Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)

After a bitter divorce, an actor disguises himself as a female housekeeper to spend secret time with his children held in custody by his Ex.

Director:

Chris Columbus

Writers:

Anne Fine (novel), Randi Mayem Singer (screenplay),

Stars:

Robin Williams, Sally Field, Pierce Brosnan

Won 1 Oscar. Another 9 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robin Williams	...	Daniel Hillard / Mrs. Euphegenia Doubtfire
Sally Field	...	Miranda Hillard
Pierce Brosnan	...	Stu Denmeyer
Harvey Fierstein	...	Frank
Polly Holliday	...	Gloria
Lisa Jakub	...	Lydia Hillard
Matthew Lawrence	...	Chris Hillard
Mara Wilson	...	Natalie Hillard
Robert Prosky	...	Mr. Lundy
Anne Haney	...	Mrs. Sellner
Scott Capurro	...	Jack
Sydney Walker	...	Bus Driver
Martin Mull	...	Justin Gregory
Terence McGovern	...	A.D.R. Director Lou
Karen Kahn	...	Female Employee #1

Storyline

Daniel Hillard is an eccentric actor who specializes in dubbing voices for cartoon characters. Daniel is a kind man and a loving father to his three kids Lydia, Chris, and Natalie, but Daniel's wife Miranda sees him as a poor disciplinarian, and a bad role model. After Daniel throws an elaborate and disastrous birthday party for Chris, Miranda reaches the end of her limited patience, and files for a divorce. Daniel is heartbroken when Miranda is given custody of the kids and he's only allowed to visit them once a week. Determined to stay in contact with his kids, Daniel discovers that Miranda is looking for a housekeeper, and with help from his brother Frank, a makeup artist, Daniel gets the job, disguised as Mrs. Iphegenia Doubtfire, a Scottish nanny. Daniel pulls off the ruse so well that neither Miranda nor his children recognize him, and in the process, he learns some parenting tips. Daniel also has to deal with Miranda's new boyfriend, a jerk named Stu Dunmeyer.

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Plot Keywords:

custody | divorce | nanny | party | disguise | 

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Taglines:

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

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some sexual references

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 November 1993 (USA)

Also Known As:

Papá por siempre

Filming Locations:

100 Embarcadero Street, San Francisco, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

£6,832,232 (UK) (4 February 1994)

Gross:

£20,942,924 (UK) (15 July 1994)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Blue Wolf, Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

125 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The address given by Miranda while on the phone with Mrs. Doubtfire is the actual physical address of the Hillard house used for the filming of the movie. 2640 Steiner St.

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Goofs

After Chris and Lydia learn that Mrs. Doubtfire is a male, Lydia threatens "her" by picking up a tennis racket as a weapon. However, the next time Lydia is shown in a full-body shot, she is no longer holding the tennis racket.

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Quotes

Mrs. Doubtfire: Dear, I always say, a flawed husband is better than none at all.
Miranda: Who needs a husband when I've got you?

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Connections

Referenced in How I Met Your Mother: The Playbook (2009)

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Soundtracks

"Dragon"
from "Outer Limits"
Written by Dominic Frontiere

User Reviews

A TRULY TOUCHING, COMICAL MASTERPIECE

MRS. DOUBTFIRE is easily one of the best movies ever made. Robin Williams makes audiences laugh and cry at his portrayal of a loving father who wants nothing more than to be with his children. After a painful divorce, he tries to gain custody of his children. This is the premise of the film. Along the way, of course, there are plenty of laughs, especially some great moments with Harvey Fierstein as Williams' brother and hair stylist. This film is so moving that it deserves to be seen by everyone.