Publisher: CinemaSerf December 28, 2023
"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.