Released: 1993
Directed By: Chris Columbus
Written By: Randi Mayem Singer
Starring: Robin Williams, Sally Field, Pierce Brosnan
Rating: PG-13
Rent or Buy?: RENT
Story:
�She Makes Dinner. She Does Windows. She Reads Bedtime Stories. She's A Blessing. . . In Disguise�
Recently fired actor Daniel Hillard decides to throw a birthday party for his son Chris. Upon getting a complaint from neighbours about the party, Miranda Hillard, Daniel�s wife returns home to see her house a total mess. Deciding that she can�t take anymore of Daniel�s behaviour, Miranda files for divorce. The Judge allows visitation rights for Daniel to be with his kids on Saturdays only.
One Saturday, Miranda comes to pick up the kids and announces she�s placing an ad for a housekeeper to watch the kids after school. Daniel asks to be allowed to be the housekeeper, but Miranda declines. As she readies her kids to leave, Daniel changes the phone number on the ad so no one will call about the job. He then begins to call Miranda�s house in various voices to try and be granted an interview. He succeeds as the voice of a kindly, elderly, English woman. He then has his make-up artist brother Frank and his boyfriend Jack make him a woman disguise. Daniel goes to the interview as the woman whom he calls �Mrs. Doubtfire� and gets the job.
As he walks home still dressed as Mrs. Doubtfire, the court-liaison � Mrs, Sellner drops by on her annual inspection of Daniel�s apartment. He tricks her into believing that Mrs. Doubtfire is his sister who is temporarily staying with him.
Meanwhile, Miranda�s old boyfriend Stuart Dunmire begins to pursue her again, much to the chagrin of Daniel. But at his new job as a shipping clerk at a TV station, Daniel�s cartoon voice impressions catch the eye of the owner of the network � Jonathan Lundy. Lundy wants to hear more of Daniel�s ideas regarding a failing kids program at a dinner meeting at the restaurant Bridges � Friday at 7:00. The next day, Miranda announces that Stuart is having a birthday dinner for Miranda at the same time and place and Mrs. Doubtfire is invited. Daniel reluctantly agrees to be at both functions.
Quickly changing from Mrs. Doubtfire to Daniel at the restaurant, Daniel seems to be pulling off the caper, but when Stuart mentions he�s allergic to pepper, Daniel sneaks into the kitchen and loads up Stuart�s order with pepper. Returning to Lundy�s meeting as Mrs. Doubtfire, Daniel covers it up by saying his idea is to retool the show with Mrs. Doubtfire as the host. At the same time, Stuart begins to choke on the pepper. Mrs. Doubtfire hurries to give him the heimlich maneuver. Stuart is saved, but in the process of clearing out his throat, Mrs. Doubtfire�s mask comes off, exposing Daniel�s guise to Miranda. Mrs. Doubtfire is fired. Later, he is determined to be mentally unstable and his visitations with his kids are now to be supervised.
However, Lundy goes ahead with Daniel�s idea for the new show, and Mrs. Doubtfire begins to host the show. Miranda decides that Daniel just wanted to be with his kids and wasn�t really crazy, so she lifts the custody on the kids and allows Daniel to care for them after school.
My Review:
This was a pretty funny movie especially with Daniel frantically switching from himself to Mrs. Doubtfire. Great performance by Robin Williams as his vocal talents are really stretched to the limit here as Mrs. Doubtfire, Mr. Rogers, a used car-salesman, Pudgy the Parrot and so many more. Sally Field gives a great show as Miranda, the fed-up wife. Good family film, however, older audiences probably won�t go in for the deep family themes.
* * out of 4 stars
Hilarious/Memorable Quotes:
Daniel Hillard: (as Pudgy the Parrot smoking a cigarette, improving lines) Oh, I can't do this! I cannot! What a foul way for a bird to die! I don't want to get beak cancer!!
Daniel Hillard: I have a surprise for you!
Chris Hillard: A stripper?
Daniel Hillard: Ooh, please!
Chris Hillard: Two strippers?
Daniel Hillard: Hoo-hah, boy!
***
(Miranda is reaching for a cord that is underneath a pony)
Daniel Hillard: Honey, I�d be careful. That pony had a lot of water.
***
Daniel Hillard: May I see the ad? Miranda, come on. I have a right as their father.
Miranda Hillard: Allright, fine. Anything else you want to see?
Daniel Hillard: Are you offering?
Miranda Hillard: Not anymore.
Daniel Hillard: What's the change?
***
Natalie Hillard: (after hearing Daniel say the same thing) We're his Goddamn kids too.
Daniel Hillard: Kids say the darndest things, don't they?
***
Miranda Hillard: Hello? Are you calling about the ad? Tell me, who was your previous employer?
Daniel Hillard: (as a drugged out rocker) I was in a band. . .severe tire damage.
Miranda Hillard: In a band?
Daniel Hillard: Yeah. I just want to know one thing; are your kids well behaved, or do they need like a few light slams every now and then?
Miranda Hillard: Uh. . .I�ll have to get back to you.
Daniel Hillard: Wow.
***
Lydia Hillard: (about Daniel�s Mrs. Doubtfire disguise) Who did this?
Daniel Hillard: Uncle Frank and Aunt Jack.
***
Mrs. Doubtfire: (seeing Stuart choking) Oh, no. I killed the bastard.