle curses at the races, we (not to mention some of the aristocracy) fall for her too, because we sense she’s real and she will always be what she is. Those melodic tones are a declaration of the working class winning out, pushing the stilted aristocracy forward, or aside if need be. “Move your bloomin’ arse!”

PrintView Printer Friendly Version

EmailEmail Article to Friend

References (1)

References allow you to track sources for this article, as well as articles that were written in response to this article.
  • Response
    [...]Distant Relatives: My Fair Lady and The King's Speech - Blog - The Film Experience[...]

Reader Comments (13)

Ha! You couldn't be anymore accurate! Love the comparison :D

March 3, 2011 | Unregistered Commenterlily

You forgot to mention that both films are also rather dull. Also, when compared to those years respective Best Picture line-ups, rather undeserving as well. Mary Poppins & Black Swan forever! Feed those damn birds!

March 3, 2011 | Unregistered CommenterNIck

Both films are pretty dull, and LONG, but at least My Fair Lady has good songs. (Which play rather well as YouTube videos, instead of sitting through the whole thing!) Though as Best Picture winners... they're in the same, sad boat.

March 4, 2011 | Unregistered CommenterAndreas

There is a scene in both movies that are very similar. In My Fair Lady, just before the serveants sing "Poor professor Higgins", The professor fills Eliza's mouth with marbles and then ask her to pronunciate a verse. In The King's speech the same exercise is done with Bertie by a bad professor. When I watch that scene in The kings speech i thought about the similarities between the two films too.

March 4, 2011 | Unregistered CommenterSebastian

Nice post.
Watching The King's Speech, I was reminded of the therapy sessions in Ordinary People. And, like People, it went on to win 4 Oscars: Best Picture, Director, Actor and Screenplay. (Both also had another actor and an actress nominated.)

March 4, 2011 | Unregistered CommenterYonatan

Except that Tim Hutton won best supporting actor despite being a lead.

Nat, may I suggest a Distant Relatives: Boogie Nights and Animal Kingdom?

Watching (and loving) Animal Kingdom recently, I kept feeling a Boogie Nights vibe. I figure if that makes sense to you, I don't have to explain...

March 6, 2011 | Unregistered CommenterAdam Keller

Thank you for sharing your stories, your opinions, your thoughts and your life. I like your article.Fashion is a forever topic. Everyone loves beautiful things and wants to be beautiful or handsome. Top quality products will help you. Maybe you can have a look at my website. uyscog uyscog - Moncler Jackets.

November 5, 2011 | Unregistered Commenterzbdazs zbdazs

Christmas is probably the most special day of the year for children. One thing that makes it special is the popular tradition of Santa Claus. dakozc dakozc - supra footwear.

November 28, 2011 | Unregistered Commenteradtxsc adtxsc

Are you still considering what gifts send to your friends,panrents,children or partner?I'd like to recommend you to select your gifts on collectcheaps.There are for parts of Christmas classifications for men,women,children and parents.Such as: Boardwalk Empire Season 1 DVD Boxset for men,Desperate Housewives DVD for women, Peppa Pig Season 1 DVD for children, All in the Family Seasons 1-9 DVD Boxset for parents.More surprise there,please visit for more details.

This is what I have been searching in many websites and I finally found it here. Amazing article. I am so impressed. Could never think of such a thing is possible with it...I think you have a great knowledge especially while dealings with such subjects.

December 17, 2011 | Unregistered CommenterHome Security Houston

Are you still considering what gifts send to your friends,panrents,children or partner?I'd like to recommend you to select your gifts on

February 24, 2012 | Unregistered Commentermoncler parkas

Never before seen, behind the scenes footage

of Audrey Hepburn in the movie"My Fair Lady"

The footage was filmed by a extra using an

Pirated 8MM home movie camera;

auctions last weekend in march

Interested --?

To Read More click here, or Paste this address into your browser --

http://www.eccentricneworleans.com/rare_film_footage.htm

__________________________________________________________________

Or wait until the last weekend in March

And go Here

www.juliensauctions.com

Auction Starts March 30th 31st

January 30, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterEric Saucier

WORLD EXCLUSIVE One of a kind
Home movie footage taken from behind the scenes, of the opening scene of "My Fair Lady"
Stills from the footage as well as the actual reel of footage itself can be seen on page 305 of Juliens Catalog
which you can get to by entering "My fair Lady Behind The Scenes Footage" In the search bar;
Once your in the Catalog, which can be seen by going here
www.juliensauctions.com
--------------------------------
Or you can join the Live Auction on April 5th by going here
www.julienslive.com

March 15, 2013 | Unregistered CommenterEric Saucier
Member Account Required
You must have a member account to comment. It's free so register here.. IF YOU ARE ALREADY REGISTERED, JUST LOGIN.