Name: Pygmalion
Genre: Drama
Released: 1973-12-16
Duration: 2 h
Rating: 7.3
Cast: Lynn Redgrave, James Villiers, Ronald Fraser

Shaw's best-known play -- although many people know it only from its musical version, MY FAIR LADY -- is produced for the small screen. The story is given a more feminist handling than it usually is, made possible by treating Henry Higgins as more of a childish bully than he is usually portrayed -- James Villiers tackles the role without a fraction of the absent-minded charm that the two best-known portrayers -- Leslie Howard in the 1938 film version and Rex Harrison in the musical -- used. Lynn Redgrave handles the comedy better than any other Eliza I have seen, and notice should be taken of Lally Bowers as Mrs. Higgins, who is quite believable as an indulgent mother who spoiled her brilliant son for many years and is now regretting it.

The other roles, particularly the female roles, are given a lot more pathos and moral sense than they usually are and, of course, Emrys James as Doolittle is wonderful -- it's the standout role of the show.

If you have never seen a straight version of this play, this is a good one to start with -- although I have yet to see a poor version.

The drama genre is a broad category that features stories portraying human experiences, emotions, conflicts, and relationships in a realistic and emotionally impactful way. Dramas delve into the complexities of human life, often exploring themes of love, loss, morality, societal issues, personal growth, with the aim to evoke an emotional response from the audience by presenting relatable and thought-provoking stories.

Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)

Shaw's play in which a Victorian dialect expert bets that he can teach a lower-class girl to speak proper English and thus be taken for a lady.

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Pygmalion

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