Winning a staggering eight Oscars at the 37th Academy Awards way back in 1965, George Cukor’s musical masterpiece My Fair Lady is a film deserving of its reputation as one of the best in its genre. With career-best performances from Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison – not to mention some of the most iconic musical numbers in cinema – the film is a magical reminder of the Golden Age of cinema.
We all know the story – a pompous and stuffy professor, Henry Higgins (Harrison), wagers he can make Cockney flower girl Eliza Doolittle (Hepburn) presentable in high society. It’s a simple tale, flawlessly told thanks to the winning performances, wonderful music, and lavish cinematography from Harry Stradling that looks better than ever in 4K. While perhaps a little overlong at almost three hours, this is an endlessly charming Sunday afternoon romp that is impossible to resist. Hepburn’s most iconic performance is considered by many to be at the centre of Blake Edwards’ problematic Breakfast at Tiffany’s, but she was never better – or more downright loveable – than she was in this delightful musical.
Paramount Home Entertainment’s new 4K UHD release of the celebrated film is breathtakingly beautiful, boasting an impeccable video transfer sourced from 8K scans of the original 65MM elements. This is one of the strongest catalogue releases released on the 4K format to date, and will surely shut down any naysayers who say 4K is just for new films. My Fair Lady looks absolutely remarkable, with gorgeous colour and staggering clarity – and it sounds wonderful too, with all those beloved tunes including I Could Have Danced All Night and The Rain in Spain sounding divine in the 96K resolution Dolby TrueHD 7.1 track.
My Fair Lady is one of the finest musicals in the history of cinema, and this breathtaking 4K UHD release is an absolute revelation. The film looks and sounds flawless, while the opportunity to gaze upon Audrey Hepburn’s magnificent beauty in 4K is an offer so impossible to refuse it would make Don Corleone proud.
MY FAIR LADY is available now on 4K UHD from Paramount Home Entertainment