Mrs. Doubtfire
Encyclopedia
Mrs. Doubtfire is a 1993 American comedy film
starring Robin Williams
and Sally Field
and based on the novel
Madame Doubtfire
by Anne Fine
. It was directed by Chris Columbus
and distributed by 20th Century Fox
. It won the Academy Award for Best Makeup. The film was placed 67th in the American Film Institute
's 100 Years, 100 Laughs: America's Funniest Movies (see the 100 Years Series), a list of the 100 funniest movies of the 20th century, and was also rated #40 on Bravo's 100 Funniest Movies of All Time. The original music score was composed by Howard Shore
.
) is a recently-unemployed voice actor, and a good father loved by his three children. However, he also suffers from an increasingly strained marriage to his wife Miranda (Sally Field
), an interior designer who has grown to dislike her husband's child-like antics. On the day of their son's twelfth birthday, Daniel hires a local petting zoo to throw a large birthday party for his son. After receiving a complaint at work from their neighbor Gloria Chaney, Miranda discovers that Daniel has thrown the party without her consent, because their son had a bad report card. This is the last straw for Miranda, who subsequently divorces her husband. Since Daniel has no steady source of income
, Miranda gets primary custody of their three children, twelve-year-old Chris (Matthew Lawrence
), fourteen-year-old Lydia (Lisa Jakub
), and five-year-old Natalie (Mara Wilson
). Daniel has visitation rights limited to Saturday evenings. The judge, acknowledging this, agrees to consider a joint custody arrangement if Daniel can get a job and create a suitable home within three months.
When Daniel learns that Miranda intends to place an advertisement for a housekeeper, he adopts the persona of a sixty-year-old Scottish caretaker named Euphegenia Doubtfire, and applies for the job himself. When Miranda accepts, Daniel recruits his brother Frank (Harvey Fierstein
), a makeup artist, and his partner Jack (Scott Capurro
), to design a costume for Mrs. Doubtfire. Though the children are initially hostile toward their new nanny, as Mrs. Doubtfire, Daniel is able to see his children every day, giving him the opportunity to be the firm father figure he wasn't before. Eventually the children begin to respond favorably to Mrs. Doubtfire's methods, and Miranda is able to heal her relationship with them and with Daniel as well, who begins to improve himself through his alter ego
by learning gourmet
cooking and refurnishing his new apartment.
For a while, Daniel is able to keep up the charade, despite nearly being discovered by his caseworker Mrs. Sellner (Anne Haney
), and attempting to stop his ex-wife's relationship with Stuart Dunmire (Pierce Brosnan
), her new boyfriend, who is not particularly fond of Daniel.
Ultimately, Daniel's cover is blown when Chris walks in on him in the bathroom by accident. He explains to Lydia and Chris what he has done, and tells them that they cannot tell Miranda, because Miranda would put Daniel in jail, or Natalie, as she is too young to understand and would possibly tell Miranda. Both children are happy to have their father back in their lives, and agree to help maintain the pretense. Meanwhile, at the TV station where Daniel works as a shipping clerk, the station's CEO
Jonathan Lundy (Robert Prosky
) sees him clowning with toy dinosaurs on the set of a children's program and is impressed enough to schedule a dinner meeting to hear his ideas. Stuart plans to celebrate Miranda's birthday by taking the family out to the same restaurant at the same time, and everyone expects Mrs. Doubtfire to join them. Daniel tries to postpone his dinner with Lundy, but Lundy is booked for two months, and Lundy's secretary advises him not to cancel the appointment.
At the restaurant, Daniel attempts to rotate back and forth between Lundy and his family, using the restroom to change back and forth from himself to Doubtfire. At one point, Daniel dumps cayenne pepper
on Stuart's order of jambalaya
, an ingredient that he is allergic
to, not realizing the potential consequences of this action. He also becomes increasingly intoxicated throughout the evening and forgets to remove his costume before returning to Lundy's table. He covers for the mistake by explaining to Lundy that his alter ego is merely his idea for a new TV persona. Lundy is once again impressed, and agrees to develop the character into a possible television program.
At that moment, Daniel notices that Stuart is choking on the pepper and administers the Heimlich maneuver. However, part of his mask peels off, revealing part of his real face in the process, and Miranda is horrified to discover his identity. As a result, Miranda receives full custody of the children. Despite his impassioned plea that the motive was solely for the love of his children, the judge, believing his actions to be the result of insanity, restricts Daniel's visitation rights by ordering him to undergo supervised visits, only once a week. Miranda is equally appalled by this, but says nothing. Meanwhile, as Mrs. Doubtfire, he becomes the star of Lundy's new television program, "Euphegenia's House". It quickly becomes the highest-rated program in its timeslot, creating the possibility that the show will be aired nationwide.
Upon seeing how unhappy she and the children are without Mrs. Doubtfire in their lives, Miranda pays Daniel a visit on the set and tells him that she doesn't want to keep hurting the children over the custody issues, and, as a surprise for the kids, invites him back as their caretaker. Daniel picks the kids up to spend an afternoon with them, while Miranda, smiling, watches an episode of Daniel's show in which Mrs. Doubtfire answers a letter from another child of divorce asking for advice. She explains that no matter what type of living arrangement such children may have, love will maintain the bond of the family.
. The song Robin Williams sings at the cartoon voiceover in the beginning is "Largo al factotum
". Other songs featured often were chosen referencing the identity of Mrs. Doubtfire. These songs include:
Additionally, these songs were featured:
was the studio's first choice for filming. However, two new television shows (ER
and Chicago Hope
) had a lease with the city around the same time period, and the production team eventually went with San Francisco. Various locations in San Francisco were used for filming. Parts were shot at the studios of television station KTVU
in Oakland
. The street signs for the intersection near the "Painted Lady
" home, Steiner and Broadway, were visible on-screen. The exact address, 2640 Steiner Street 37°47′38.07"N 122°26′10.78"W, became a tourist attraction for some time after the film's release. Though the film's home exteriors were impressive, its interiors were all shot in a warehouse in the Bay area that was turned into a soundstage. Robin Williams' divorced father character 'Daniel' lived upstairs from Danilo Bakery at 516 Green St., and his children attended a school at Filbert and Taylor.
The restaurant scene was filmed in an actual upscale restaurant, Bridges Restaurant & Bar, in downtown Danville, California
, which is still in operation.
.
(1959
), and others who viewed the movie favorably noted its similarity to Tootsie
(1982
).
Mrs. Doubtfire has a "fresh" rating of 69% with an average score of 5.8 out of 10 on Rotten Tomatoes
.
BAFTA Awards
American Film Institute
Lists
(Beethoven
, Cheaper by the Dozen
, Jerry Maguire
). Robin Williams
was set to return in disguise as an old nanny, similar to the first movie. Due to problems with the script, re-writing began in early 2006 as Robin Williams was allegedly unhappy with the plot. The film was expected to be released in late 2007, but following further script problems the sequel was declared "scrapped" in mid-2006.
The sequel's story involved Williams as Mrs. Doubtfire moving close to his daughter's college so he could keep an eye on her. Recently in an interview for Newsday
, Williams said the movie's sequel was indefinitely scrapped. Stating his reasons, he said, "The script they had just didn't work."
On December 5, 2006, during an interview with BBC Radio 1 by DJ Edith Bowman
, Williams said that if it is not going to be done right, then it is not worth doing and that there will not be a sequel with him in it. However, the character might return in some form some day in the future. The interview does not seem to have been recorded but was posted online almost immediately.
In August 2010, Robin Williams was featured on Alan Carr's Chatty Man
, and again brought up the topic of another Mrs. Doubtfire movie. He blamed the script not being right as the reason another movie wasn't shot. He claimed the script had been written three times and failed, and there was no mention of any ongoing work on the project.
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
starring Robin Williams
Robin Williams
Robin McLaurin Williams is an American actor and comedian. Rising to fame with his role as the alien Mork in the TV series Mork and Mindy, and later stand-up comedy work, Williams has performed in many feature films since 1980. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance...
and Sally Field
Sally Field
Sally Margaret Field is an American actress, singer, producer, director, and screenwriter. In each decade of her career, she has been known for major roles in American TV/film culture, including: in the 1960s, for Gidget or Sister Bertrille on The Flying Nun ; in the 1970s, for Sybil , Smokey and...
and based on the novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
Madame Doubtfire
Madame Doubtfire
Madame Doubtfire, known as Alias Madame Doubtfire in the United States, is a 1987 novel for young adults, about a family with divorced parents. It was adapted into the film Mrs...
by Anne Fine
Anne Fine
Anne Fine, OBE FRSL is a British author best known for her children's books, of which she has written more than 50. She also writes for adults...
. It was directed by Chris Columbus
Chris Columbus (filmmaker)
Christopher Joseph "Chris" Columbus is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. Columbus had his largest success with the first two films in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, along with Home Alone, the last...
and distributed by 20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
. It won the Academy Award for Best Makeup. The film was placed 67th in the American Film Institute
American Film Institute
The American Film Institute is an independent non-profit organization created by the National Endowment for the Arts, which was established in 1967 when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act...
's 100 Years, 100 Laughs: America's Funniest Movies (see the 100 Years Series), a list of the 100 funniest movies of the 20th century, and was also rated #40 on Bravo's 100 Funniest Movies of All Time. The original music score was composed by Howard Shore
Howard Shore
Howard Leslie Shore is a Canadian composer, notable for his film scores. He has composed the scores for over 80 films, most notably the scores for The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, for which he won three Academy Awards. He is also a consistent collaborator with director David Cronenberg,...
.
Plot
Daniel Hillard (Robin WilliamsRobin Williams
Robin McLaurin Williams is an American actor and comedian. Rising to fame with his role as the alien Mork in the TV series Mork and Mindy, and later stand-up comedy work, Williams has performed in many feature films since 1980. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance...
) is a recently-unemployed voice actor, and a good father loved by his three children. However, he also suffers from an increasingly strained marriage to his wife Miranda (Sally Field
Sally Field
Sally Margaret Field is an American actress, singer, producer, director, and screenwriter. In each decade of her career, she has been known for major roles in American TV/film culture, including: in the 1960s, for Gidget or Sister Bertrille on The Flying Nun ; in the 1970s, for Sybil , Smokey and...
), an interior designer who has grown to dislike her husband's child-like antics. On the day of their son's twelfth birthday, Daniel hires a local petting zoo to throw a large birthday party for his son. After receiving a complaint at work from their neighbor Gloria Chaney, Miranda discovers that Daniel has thrown the party without her consent, because their son had a bad report card. This is the last straw for Miranda, who subsequently divorces her husband. Since Daniel has no steady source of income
Income
Income is the consumption and savings opportunity gained by an entity within a specified time frame, which is generally expressed in monetary terms. However, for households and individuals, "income is the sum of all the wages, salaries, profits, interests payments, rents and other forms of earnings...
, Miranda gets primary custody of their three children, twelve-year-old Chris (Matthew Lawrence
Matthew Lawrence
Matthew William Lawrence is an American actor known for his leading role in the movie Cheats with Trevor Fehrman and his role of Jack Hunter on the ABC sitcom Boy Meets World from 1997 to 2000, and his roles in movies such as The Hot Chick, The Comebacks, and Mrs...
), fourteen-year-old Lydia (Lisa Jakub
Lisa Jakub
Lisa Jakub is a Canadian-American actress, best known for her roles in Mrs. Doubtfire and Independence Day.-Early life and career:...
), and five-year-old Natalie (Mara Wilson
Mara Wilson
Mara Elizabeth Wilson is an American former child actress best known for her roles as a child star, particularly in Mrs. Doubtfire , Miracle on 34th Street , and Matilda . She was born in Los Angeles, California, to Michael and Suzie Wilson . She has three older brothers, Danny, Jon, and Joel, and...
). Daniel has visitation rights limited to Saturday evenings. The judge, acknowledging this, agrees to consider a joint custody arrangement if Daniel can get a job and create a suitable home within three months.
When Daniel learns that Miranda intends to place an advertisement for a housekeeper, he adopts the persona of a sixty-year-old Scottish caretaker named Euphegenia Doubtfire, and applies for the job himself. When Miranda accepts, Daniel recruits his brother Frank (Harvey Fierstein
Harvey Fierstein
Harvey Forbes Fierstein is a U.S. actor and playwright, noted for the early distinction of winning Tony Awards for both writing and originating the lead role in his long-running play Torch Song Trilogy, about a gay drag-performer and his quest for true love and family, as well as writing the...
), a makeup artist, and his partner Jack (Scott Capurro
Scott Capurro
-Television appearances:-Stage appearances:-Personal life:In October 2006 Capurro purchased a flat in Bethnal Green and considers himself a London resident.-External links:* * *...
), to design a costume for Mrs. Doubtfire. Though the children are initially hostile toward their new nanny, as Mrs. Doubtfire, Daniel is able to see his children every day, giving him the opportunity to be the firm father figure he wasn't before. Eventually the children begin to respond favorably to Mrs. Doubtfire's methods, and Miranda is able to heal her relationship with them and with Daniel as well, who begins to improve himself through his alter ego
Alter ego
An alter ego is a second self, which is believe to be distinct from a person's normal or original personality. The term was coined in the early nineteenth century when dissociative identity disorder was first described by psychologists...
by learning gourmet
Gourmet
Gourmet is a cultural ideal associated with the culinary arts of fine food and drink, or haute cuisine, which is characterised by elaborate preparations and presentations of large meals of small, often quite rich courses...
cooking and refurnishing his new apartment.
For a while, Daniel is able to keep up the charade, despite nearly being discovered by his caseworker Mrs. Sellner (Anne Haney
Anne Haney
Anne Haney was an American actress, perhaps best known for her roles as social worker Mrs. Sellner in Mrs. Doubtfire, Greta the secretary in Liar Liar, and for her unique, low-octave voice.-Career:...
), and attempting to stop his ex-wife's relationship with Stuart Dunmire (Pierce Brosnan
Pierce Brosnan
Pierce Brendan Brosnan, OBE is an Irish actor, film producer and environmentalist. After leaving school at 16, Brosnan began training in commercial illustration, but trained at the Drama Centre in London for three years...
), her new boyfriend, who is not particularly fond of Daniel.
Ultimately, Daniel's cover is blown when Chris walks in on him in the bathroom by accident. He explains to Lydia and Chris what he has done, and tells them that they cannot tell Miranda, because Miranda would put Daniel in jail, or Natalie, as she is too young to understand and would possibly tell Miranda. Both children are happy to have their father back in their lives, and agree to help maintain the pretense. Meanwhile, at the TV station where Daniel works as a shipping clerk, the station's CEO
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
Jonathan Lundy (Robert Prosky
Robert Prosky
Robert Prosky was an American stage, film, and television actor.-Life and career:Prosky, a Polish American, was born Robert Joseph Porzuczek in the Manayunk neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Helen and Joseph Porzuczek. His father was a grocer and butcher...
) sees him clowning with toy dinosaurs on the set of a children's program and is impressed enough to schedule a dinner meeting to hear his ideas. Stuart plans to celebrate Miranda's birthday by taking the family out to the same restaurant at the same time, and everyone expects Mrs. Doubtfire to join them. Daniel tries to postpone his dinner with Lundy, but Lundy is booked for two months, and Lundy's secretary advises him not to cancel the appointment.
At the restaurant, Daniel attempts to rotate back and forth between Lundy and his family, using the restroom to change back and forth from himself to Doubtfire. At one point, Daniel dumps cayenne pepper
Cayenne pepper
The cayenne pepper—also known as the Guinea spice,cow-horn pepper, aleva, bird pepper,or, especially in its powdered form, red pepper—is a red, hot chili pepper used to flavor dishes and for medicinal purposes. Named for the city of Cayenne in French Guiana, it is a cultivar of Capsicum annuum...
on Stuart's order of jambalaya
Jambalaya
Jambalaya is a Louisiana Creole dish of Spanish and French influence. -Jambalaya varieties:Jambalaya is traditionally made in three parts, with meats and vegetables, and is completed by adding stock and rice. It is also a close cousin to the saffron colored paella found in Spanish culture...
, an ingredient that he is allergic
Allergy
An Allergy is a hypersensitivity disorder of the immune system. Allergic reactions occur when a person's immune system reacts to normally harmless substances in the environment. A substance that causes a reaction is called an allergen. These reactions are acquired, predictable, and rapid...
to, not realizing the potential consequences of this action. He also becomes increasingly intoxicated throughout the evening and forgets to remove his costume before returning to Lundy's table. He covers for the mistake by explaining to Lundy that his alter ego is merely his idea for a new TV persona. Lundy is once again impressed, and agrees to develop the character into a possible television program.
At that moment, Daniel notices that Stuart is choking on the pepper and administers the Heimlich maneuver. However, part of his mask peels off, revealing part of his real face in the process, and Miranda is horrified to discover his identity. As a result, Miranda receives full custody of the children. Despite his impassioned plea that the motive was solely for the love of his children, the judge, believing his actions to be the result of insanity, restricts Daniel's visitation rights by ordering him to undergo supervised visits, only once a week. Miranda is equally appalled by this, but says nothing. Meanwhile, as Mrs. Doubtfire, he becomes the star of Lundy's new television program, "Euphegenia's House". It quickly becomes the highest-rated program in its timeslot, creating the possibility that the show will be aired nationwide.
Upon seeing how unhappy she and the children are without Mrs. Doubtfire in their lives, Miranda pays Daniel a visit on the set and tells him that she doesn't want to keep hurting the children over the custody issues, and, as a surprise for the kids, invites him back as their caretaker. Daniel picks the kids up to spend an afternoon with them, while Miranda, smiling, watches an episode of Daniel's show in which Mrs. Doubtfire answers a letter from another child of divorce asking for advice. She explains that no matter what type of living arrangement such children may have, love will maintain the bond of the family.
Cast
- Robin WilliamsRobin WilliamsRobin McLaurin Williams is an American actor and comedian. Rising to fame with his role as the alien Mork in the TV series Mork and Mindy, and later stand-up comedy work, Williams has performed in many feature films since 1980. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance...
as Daniel Hillard/Mrs. Euphegenia Doubtfire - Sally FieldSally FieldSally Margaret Field is an American actress, singer, producer, director, and screenwriter. In each decade of her career, she has been known for major roles in American TV/film culture, including: in the 1960s, for Gidget or Sister Bertrille on The Flying Nun ; in the 1970s, for Sybil , Smokey and...
as Miranda Hillard - Lisa JakubLisa JakubLisa Jakub is a Canadian-American actress, best known for her roles in Mrs. Doubtfire and Independence Day.-Early life and career:...
as Lydia Hillard - Matthew LawrenceMatthew LawrenceMatthew William Lawrence is an American actor known for his leading role in the movie Cheats with Trevor Fehrman and his role of Jack Hunter on the ABC sitcom Boy Meets World from 1997 to 2000, and his roles in movies such as The Hot Chick, The Comebacks, and Mrs...
as Christopher Hillard - Mara WilsonMara WilsonMara Elizabeth Wilson is an American former child actress best known for her roles as a child star, particularly in Mrs. Doubtfire , Miracle on 34th Street , and Matilda . She was born in Los Angeles, California, to Michael and Suzie Wilson . She has three older brothers, Danny, Jon, and Joel, and...
as Natalie Hillard - Pierce BrosnanPierce BrosnanPierce Brendan Brosnan, OBE is an Irish actor, film producer and environmentalist. After leaving school at 16, Brosnan began training in commercial illustration, but trained at the Drama Centre in London for three years...
as Stuart Dunmire - Harvey FiersteinHarvey FiersteinHarvey Forbes Fierstein is a U.S. actor and playwright, noted for the early distinction of winning Tony Awards for both writing and originating the lead role in his long-running play Torch Song Trilogy, about a gay drag-performer and his quest for true love and family, as well as writing the...
as Uncle Frank Hillard - Scott CapurroScott Capurro-Television appearances:-Stage appearances:-Personal life:In October 2006 Capurro purchased a flat in Bethnal Green and considers himself a London resident.-External links:* * *...
as Jack Hillard - Robert ProskyRobert ProskyRobert Prosky was an American stage, film, and television actor.-Life and career:Prosky, a Polish American, was born Robert Joseph Porzuczek in the Manayunk neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Helen and Joseph Porzuczek. His father was a grocer and butcher...
as Jonathan Lundy - Polly Holliday as Gloria Chaney
- Anne HaneyAnne HaneyAnne Haney was an American actress, perhaps best known for her roles as social worker Mrs. Sellner in Mrs. Doubtfire, Greta the secretary in Liar Liar, and for her unique, low-octave voice.-Career:...
as Mrs. Sellner - William NewmanWilliam NewmanWilliam Newman may refer to:* William Newman , politician from Ontario, Canada* William Gould Newman, politician from Ontario, Canada; MPP, 1967–1981* William Newman , football player and coach...
as Mr. Sprinkles the Postman / Boring Dinosaur Show Host - Martin MullMartin MullMartin Mull is an American actor who has starred in his own television sitcom and acted in prominent films. He is also a comedian, painter, and recording artist...
as Miranda's partner at work - Todd WilliamsTodd Williams (actor)Todd Williams is an American actor best known for his role as Isaac Joiner on The Chicago Code.-Early Life:Born in Queens, NY, Williams began the pursuit of his acting career while attending Talent Unlimited High School in Manhattan...
as Todd the Bartender - Ashley Harris as Female Swimmer
- James Rankin as Matthew
- Stuart Fredrick Hillard as Arnold Alden
- Roscoe Lee BrowneRoscoe Lee BrowneRoscoe Lee Browne was an American actor and director, known for his rich voice and dignified bearing.-Biography:Browne was the fourth son of a Baptist minister, Sylvanus S. Browne, and his wife Lovie...
as Buck
Soundtrack
The score was composed, orchestrated, and conducted by Howard ShoreHoward Shore
Howard Leslie Shore is a Canadian composer, notable for his film scores. He has composed the scores for over 80 films, most notably the scores for The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, for which he won three Academy Awards. He is also a consistent collaborator with director David Cronenberg,...
. The song Robin Williams sings at the cartoon voiceover in the beginning is "Largo al factotum
Largo al factotum
Largo al factotum is an aria from The Barber of Seville by Gioachino Rossini, sung at the first entrance of the title character; the repeated "Figaro"s before the final patter section are an icon in popular culture of operatic singing...
". Other songs featured often were chosen referencing the identity of Mrs. Doubtfire. These songs include:
- "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)Dude (Looks Like a Lady)"Dude " is a song by United States hard rock band Aerosmith. It was released as the first of three singles from the Permanent Vacation album in 1987. It reached #14 on the Billboard Hot 100, #41 on the Hot Dance Club Play chart, #4 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, and peaked at #45 on the UK...
" performed by AerosmithAerosmithAerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many... - "Walk Like a Man" performed by The Four Seasons
- "Luck Be A Lady" performed by Frank SinatraFrank SinatraFrancis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
- "Papa's Got A Brand New BagPapa's Got a Brand New Bag"Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" is a song written and recorded by James Brown. It was released as a two-part single in 1965, and is considered seminal in the musical genre of funk.-The hit single:...
" performed by James BrownJames BrownJames Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr...
Additionally, these songs were featured:
- "Jump AroundJump Around"Jump Around" is the title of a song by the band House of Pain, produced by DJ Muggs of Cypress Hill. This song became a hit in 1992, reaching Number 3 in the USA. A 1993 re-release of the song in the UK, where the original had been a minor hit, peaked at Number 8. On VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of...
" performed by House of PainHouse of PainHouse of Pain is an American hip hop group who released three albums in the 1990s before lead rapper Everlast left to pursue his solo career again. The group's name is a reference to the H.G. Wells novel The Island of Dr...
(but some lines were cut to keep the image family-friendly) - "Stormy Monday Blues" performed by B. B. KingB. B. KingRiley B. King , known by the stage name B.B. King, is an American blues guitarist and singer-songwriter.Rolling Stone magazine ranked him at No.3 on its list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time. According to Edward M...
and Albert CollinsAlbert CollinsAlbert Collins was an American electric blues guitarist and singer whose recording career began in the 1960s in Houston and whose fame eventually took him to stages across the US, Europe, Japan and Australia...
Locations
ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
was the studio's first choice for filming. However, two new television shows (ER
ER (TV series)
ER is an American medical drama television series created by novelist Michael Crichton that aired on NBC from September 19, 1994 to April 2, 2009. It was produced by Constant c Productions and Amblin Entertainment, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
and Chicago Hope
Chicago Hope
Chicago Hope is an American medical drama series created by David E. Kelley that ran from September 18, 1994, to May 5, 2000. It takes place in a fictional private charity hospital.-Premise:The show stars Mandy Patinkin as Dr...
) had a lease with the city around the same time period, and the production team eventually went with San Francisco. Various locations in San Francisco were used for filming. Parts were shot at the studios of television station KTVU
KTVU
KTVU, virtual channel 2 , is the Fox-affiliated television station serving the San Francisco Bay Area. Licensed to Oakland, California, the station has been owned by Atlanta-based Cox Enterprises since 1964, making it the largest Fox affiliate by market size that is not owned and operated by the...
in Oakland
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
. The street signs for the intersection near the "Painted Lady
Painted ladies
"Painted ladies" is a term used for Victorian and Edwardian houses and buildings painted in three or more colors that embellish or enhance their architectural details. The term was first used for San Francisco Victorian houses by writers Elizabeth Pomada and Michael Larsen in their 1978 book...
" home, Steiner and Broadway, were visible on-screen. The exact address, 2640 Steiner Street 37°47′38.07"N 122°26′10.78"W, became a tourist attraction for some time after the film's release. Though the film's home exteriors were impressive, its interiors were all shot in a warehouse in the Bay area that was turned into a soundstage. Robin Williams' divorced father character 'Daniel' lived upstairs from Danilo Bakery at 516 Green St., and his children attended a school at Filbert and Taylor.
The restaurant scene was filmed in an actual upscale restaurant, Bridges Restaurant & Bar, in downtown Danville, California
Danville, California
The Town of Danville is located in the San Ramon Valley in Contra Costa County, California. It is one of the incorporated municipalities in California that uses "town" in its name instead of "city". The population was 42,039 in 2010. Danville is one of the wealthiest suburbs of Oakland and San...
, which is still in operation.
Box office
The film was a huge box office success. It became the second biggest film of 1993, behind only Jurassic ParkJurassic Park (film)
Jurassic Park is a 1993 American science fiction adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Michael Crichton. It stars Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough, Martin Ferrero, and Bob Peck...
.
Critical Reception
The film received mixed to positive reviews. At the time of its release, several critics compared Mrs. Doubtfire unfavorably with Some Like It HotSome Like It Hot
Some Like It Hot is an American comedy film, made in 1958 and released in 1959, which was directed by Billy Wilder and starred Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon and George Raft. The supporting cast includes Joe E. Brown, Pat O'Brien and Nehemiah Persoff. The film is a remake by Wilder and I....
(1959
1959 in film
The year 1959 in film involved some significant events, with Ben-Hur winning a record 11 Academy Awards.-Events:* The Three Stooges make their 190th and last short film, Sappy Bull Fighters....
), and others who viewed the movie favorably noted its similarity to Tootsie
Tootsie
Tootsie is a 1982 American comedy film that tells the story of a talented but volatile actor whose reputation for being difficult forces him to go to extreme lengths to land a job. The movie stars Dustin Hoffman and Jessica Lange, with a supporting cast that includes Teri Garr, Dabney Coleman,...
(1982
1982 in film
-Events:* March 26 = I Ought to Be in Pictures, starring Walter Matthau, Ann-Margret and Dinah Manoff is released. Manoff would not appear in another movie until 1987's Backfire.* June = PG-rated film E.T...
).
Mrs. Doubtfire has a "fresh" rating of 69% with an average score of 5.8 out of 10 on Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
.
Accolades
- 66th Academy Awards66th Academy AwardsThe 66th Academy Awards were presented March 21, 1994, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles. The show was landmark in that it featured a female African American host for the first time, Whoopi Goldberg, and represented a direct contrast in edgy style from Billy Crystal who had hosted the...
- Best Makeup (Won)
- 51st Golden Globe Awards51st Golden Globe AwardsThe 51st Golden Globe Awards, honoring the best in film and television for 1993, were held on January 22, 1994 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California.-Best Actor - Drama: Tom Hanks - Philadelphia...
- Best Picture (Musical/Comedy) (Won)
- Best Actor (Musical/Comedy)Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or ComedyThe Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy was first awarded by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association as a separate category in 1951...
- Robin WilliamsRobin WilliamsRobin McLaurin Williams is an American actor and comedian. Rising to fame with his role as the alien Mork in the TV series Mork and Mindy, and later stand-up comedy work, Williams has performed in many feature films since 1980. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance...
(Won)
BAFTA Awards
- 1994
- Best Makeup & Hair (nominee)BAFTA Award for Best Makeup & Hair-Winners and nominees:*1999 - Topsy-Turvy - Christine Blundell**American Beauty – Tania McComas Carol A. O'Connell**The End of the Affair – Christine Beveridge**An Ideal Husband – Peter King...
- Best Makeup & Hair (nominee)
American Film Institute
American Film Institute
The American Film Institute is an independent non-profit organization created by the National Endowment for the Arts, which was established in 1967 when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act...
Lists
- AFI's 100 Years... 100 LaughsAFI's 100 Years... 100 LaughsPart of the AFI 100 Years… series, AFI's 100 Years…100 Laughs is a list of the top 100 funniest movies in American cinema. A wide variety of comedies were nominated for the distinction that included slapstick comedy, screwball comedy, romantic comedy, satire, black comedy, musical comedy, comedy of...
- #67 - AFI's 100 Years... 100 SongsAFI's 100 Years... 100 SongsPart of the AFI 100 Years… series, AFI's 100 Years…100 Songs is a list of the top 100 songs in American cinema. The list was unveiled by the American Film Institute June 22, 2004 in a CBS special hosted by John Travolta, who appeared in two films honored by the list, Saturday Night Fever and...
:- Dude (Looks Like A Lady)Dude (Looks Like a Lady)"Dude " is a song by United States hard rock band Aerosmith. It was released as the first of three singles from the Permanent Vacation album in 1987. It reached #14 on the Billboard Hot 100, #41 on the Hot Dance Club Play chart, #4 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, and peaked at #45 on the UK...
- Nominated
- Dude (Looks Like A Lady)
Sequel
Writing of a sequel, Mrs. Doubtfire 2, began in 2003 by actress Bonnie HuntBonnie Hunt
Bonnie Lynne Hunt is an American actress, comedian, writer, director, television producer and daytime television host.- Early life :...
(Beethoven
Beethoven (film)
Beethoven is a 1992 American family comedy film, directed by Brian Levant and starring Charles Grodin and Bonnie Hunt. The film is the first in the Beethoven film series....
, Cheaper by the Dozen
Cheaper by the Dozen (2003 film)
Cheaper by the Dozen is a 2003 American comedy film about a family with 12 children . The film takes its title from the 1948 biography of the same name of Frank Bunker Gilbreth and Lillian Moller Gilbreth and their 12 children, but other than the title and the concept of a family with 12 children,...
, Jerry Maguire
Jerry Maguire
Jerry Maguire is a 1996 American romantic comedy-drama film starring Tom Cruise and Cuba Gooding, Jr. It was written, co-produced, and directed by Cameron Crowe...
). Robin Williams
Robin Williams
Robin McLaurin Williams is an American actor and comedian. Rising to fame with his role as the alien Mork in the TV series Mork and Mindy, and later stand-up comedy work, Williams has performed in many feature films since 1980. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance...
was set to return in disguise as an old nanny, similar to the first movie. Due to problems with the script, re-writing began in early 2006 as Robin Williams was allegedly unhappy with the plot. The film was expected to be released in late 2007, but following further script problems the sequel was declared "scrapped" in mid-2006.
The sequel's story involved Williams as Mrs. Doubtfire moving close to his daughter's college so he could keep an eye on her. Recently in an interview for Newsday
Newsday
Newsday is a daily American newspaper that primarily serves Nassau and Suffolk counties and the New York City borough of Queens on Long Island, although it is sold throughout the New York metropolitan area...
, Williams said the movie's sequel was indefinitely scrapped. Stating his reasons, he said, "The script they had just didn't work."
On December 5, 2006, during an interview with BBC Radio 1 by DJ Edith Bowman
Edith Bowman
Edith Eleanor Bowman is a Scottish music critic, radio DJ and television presenter. She is mostly known for hosting the weekday afternoon show and from September 2009 weekend morning on BBC Radio 1 and for presenting a variety of music related television shows and music...
, Williams said that if it is not going to be done right, then it is not worth doing and that there will not be a sequel with him in it. However, the character might return in some form some day in the future. The interview does not seem to have been recorded but was posted online almost immediately.
In August 2010, Robin Williams was featured on Alan Carr's Chatty Man
Alan Carr: Chatty Man
Alan Carr: Chatty Man is a British comedy chat show presented by comedian Alan Carr. The award-winning show is on Channel 4. The show features interviews with celebrity guests, sketches, topical chat and music....
, and again brought up the topic of another Mrs. Doubtfire movie. He blamed the script not being right as the reason another movie wasn't shot. He claimed the script had been written three times and failed, and there was no mention of any ongoing work on the project.
Comparisons with book
During the conversion to film, most of the characters were modified heavily. In the book, all the main characters, apart from Natalie, tend to act in self-interest and expect a large amount of credit whenever they do otherwise. While Natalie is the only child left out of the loop in the film, she is the first to find out in the novel. The divorce of Miranda and Daniel in the book is also much more bitter. The scene at dinner where Daniel becomes angry at Miranda's early arrival is present in the book but takes place prior to Daniel becoming Mrs Doubtfire, while the references to Miranda getting diseases and Lydia telling him to stop it are present in both the book and film. Daniel does not swear in that scene in the book although he is reluctant to let the kids leave straight away as in the movie.See also
- Avvai Shanmughi, the 1996 re-make in TamilTamil languageTamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
- Chachi 420Chachi 420Chachi 420 is a 1998 comedy film, made in India and directed by Kamal Haasan who also starred in the film as the main character. Other actors include Amrish Puri, Tabu, Om Puri, Johnny Walker, Paresh Rawal, Rajendranath Zutshi, Ayesha Jhulka, Nassar and Baby Sana. The Executive Producer is Sab...
, the 1998 re-make in HindiHindiStandard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi... - Cross-dressing in film and televisionCross-dressing in film and televisionCross-dressing in motion pictures began in the early days of the silent films. Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel brought the tradition of female impersonation in the English music halls when they came to America with Fred Karno's comedy troupe in 1910. Both Chaplin and Laurel occasionally dressed as...