The highlight of this movie is without doubt the performances of Michael Caine and Julie Walters. They were superb together, each latching on to their roles perfectly, and with a marvellous on screen chemistry together. Those strong performances were essential to make this movie work, because of the subject matter. Essentially a retelling of Shaw's "Pygmalion" set in the contemporary world of a university campus, the story isn't at all original (although it has a few twists) but Caine and Walters make it worth watching.
Caine is Dr. Frank Bryant, an English Professor who obviously struggles with demons of his own, in a relationship that isn't working well and spending a good deal of his time drunk, even when he's teaching. Into his life comes Rita (Walters), whose real name is Susan. She's an Open University student who wants to overcome her working class roots and become educated and cultured. She has to overcome opposition from her own husband and family, who are upset with her because she's been married six years and hasn't had a baby yet - which they seem to feel is her only purpose in life. Bryant and Rita develop a bond and help each other overcome their personal challenges and find transformation. Rita leaves her husband behind and becomes a full time student (and something of an expert on Chekov), while Bryant - after an embarrassing scene in which he's falling down drunk in front of his class - is packed off to Australia, which represents for him a new beginning.
I appreciated the decision not to turn this into a sappy romance between Bryant and Rita. That seemed to be the way the ending was headed and it would have been the wrong way to go. Instead, Rita simply meets Bryant at the airport as he's flying off and thanks him for everything he's done and - whatever his personal problems - for being such a wonderful teacher to her. It's a very moving closing scene, made even more emotional by the very fact that there's no romance involved. Then, they simply go their separate ways into new lives. The line that stands out for me from the movie is spoken by Rita's mother. As the family gathers in a pub and sings along with the music she looks decidedly unhappy. Rita asks her what's wrong, and her memorable reply, with pained look on her face, is "There must be a better song." In other words, she - alone among the family - understands Rita's need to get away from all this. The movie is well done; one of countless adaptations of "Pygmalion" and so it won't carry a lot of mystery for anyone, but still well done. 7/10
Caine is Dr. Frank Bryant, an English Professor who obviously struggles with demons of his own, in a relationship that isn't working well and spending a good deal of his time drunk, even when he's teaching. Into his life comes Rita (Walters), whose real name is Susan. She's an Open University student who wants to overcome her working class roots and become educated and cultured. She has to overcome opposition from her own husband and family, who are upset with her because she's been married six years and hasn't had a baby yet - which they seem to feel is her only purpose in life. Bryant and Rita develop a bond and help each other overcome their personal challenges and find transformation. Rita leaves her husband behind and becomes a full time student (and something of an expert on Chekov), while Bryant - after an embarrassing scene in which he's falling down drunk in front of his class - is packed off to Australia, which represents for him a new beginning.
I appreciated the decision not to turn this into a sappy romance between Bryant and Rita. That seemed to be the way the ending was headed and it would have been the wrong way to go. Instead, Rita simply meets Bryant at the airport as he's flying off and thanks him for everything he's done and - whatever his personal problems - for being such a wonderful teacher to her. It's a very moving closing scene, made even more emotional by the very fact that there's no romance involved. Then, they simply go their separate ways into new lives. The line that stands out for me from the movie is spoken by Rita's mother. As the family gathers in a pub and sings along with the music she looks decidedly unhappy. Rita asks her what's wrong, and her memorable reply, with pained look on her face, is "There must be a better song." In other words, she - alone among the family - understands Rita's need to get away from all this. The movie is well done; one of countless adaptations of "Pygmalion" and so it won't carry a lot of mystery for anyone, but still well done. 7/10