8 Year Old Me: Why does Mom watch this movie so much? It's just.... ugh. Here's everything wrong with the movie. First, it's three hours long! We spend three whole hours watching some snooty guy teach a girl to speak with a different accent. Seriously, that is the whole plot. Second, they sing through the whole thing! It hardly ever stops! Third... what is that stupid outfit the girl is wearing? 22 Year Old Me: This film stands out to me as being one of the better Best Picture winners, despite some heavy competition that year (Dr. Strangelove, Becket, and Mary Poppins, each of which would be worthy of the win)! The film conveys one of the most elegantly simple love stories ever told. As eight year old me described, it follows a pretentious phonetics professor who makes a bet with another man that he can take a woman off the street and teach her to speak so well that she could pass as being a duchess at an upcoming embassy ball. As time goes on however, they slowly begin falling for each other, despite frequent clashes and outbursts at one another. While that may sound terribly cliched amidst today's glut of unimaginative romantic comedies, part of the charm of My Fair Lady is how easily and even subtly it expresses the idea. At no point in the film do the characters tell each other "I love you". At no point do they kiss one another, or even embrace in a romantic way. And yet, Rex Harrison and Audrey Hepburn carry their roles so well you can feel it developing right along with them. Plus, the songs are amazing. I dare you to hear "Wouldn't It Be Loverly" or "I Could Have Danced All Night" and not immediately become happier.
Armed with a laptop, a Pepsi, and a swivel chair, J.D. sets out to uncover the deepest secrets of the film world.
Or, ya know, just write random movie-related lists. Either way....
