Arka Mukhopadhyay
Directed by George Cukor and starring Audrey Hepburn, Rex Harrison, and Jeremy Brett (noted for his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes) in the principal roles, the musical comedy ‘My Fair Lady’ is a classic of canonical Hollywood. The story follows an ornate phonetics professor, Henry Higgins, who takes up the task of transforming a cockney flower girl, Eliza Doolittle, into someone presentable before the high cultured society. Henry and Eliza are off to a bad start but then form an unexpected alliance. However, the ruling-class suitor Freddy Eynsford-Hill increasingly threatens their bond.
Based on the 1913 play ‘Pygmalion’ by George Bernard Shaw, the musical was met with an overwhelming response upon its release. It went on to bag 8 Academy Awards, including one in the Best Picture category. Widely considered one of the best musicals ever, the 1964 film was shot entirely in in-studio locations, and considerable planning and thinking went into designing the sets. If you seek to know more about the filming locations of ‘My Fair Lady,’ consider us your ally.
My Fair Lady Filming Locations
‘My Fair Lady’ was filmed entirely in the US and specifically in California. Filming commenced on August 13, 1963, and was wrapped up by December 18, 1963. California fosters a boisterous cinema culture that dates back to the beginning of the twentieth century. The film was shot in mostly indoor studio locations comprising extravagant sets. However, a generous amount of money was allocated in set designing as the production team left no stone unturned. Now, let us guide you through the specific filming locations where ‘My Fair Lady’ was shot.
Burbank, California
The totality of the film was shot in Warner Bros. Studios, Burbank, situated at 4000 Warner Boulevard in Burbank, California. Spread across a vast area of 62 acres, the studio has been the site of major cinema and TV productions since its opening in 1926. Some of the highlighted titles filmed in the studio include ‘The Dark Knight,’ ‘Blade Runner,’ ‘Spider-man (2002)’ and the popular TV show ‘Friends.’
‘My Fair Lady’ was filmed on six stages of the studio, namely stage 4, 7, 8, 11, 16, and 26. Among these stages, stage 16, raised 98 feet above the ground and boasting a 2-million-gallon water tank, is considered to be one of the largest stages in the whole wide world. The film also used the backlot of the studio, which features iconic sets such as Midwest Street, Hennessy Street, and New York Street. Particularly, Hennessy Street, one of the major attractions of the studio tour, can be seen in the film.
The Professor’s household is given a particularly masculine undertone in the film, exemplified with darker shades. According to sources, the library of Henry’s house, where much of the cinematic narrative unfolds, was inspired to an extent by Château de Groussay, a decadent palace in the town of Montfort-l’Amaury in France. The lavish art direction on the part of Cecil Beaton, Gene Allen, and George James Hopkins caught the attention of many, making them secure an Academy Award for Best Production Design.
Read More: Best Movie Musicals of All Time
