The Beautician and the Beast (1997)

A New York cosmetologist mistakenly thought to be a science teacher is offered a job to teach the children of an Eastern European dictator.

Director:

Ken Kwapis

Writer:

Todd Graff

Stars:

Fran Drescher, Timothy Dalton, Ian McNeice

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Fran Drescher	...	Joy Miller
Timothy Dalton	...	Boris Pochenko
Ian McNeice	...	Ira Grushinsky
Patrick Malahide	...	Leonid Kleist
Lisa Jakub	...	Katrina Pochenko
Michael Lerner	...	Jerry Miller
Phyllis Newman	...	Judy Miller
Heather DeLoach	...	Masha Pochenko
Adam LaVorgna	...	Karl Pochenko
Kyle Wilkerson	...	Yuri Pochenko
Tyler Wilkerson	...	Yuri Pochenko
Timothy Dowling	...	Alek
Michael Immel	...	Stage Manager
Tonya Watts	...	Model
Tamara Mello	...	Consuela

Storyline

A beautician in America is mistakenly thought to be an academic teacher by a representative of an Eastern European dictator. She is invited to their country on that mistaken belief and is asked to be the tutor of the dictator's children. While there, she tries to Westernize the whole country.

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Plot Keywords:

dictator | teacher | beautician | massage | culture clash | 

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Taglines:

Once upon a time...

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for some mild language and sensuality

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 February 1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

La niñera y el presidente

Filming Locations:

Greystone Park & Mansion - 905 Loma Vista Drive, Beverly Hills, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$16,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$4,080,222 (USA) (7 February 1997)

Gross:

$11,454,593 (USA) (9 May 1997)

Company Credits

Production Co:

High School Sweethearts, Koch Company, Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When the President Pochenko and Joy enter the factory, it starts playing L'internationale, the Communist Party hymn and hymn of the URSS until 1944.

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Goofs

At the end of the movie when Joy is at her parents' house, the piano lid is open/closed between shots.

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Quotes

Boris Pochenko: I know where we are.
Joy Miller: Well, where are we?
Boris Pochenko: We're in the woods.
Joy Miller: I knew it. Why can't you just ask one of them for directions?
Boris Pochenko: NO!
Joy Miller: Please! Asking for directions is not the first step to a two-party system.

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Connections

References West Side Story (1961)

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Soundtracks

"Paraffin"
by Lesley Rankine & Mark Walk
Performed by Ruby
Courtesy of Creation Records Limited/Sony International Network Europe/The WORK Group
by arrangement with Sony Music Licensing

User Reviews

An adorable romantic comedy

This is such an adorable movie. Fran Drescher absolutely blew me away, I had no idea she was so talented -- in this movie she absolutely shines!! Her character "Joy Miller" is the Nanny all over again...but this time she has been hired (mistakenly) to teach the four children of a eastern-European dictator. She has amazing comic timing and plays well of off co-star Timothy Dalton, who is a wonderful President of Slovetzia, the tiny (made-up) country that most of the movie takes place in. He is at once a pompous and loveable character...his transformation from Beast to Man is a delight to watch. The plot is a mixture of "The Sound of Music," "The King and I," "Beauty and the Beast," and a kind of twisted Cinderella...but it all meshes together for an endearing (though very predictable) movie. A change from Tim Dalton's usual dramatic/spy movie genre...who knew he could be so funny? But he is, and the movie is adorable and I would highly recommend this if your a fan of Fran Drescher, Tim Dalton or romantic comedies in general!!