My Fair Lady - Ascott Opening Race

[HealeyIRA5]

a masterful satire

[ccipollini1984]

this is so my time period. Not a sinle fannie pack or tank top to offend the eye!

[zeldagirly22]

the costumes in this movie are absolutely fabulous! GORGEOUS!!!

[SheFoxAnya]

I love this scene that shows all of the english lords and ladies as neutral and reserved as white roses. That is why I refer to white roses as the "British Nobility."

[ArisolSpray]

I love this sequence, They're singing about the adrenaline and the rush of watching as well as betting on the horses.. But every single one of them have a very controlled neutral face

[evanstm]

@ArisolSpray gripping, absolutely ripping, keyed up, thrilling, absolutely chilling, and they all look as if they're administering a 5th grade math test, LOL. This scene is brilliant, and so gay.

[acherchrissjon04]

this was pretty cool.

[XxDressagex]

I want to go to the royal ascot someday!

[MissVictoryJane]

Oh those british and their stupid hats ;)

[michellequinlan2]

Sweetypie, you are misinformed. There is more animal misery behind the packs of meat in the fridges of Tesco than in all of horse-racing. If you want to pick on a sport pick on polo, a least one pony dies almost during every match. I was at Ascot yesterday and was right on the rail where Rewilding ran home with his broken leg - a horrible sight, yes but not the grim,terrifying existence of millions of factory-farmed animals lined up for slaughter to satisfy the public's appetite for cheap meat.

[sweetypie000]

RIP Rewilding

It is not good enough so many horses die in this sport. England has no consideration for these poor animals forced to do this barbaric 'sport'.

It is not good enough these horses are used for high priced sports and when they break a leg are destroyed and cast off.

Money is, as usual, taking preference over moral decency and animal welfare.

There have been something like a minimum 500 deaths of horses on UK horse tracks this year alone

Animal abuse absolutely.

[Gavestonful]

It's ASCOT - not Ascott!  Time for you to drop a "t" - something that's never done in correctly spoken British English but in this case, in written form, most definitely so. ASCOT is the town in Berkshire, England, where this famous racecourse is located. ASCOTT - as in Ascott-under-Wychwood, is in nearby Oxfordshire and is a different place altogether, and it doesn't have a racecourse... but it does have some very pretty little pubs with roses all around the doors and windows.

[Gavestonful]

As it happens today Tuesday 14/06/11 is the real Ascot Opening Day - the first day of the Royal Ascot race meeting of 2011. Good racing, beautiful hats and gorgeous dresses, top hats and morning suits, plenty of champagne, fresh English strawberries and whipped cream and the Queen riding along the course in an open carriage at the very start of the proceedings. And a very lovely, warm sunny day it is at this wonderful Royal Berkshire course. Hooray for Royal Ascot! Let's all gavotte!

[hearistocrat]

do you have the entire movie? if you do i would like to download it please.

[24DJF]

The social satire in this piece is hilarious! Absolutely brilliant.

[Oakcliffsweety]

I would so be Eliza Doolittle in this scene!

[animalluver8153]

It's funny how back in the day all the rich people were all proper and now a days the rich people are some of the wierdest people we got.

[keepinlow]

@animalluver8153 it's all the inbreeding between all the rich people. Makes them crazy.

[toutatis12]

@keepinlow Move your common arse.

[shanmugamlakshmanan]

@leekitee: haha. small world huh?

[leekitee]

I googled this video, and turns out it belongs to you, Shan! What on earth!

[CliGrimes95]

I am doing this for my Junior Cert practical tomorrow!!!!

[CityOnaHillStudios]

"i have never been so keyed up!" lol. it's so funny to hear them sing that as they stand perfectly still as in in a picture!

[pinoyidol2006]

I can never stop laughing at "What a frenzied moment that was"

So brilliant.

[PotentialGrace]

wow, those hats are art seriously

those dresses and art and the total individuality if the designs coupled with a uniform black and white, wow im in awe i cant even write sense!

[Artsettimavn]

@PotentialGrace The genius of Cecil Beaton.

[MirroTea]

OMG LOOL I love how they were not laughing or smiling and singing and then all of a sudden they took out binoculars when the horses were like 2 feet away. xDD

[uberdude1988]

I want to wear morning dress

[fcs360]

This is the single best scene of the whole movie simply because of it's costumes, precision and perfection.

[letthemxeatcake]

I adore their costumes!

[SSArcher11]

A bit of British bawdy humor at 3:13.

By the way, when I got dressed I slammed the closet door when I got my ascot.

[Booshibonton]

also, the woman @ the end looks like carl segan

[plymouthmartini]

...and lack of audience, unfortunately.

[shaneu1]

I consider this scene, art direction by the incomparable Cecil Beaton, to be among the ten or so best single scenes ever put on film. I think England was at its zenith during the Edwardian era, during that last decade before World War I changed everything. Would that I could have lived during that period! Oh, a minor quibble. The appropriate title for the scene and its music is "Ascot Gavotte," per Messrs. Lerner and Loewe.

[ThePierpaolo72]

Marnie Nixon lent her voice to Audrey Hepburn because the producers thought that Audrey wasn't good enough to perform her songs. Audrey left the set for a short time because she felt hurt for it, since she had worked very hard to perform those songs, but since she was too good she soon went back. Probably a tougher and sassier actress'd have kicked Marnie's ass

[CrystalLightning1]

I want one of those hats....

[TheSupernova247]

@CrystalLightning1  Hi. I know. Me, too. Aren't they fabulous?? Merry Christmas1 > :-)

[CrystalLightning1]

@TheSupernova247 hahahaha. I wanted one for christmas! :P

[TheSupernova247]

@CrystalLightning1 Hi. I can understand why. They're all so gorgeous! I would definitely rock one. I wish women wore hats like they use to do. Hats are still very popular in the English culture, but in the States it doesn't seem as widely practiced as it once was. Happy New Year!!!

[CrystalLightning1]

@TheSupernova247 happy new year to you too! hahaha! but seriously i think the world needs to go back in time and re-live these times. it would be good for everyone.

[TheSupernova247]

@CrystalLightning1 Hi. How are you? I agree with you. You are so right!!!

[CrystalLightning1]

@TheSupernova247 im good hbu? and you know it was a good time. people wer nice (exsept for a certain henray higgins :P) and dressed nice, now you see them walkin down the street showing off their boxers and there hands in their pants. :/

[TheSupernova247]

@CrystalLightning1 Hi! I'm great. Thanks for asking and hope that you continue to do good, as well. Yes, you are so right. I saw a guy with the sagging pants today - well, a couple of guys, actually. There are no standards anymore - not only in terms of dress; but there are no morals anymore either. I wish that people still dressed up. I love to dress. I'm the only person at my job who really dresses up; and I'm one of the youngest women there. And HATS.......LOOOOOOOOOOOVE 'em!......

[TheSupernova247]

@CrystalLightning1 .....I've been wearing hats ever since I was 18! I'm not quite 40 yet, but I wish women of my generation wore them. I got my first hat on my 18th Easter; and it's been a love affair ever since. I adore them and the more elegant, big, unique, whimsical or ornate the better!!! > :-)

[CrystalLightning1]

@TheSupernova247 hello. same to you. I mean, those hats are just gorguse.

[TheSupernova247]

@CrystalLightning1 Hi. I know. They're just stunning. I mean this movie is over 35-40 years old; and they're still breathtaking. That's timeless high fashion for you. I would definitely rock these hats now. > :-)

[CrystalLightning1]

@TheSupernova247 sameee!

[10hockeyrocks10]

Hi Ms. Edson!

[woodii97]

my schools doing this, and im doing this song. ARGHHHH

[ShahoftheShahs]

I believe People should still wear the Frock Coat. I still do for goode Occasions. We mustn't be too informal.

[MrCombat1965]

@ShahoftheShahs Owing to today's fashion sense, the frock coat wouldn't look very well with sweatpants, pants/shorts (whatever the heck those things are) that end at the calf, or flip flops. Sorry.

[ShahoftheShahs]

@MrCombat1965 Hahah, I dare say no body wears the Frockcoat with sweatpants. The trousers are formal trousers. For People to-day, it should be akin to a Long Coat.

[MrCombat1965]

@ShahoftheShahs How 'bout basketball shorts, Birkenstocks, and a black tee shirt with a velvet picture of Elvis on it. Would that go well with a frock coat and a homburg hat? I need help.

[EmyStar926]

classic movie

[ThornNorris]

This is one of my favorite scenes.

[ice22marble]

I wonder if they fart in their sleep?

[TraustiGeir]

I love how Henry reacts to her behaviour in this scene. I would have hid a long time ago.

[Shanniquitie]

too much fabulous. i die.

[PhilintheBlank1]

@Shanniquitie best quote ever

[TheSkandranon]

I just adore this part. I love how perfectly still they are at first, then they move in perfect sync just barely missing everyone. I never tire of watching it.

[MsJeremiah32]

Shame that no musicals and films aren't made like this so thanks for uploading the oldies but goodies for the likes of me!

[xxvirgo7]

A beautifull song:

Every duke and earl and peer is here

Everyone who should be here is here

What a smashing, positively dashing spectacle

The ascot opening day

At the gate are all the horses

Waiting for the cue to fly away

What a gripping, absolutely ripping

Moment at the ascot opening day

[xxvirgo7]

Pulses rushing, faces flushing Heartbeats speed up, I have never been so keyed up And second now they'll begin to run, Hark a bell is ringing, they are springing forward look, it has begun What a frenzied moment that was Didn't they maintain an exhausting pace? 'Twas a thrilling, absolutely chilling Running of the ascot opening race

[wereed5555]

All hail to Cecil Beaton, the costume designer. I don't think ANY film can match the exquisite taste & stye of "My Fair Lady". Everything else is terrific too, of course!

[mbabitt]

I'm a 20-minute drive from the races. It would be awesome if people could actually pull this off.

[AnnaVosch1]

The last try to do something called musical and attractive, ended called "High School Musical". I wish I was born in these days

[MrsJellyCat]

Whenever I watch this, I always notice the girl with the red hair and tall black hat at 1:14 - she's so pretty, like a doll!

[markedjuan]

Yes, she's very cute, and she seemed to be sporting that shag do that was so popular in the ;60s

[SebCrawford]

The Royal Court was in mourning when the film is set - hence the monochrome.

[ToughXArmy69]

Oscar Winner James Hopkins a genius of an Art Director along with Director George Cukor created this great scene shot on a sound stage at Warner Bros.

Am likely in the small minority on this but I feel Audrey Hepburn brilliant as Eliza and the best possible casting. Jack Warner while also head of WB also personally produced this great movie. Warner initially wanted Cary Grant and James Cagney along with Hepburn.

Great movie

Rex Harrison, Cukor, Hopkins all won Oscars for their fine work.

[magmaheritage]

I am a Audrey Hepburn fan but I really did not like this film because of the stupid ending when she ended up with the old fart. But there are two scenes from this film I absolutely love to watch. This Ascot Scene and the Embassy Ball. Thank you for posting this.

[newrochellephoenix]

@magmaheritage In the original,non musical,play-Eliza does not end up with Higgins-but with Freddy.

[shaneu1]

What a gorgeous depiction, exaggerated to precisely the correct degree, of Edwardan manners and mores. Mr. Beaton and others at Warners who conceived, staged, and choreographed this scene attained near-perfection. Now, if only I could have lived in such a society. I was born far too late.

[lagerhound]

From all the people on set, you would have thought that at least one of 'em would have known that the horses race the other way at Ascot.. Unfortunate blunder in a marvellous film.

[TheGiraffeShit]

I love the coldness of the aristocrats.

I love their language and accent.

I love how they don't show their emotions.

I love the song. <3

[Chubbified23]

u need a lot of discipline to pull off something like this. well done

[lalishelaide]

From 2:25 on is absolutely perfect. What a sync.

[tangomango3000]

funny i have to do three weird songs for the chior and this is one of them this song is alright

[AMVloverbri]

Good lord, we did this musical at our school and this part freaked me out the first few times I saw it during rehearsals because I had no idea what was going on. xD

Ah good times lol

[razberrylol10]

I had to do this for my dance show and I hated the dress bu we all had great acsence for web though we re in America and we ain't. British!!! Ahahaha that hat was disgusting also!!!!

[wenglishsal]

I love this film... "come on Dover... move yer bloomin' arse..." When I saw it for the 1st time my Nan nearly choked, she hadn't heard such language before,,, Bless her.. She was very Victorian in her ways.... being born in 1902... Ha ha ha.. Love it love it... :0)x

[ilyaboris]

i'm a straight guy and i wish i lived durring that time!

[LadyEmilyElizabeth]

The women are so beautiful (the men too) - they look like dolls!

[glynbrain]

Worth a permanent shortcut. I'll never get tired of watching this.

[newrochellephoenix]

Theres talk of a new filmed version. Could be soooooooooo great -but nuthin'but nuthin' could be better than THIS Ascott Opening Day,dontcha know .

[thetitanicisdead]

i have got to say that is how edwardian peple dressed they were so refined know you look at it today its horribly messed up

[mec24609]

@thetitanicisdead yes, people used to want to look as good as possible...today it's dressing to please oneself and be comfortable!

[westsidestory97]

wow.

AMAZING costumes!

[Busrayne]

Marni Nixon did all the singing.

[Bobbyejoan]

texnightowl

As a high school Thespian I love everything about this scene. I know alot of people thought Julie Andrews should have gotten the movie but Ms. Hepburn was My Fair Lady. (DELOVERLY) Did someone else do all of the singing?

[ruemusical]

I love My Fair Lady!

[usspike]

Love this movie. Especially this sequence. The costumes are magnificent. Each dress is a piece of art.

[Operalover12002]

I have always thought that My Fair Lady has class in its plot and musical numbers despite cockney accents used in some scenes. And there are no gangs, who characterize West Side Story.

I do vote for the creation of Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe.

[SCE2AUX]

I have this image of this scene being reshot at a NASCAR track in Alabama with the usual personalities and accents...

[IWantLandingSnow]

Actually one of my favourite scenes ^^

[sweetlicorice1234]

i just got casted in my fair lady im sooooooooo excited lol mostly for the hat not so much as some of the high notes i have to hit lol

[newrochellephoenix]

Let us know how the show goes !!!

[PeterFirthFan]

Studio-bound crap.

[spazattack136]

The girl on the right on 2:43 looks like Liz Taylor! This is a goddamn art-form.

[operazionetrionfofan]

the woman with the tall hat at 1:14 lol! I remembered only from the entire people!

[elilis3]

I have never been so keyed up

hahhah exactly the opposite! brilliant!

[wolfattack402000]

This is a lost art. Musicals such as this cannot be duplicated simply due to lack of talent!

[guevashin]

The choreography and the song and costume all complete perfect satire to britain's emotionally reserved upper class. It is hilarious to watch.... many people are kept from laughing only by the glorious costumes and stunning movements.

[BraveMuslimSoldier49]

@guevashin Is it just me , or do British upper-class ppl have a habit of over-using hyperbole in their speech...like "ooh...ripping...gripping....d­ashing...smashing...absolutely­"

[ChristineTheHippie]

@BraveMuslimSoldier49 This is a spoof, so it's supposed exaggerate things. That and Ascott is a very upper crust event,

[HPAnimeFreak]

@guevashin We're watching this in my english class and my classmates just don't get that.

[foofwolf22]

I don't know . Phantom of the opera was good. Never saw hairspray.

[Blackthorne369]

@wolfattack402000 Was this movie redone? I didn't know, or notice.

[iMegaphone]

@wolfattack402000 I disagree. There are plenty of amazing musicals around today. There were plenty of awful musicals back then, too. Also, My Fair Lady did run very successfully on Broadway after A LOT of work and coming from a short very refined play. So it is exceptional in that it had stage after stage of refinement and perfecting before this film was made. Also it was terrifically expensive and took quite some time to produce. Nothing against the musical, it's one of my favourites!

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

@wolfattack402000 It's not a "lost art." There's plenty of talent, it's just not seen on screen. You'll notice that none of the people you see in this video are supermodels with perfect plastic faces and Barbie doll bodies. Amazing as it may seem, there are lots of people with talent who aren't especially sexy. So long as the mass media insists that only the Shiny Beautiful People are allowed to be seen, then no, you won't see this sort of thing.

[Booshibonton]

@wolfattack402000 if a specific average of people are born talented, then how are there fewer talented people today than there were back when this was made?

[MisterUptempo]

@wolfattack402000 I couldn't disagree more. There is an incredible amount of talent out there, that could very ably produce productions of this caliber, perhaps better. The problem is convincing the producers that there is money to be made from such ventures.

I can assure you, that if it could be proven that a broad-based market existed, willing to spend hard earned money to watch this sort of thing on a consistent basis, the studios would be producing them now.

[sashaqueenie]

The costumes but Sir Beaton are pure genius.

Even Eliza's costume which would have turned out to be a disaster being over accessorized, is a movie screen icon.

[raetozee]

HAHAHA

I love how they sing "I have never been so keyed up" and just stand there expressionless!

[MastersoftheOpera]

I wonder what today's Ascot-goers dress like and behave like LOL It's about to be the year 2010 not 1910 (which is more or less the time of this film) LOL

[niroontjuh]

They look like they've had botox, they don't show any emotions in the face =)

[foofwolf22]

God, what a buncha snobs!

Love this part!

[ObsessedwithBroadway]

I was in MFL and was soooooooo excited to wear a huge insane hat, but then they cast me as Jamie was I had to be a man and couldn't wear the hat.... I was sad. :( But the hats were amazing.

[cmjwow8]

I love how they are all in tablos with their ridiculous hats xP

Definetly my favorite scene...

[RoxanneJ81]

Sir Cecil Beaton was a genius! But I love his stuff in "Gigi" much better.

[gambamama]

The best scene of the entire film to be sure. I only wish we saw more fabulous hats like this at Ascot in real life. These days, most of them are absolutely dreadful.

[Elliebear9]

My school are preforming My Fair Lady!

[MadeofStars68]

Parecen robots !!! jajajajaja

[2cats0dogs]

My favorite scene in the whole movie.

Awesome song too.  : )

[LeoDeGrand]

I really want to go to Ascot one day just so i can wear an enormous hat ;D

[futb0l4eva]

Remember watching this freshmen year of highschool, only scene i remembered cause the costumes were so awesome

[ladey2181]

This was always one of my favorite scenes.

[who3697cares]

I know this is an old movie (and I do like old movies very much) but wow is that set so FAKE looking! I really, really like My Fair Lady, but even fans can't help but agree that set wasn't impressive.

[ckk66]

They could not have done it any better... this is a musical! it is intended to be played on stage... It is the essence of the custume and the music that one should be paying attention to

[ThoughtTravel]

... funny you should say .. You're right.  given the context, i believe the plastic "fake": set was intentional ... in that period, it was like an artistic expression of minimalism. "It's the Idea that counts" it lends itself to the humor of the absurd.

[yukihiko9876]

best scene ever

[jem747sabotage]

Perfect.

[booka6531]

pretty much my favorite scene in the play/movie

:]

[RevolutionUtena]

I love the fact that Henry Higgins and his lot LITERALLY disturb the perfect ballet with their entrance.

[juzzyfuzz]

How utterly gorgeous in every way - and especially the music.

[ramesses88]

This scene is so perfect.

I particularly like the horror of the two ladies with matching outfits (2.50)

[mykystone]

This is one of my favourite numbers in the musical. It sets the stage for Eliza's disastrous line, "Move ya bloomin' arse!" later in the scene because of the uptight, elite, aristocratic mood. It's fabulous!

[glassgirl0423]

love it.

[hostclub17]

Woah, they must have REALLYY enjoyed that race didn't they? (sarcastic)

[lisssmike]

you are so right. that was hillarious!!!!!!!!!!

[paulwilsonmusician]

I love this song, i sang it in our school revue with the others :L it was gid fun

[jorgecubria]

The more ridiculous, the more I like it; and this one is lovely.

To wear those hats they must be either very brave or very elegant. (smart's the word?)

[podcaster2]

i was in this scene in my school play i sucked XD

[heartforrent]

I love when they have the same hat, and they freak out. by far the best scene in this movie :)

[Sarayax8]

Super

[KaiseRex42]

This is exactly how the Aristocracy in Britain behave to this day! :)

[Andrewsmate]

No, these aristo's have more respect and style

[KaiseRex42]

:))

[njgrl4eva]

I love how that one lady just missed getting hit in 2:50.

[ihateplaincheese11]

i love how they put their binoculars up just before the horses run right in front of them..lol...

[Operalover12002]

I envy these extras wearing all of the lovely costumes in an egelant way. And I am sure they got trained long how to walk and talk like those in high society. Some extra women look very beautiful.

[Redsox06]

Learned all of the songs when MFL was on Broadway. It was, and always will be, my favorite musical. This part of the film is a triumph.

[Operalover12002]

The female costumes are very lovely. But I think My Fair Lady would be far more splendid had Julie Andrews played Eliza Doolittle for the film version as well. Anyways, George Cukor was really a great film director! He was adept at bringing more beauty out of every woman. I also lament his death.

[Redsox06]

That's been my dream ever since the movie came out in '64. I'd loved to have seen her with Rex Harrison.

[jessicag45]

My theatre company is doing this show! I simply can't wait!!

[elphaba528]

Oh my, the Ascot Gavotte... that song was quite difficult to sing with emotionless faces, especially when hitting higher notes.

It's a pity my theatre company never actually got to perform My Fair Lady. This scene would have been amazing, especially with all those gorgeous costumes and hats!

[LadyEmilyElizabeth]

I know! Its perfect for Theatre. This scene is just pure genius. The beautiful costumes, the deadpan faces, the wonderful movements. Its wonderful

[inlovespell]

Im doing this play for my school!

this is my fav scene!

[aresah]

I did this for our play.. with the hats and all!!! so fun! :)

[RockinRomanceBabe]

I have to sing this song with my friends for oor school play. It is so high! I've a lone toned voice! Ahhh, we have to sing it higher then this...

[Baccalaureus79]

It's a pity that ladies don't wear hats anymore nowadays... These were real works of art!

[newrochellephoenix]

Love the fashion walk at the songs end-especially the grand lady looking ever so lovely-just before getting bummped by Higgins.

[xcherryflavoredx]

One of my favorite scenes in the film. They all look so gorgeous and lovely. They still do today!

[rcgib]

Also my favourite scene. Together, the music, lyrics, costumes and dramatic presentation convey a wonderful satire on the privileged, prim and proper. It's extremely funny but, ironically, induces sophisticated (but very satisfying) chuckles rather than rip-roaring belly laughs. In a way, then, the audience takes on some of the features of the subjects of the parody. It's simply brilliant!

[AlfTorGa]

Loverly