June 4, 1963 - The movie version of “My Fair Lady” is expected to be the most expensive film ever made by Warner Brothers. Jack L. Warner, the president of the company, said today the film would cost about $12 million. This includes $5,500,000 paid for the movie rights to the Broadway hit. The movie will follow the stage production almost exactly. All songs will be retained intact, and none will be added. The ending will remain the same as in the Broadway musical, with the audience left to infer that Henry Higgins, the phonetics professor, will marry Eliza Doolittle, the Cockney flower girl he has taught to behave and speak like a duchess. The close of the movie thus remains contrary to George Bernard Shaw’s interpretation of his play “Pygmalion,” the end of which seems to indicate that the relationship is finished. “My Fair Lady” was derived from the play. Mr. Shaw, in an essay after the play was produced, said the flower girl was to marry Freddy Eynsford-Hill. Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison will star in the film.
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