Overview
A professor's experiment with a flower girl leads to unexpected lessons in humanity and class.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- witty
- sardonic
- romantic
- classic movie night
- literary adaptation viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly celebrate the film as a witty, sharply observed adaptation whose performances and class satire remain highly effective.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Higgins trains Eliza's pronunciation, etiquette, and manners so she can pass as a society lady.
A working-class flower seller is reshaped into someone accepted by elite society.
Higgins's profession as a phonetics expert makes elocution and accent the central sources of wit and conflict.
The bet tests whether London's upper classes can be fooled by accent and etiquette rather than genuine status.
Films like Pygmalion, and why
My Fair Lady
shared witty class satire, romantic comedy, and transformation premise
The Philadelphia Story
shared adaptation of a sophisticated stage comedy focused on class, manners, and gender dynamics
The Importance of Being Earnest
shared British social comedy, sharp dialogue, and critique of class superficiality
The Lady Eve
shared language-driven social observation, romance, and conflict between rigid intellectuals and unconventional women
Movie Details
- Directors
- Anthony Asquith, Leslie Howard
- Release Date
- 1938-10-06
- Runtime
- 96 min
- Rating
- 7.0 / 10 (166)
Cast
- Leslie Howard
- Wendy Hiller
- Wilfrid Lawson
- Marie Lohr
- Scott Sunderland
- Jean Cadell
- David Tree
- Everley Gregg
- Leueen MacGrath
- Esme Percy
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- fuboTV, HBO Max Amazon Channel, Criterion Channel, FlixFling, HBO Max, Artiflix
- Rent
- Amazon Video, FlixFling
- Buy
- Amazon Video, FlixFling
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Pygmalion about?
- A brilliant phonetics professor turns a London flower seller into a society lady, only to confront the independent person beneath the performance.
- What is Pygmalion like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Pygmalion as measured, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Pygmalion violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Pygmalion.
- What did critics think of Pygmalion?
- Critics broadly celebrate the film as a witty, sharply observed adaptation whose performances and class satire remain highly effective.
- Which films are like Pygmalion?
- Films with a similar feel include My Fair Lady, The Philadelphia Story, The Importance of Being Earnest, and The Lady Eve.
- How long is Pygmalion?
- Pygmalion runs 96 minutes.
- Where can I watch Pygmalion?
- In United States, Pygmalion streams on fuboTV, HBO Max Amazon Channel, Criterion Channel, FlixFling, HBO Max, Artiflix.
