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Mrs. Doubtfire

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7.2/10 • 6.1K

1993-11-242h 5m

ComedyDramaFamily

She makes dinner. She does windows. She reads bedtime stories. She's a blessing... in disguise.

Loving but irresponsible dad Daniel Hillard, estranged from his exasperated spouse, is crushed by a court order allowing only weekly visits with his kids. When Daniel learns his ex needs a housekeeper, he gets the job -- disguised as a British nanny. Soon he becomes not only his children's best pal but the kind of parent he should have been from the start.

Directors
Chris Columbus
Editors
Raja Gosnell

Top Billed Cast

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  1. Robin Williams

    Robin Williams

    Daniel Hillard / Mrs. Doubtfire

  2. Sally Field

    Sally Field

    Miranda Hillard

  3. Lisa Jakub

    Lisa Jakub

    Lydia Hillard

  4. Matthew Lawrence

    Matthew Lawrence

    Chris Hillard

  5. Mara Wilson

    Mara Wilson

    Natalie Hillard

  6. Pierce Brosnan

    Pierce Brosnan

    Stu

  7. Robert Prosky

    Robert Prosky

    Mr. Lundy

  8. Anne Haney

    Anne Haney

    Mrs. Sellner

  9. Harvey Fierstein

    Harvey Fierstein

    Frank

Reviews1

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CinemaSerf Avatar

CinemaSerf

Dec 28, 2023

7/10

"Danny" (Robin Williams) and wife "Miranda" (Sally Field) just can't go on any longer with their marriage. Their constant rowing and her husband finally jacking in his job as a voice-over artiste of some cigarette-based "creative differences" see her get a divorce. "Danny" adores his three kids but is only given visitation rights for a Saturday until he can prove worthy of more. He manages to get a basic job, but misses his brood terribly. When he hears that "Miranda" is seeking a housekeeper, he hits on the idea of getting his gay brother "Frank" (Harvey Fierstein) and his boyfriend - who are into prosthetics - to make him a mask and some body-altering clothes and et voilà - he is now the English (but Scottish sounding?) "Mrs Doubtfire". "Miranda" takes to her instantly - after some mischievous ground-laying work be her ex, and soon (s)he is back in the family home amongst the children (s)he loves. With court-ordered inspections of his home regularly taking place, it is only a matter of time before this wheeze is rumbled but "Danny" hopes that his employer at a television network for kids (Robert Prosky) might appreciate the character he has created, boost the flagging ratings and maybe that way he can make enough money to restore his family to him? Meantime, the wealthy and smarmy "Stuart" (Pierce Brosnan) is looming on the horizon trying to woo his way into the family's good books - an operation that "Mrs. Doubtfire" watches and abhors at first hand. She's quite a dab hand with a lime at thirty paces! For most of this, it showcases Williams' considerable skills as a mimic and comedy actor - his timing is great. The film does rather fall off a cliff for me during the last half hour in the restaurant, though, where the comedic surrenders to the slap-stick and the joke comes crumbling down leaving us in a well of cringing sentimentality that I didn't particularly enjoy. That said, it's ground-breaking cinema that illustrates just what a dad will do to to be with his children and it takes a huge great swipe at sexual stereotyping too. There's a gentle chemistry between Williams and Field and there are some lovely, vicious, one liners thrown in for us to savour. Not great, but very good.

Media

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  • Mrs. Doubtfire backdrop
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  • Mrs. Doubtfire backdrop
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Status
Released
Original Language
English
Budget
$25,000,000.00
Revenue
$441,286,195.00
Keywords
maskparent child relationshipsan francisco, californiasocial workertransvestitenannyrestaurantfake identitycustody battleresponsibilityvoice actingdivorced couple