I’m no great lover of the story of Pygmalion and Galatea. I think that the whole idea of a person molding a perfect mate is a creepy fantasy and the fact that it seems to resonate so much with people for hundreds upon hundreds of years is slightly unfortunate. At the same time I do think that creative inspiration is a wonderful thing and that the story itself is interesting, even if I still think the statue got a raw deal. Just because I consider it a muse for after school specials about toxic relationships doesn’t change the fact good things have come from it. I consider the TV series Selfie to be one of those things.
This bit of fluff only lasted 22 episodes, not all of which were even aired on TV because the ratings were so bad the plug was pulled on it midway through the first season. That was a shame because Eliza Dooley (Karen Gillan) and Henry Higgs (John Cho) were remarkably charming. Eliza and Henry were both represented as fundamentally flawed but with qualities that the other could learn from, and their friendship was almost more adorable than the hints at romance. It had enough in common with the original story to make the parallels understandable, but deviated from the original enough to mitigate the creep factor. I actually wanted them to succeed as a couple.
The series seemed aware it wasn’t going to get much of a chance and the first season is sufficient to get a good sampling of fun stories and moderately awkward adventures. I don’t think it would have held up as a premise much past one season, if I’m being honest, but I’m glad it got made. I’m always delighted when someone essentially builds fanfic and it somehow makes it to small and large screens. This was good fanfic brought to life.
The story of Pygmalion and Galatea has resonated down through centuries of art and storytelling, but at its core it was always a little creepy. A man who can’t seem to find a “perfect” woman carves one and then magically this statue comes to life and they get married. It’s the kind of story that makes me give it a lot of side-eye because it seems rather like this statue lacked the ability to make any meaningful choices. What do you mean of course she had to choose her sculptor when she came to life? He made her, therefore of course he was owed her love? Come on. Pull the other one.
Eliza Doolittle (Audrey Hepburn) and Henry Higgins (Rex Harrison) are the interpretation of this relationship modernized up to a turn of the 20th century London. Eliza is molded by a bet that Henry makes with his friend Colonel Pickering (ugh to this concept out of the gate) that he could make a guttersnipe pass as a duchess with the right diction and a rather charming and catchy musical proceeds to unfold despite itself. I still find the plot sinister, as Henry is not the kind of character that experiences personal growth and he never treats Eliza well. Eliza may be transformed in the course of the movie but no matter if she is a poor flower seller or elevated to a society woman, every iteration of her is too good for Henry Higgins. That it’s implied they get together in the end is a travesty.
I have some solace in the fact that the author of the play on which the movie is based agreed with me. George Bernard Shaw was adamant that Eliza not have a happy ever after with Higgins in the play because it completely negated the point of her transformation. Freddy Eynsford-Hill, who is a bit of a sap, is still the better choice for Eliza. Fie on the movie for getting it wrong! Down with Henry Higgins!
Excited to finally post this- my part of a collab on the @greekmythszine - a sapphic rendition of Pygmalion to accompany the written story by @tangerinick! Please go check it out, Nick is a fantastic writer!
