Description: Professor Henry Higgins, an expert in phonetics and in the dialects of England, brags that within six months he can take a street girl with a strong Cockney accent and pass her off as a duchess. Eliza Doolittle, the flower girl whose almost incomprehensible accent spawned this boast, offers to pay for speech lessons. She wants to "speak like a lady." Higgins' new acquaintance, Colonel Pickering, bets Higgins that he can't make Eliza acceptable to upper class society in six months. The rest is an absolutely charming story. The musical is based on the play Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw.

Benefits: This movie describes what is common in many societies: that accent determines social standing and economic opportunity. The film also provides an introduction to the study of phonetics. Last but not least, it presents a great story and unforgettable songs, including: "I Could Have Danced All Night," "Oh, Wouldn't It Be Loverly," "The Street Where You Live," "I'm Getting Married in the Morning," and "With a Little Bit of Luck."

This musical has become a classic and is frequently referred to in conversation, print and film.