Mrs. Doubtfire facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mrs. Doubtfire |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Chris Columbus |
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| Music by | Howard Shore |
| Cinematography | Donald McAlpine |
| Editing by | Raja Gosnell |
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| Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
| Release date(s) | November 24, 1993 |
| Running time | 120 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $25 million |
| Money made | $441.3 million |
Mrs. Doubtfire is a funny and touching movie from 1993. It's about a dad who loves his kids very much. The film was directed by Chris Columbus. It stars Robin Williams, Sally Field, and Pierce Brosnan.
The story is based on a book called Madame Doubtfire by Anne Fine. In the movie, a dad named Daniel disguises himself as an elderly woman. He does this so he can spend more time with his children after his parents get divorced. The film shows how families deal with big changes like divorce.
"Mrs. Doubtfire" was released in the United States on November 24, 1993. It won an Academy Award for its amazing makeup. Robin Williams also won a Golden Globe Award for his role. The movie was a huge success, earning over $441 million worldwide. It was the second-highest-grossing film of 1993.
Contents
Movie Story: A Dad's Clever Plan
Daniel Hillard is a voice actor who lives in San Francisco. He is a very loving dad to his three children. His kids are Lydia (14), Chris (12), and Natalie (5). Daniel's wife, Miranda, is an interior designer. She thinks Daniel is not very responsible.
One day, Daniel quits his job after a disagreement. Then, he throws a wild birthday party for Chris. Miranda gets upset because Chris's grades are not good. During an argument, Miranda decides she wants a divorce.
The court gives Miranda full custody of the children. Daniel can only visit them on Saturdays. He needs to find a steady job and a good home within three months. This is so he can have shared custody.
Daniel's New Life and a Secret Identity
Daniel finds an apartment and a job at a TV station. He learns that Miranda is looking for a housekeeper. Daniel secretly changes her newspaper ad. Then, he calls her, using different voices. He pretends to be many bad applicants. Finally, he calls as "Euphegenia Doubtfire." She sounds like a kind, elderly British nanny.
Miranda is impressed and invites "Mrs. Doubtfire" for an interview. Daniel's brother, Frank, is a makeup artist. Frank and his partner, Jack, help Daniel transform into an old woman. They use special makeup and prosthetics.
Miranda hires Mrs. Doubtfire. At first, the children find Mrs. Doubtfire strict. But soon, they start to like her. Their lives become much better. Miranda also becomes more relaxed and closer to her kids. Daniel, as Mrs. Doubtfire, becomes more responsible. He learns many household skills. Miranda starts to respect "Mrs. Doubtfire" a lot.
A Double Dinner and a Big Reveal
Miranda starts dating an old friend named Stu. Daniel doesn't like this. One day, Daniel is playing with props at the TV station. The CEO, Jonathan Lundy, sees him. Lundy is impressed by Daniel's voice acting and humor. He invites Daniel to dinner to talk about a new TV show.
This dinner happens at the same time as Miranda's birthday dinner. Mrs. Doubtfire is invited to Miranda's dinner. Daniel has to keep changing in and out of his Mrs. Doubtfire costume. He goes back and forth between both dinners.
Daniel accidentally goes back to Lundy's dinner in his Mrs. Doubtfire costume. He quickly explains that Mrs. Doubtfire is his idea for the new show's host. Later, Daniel learns that Stu is allergic to pepper. He secretly puts cayenne pepper in Stu's food. Stu starts choking. Daniel quickly performs the Heimlich maneuver to help him. During this, his mask slips off. Everyone sees that Mrs. Doubtfire is actually Daniel! Miranda is shocked and angry. She leaves with the kids.
The Aftermath and a Happy Ending
At the next court hearing, Daniel explains why he did what he did. He says it was all out of love for his children. He begs to still see them. But the judge finds his actions strange. The judge gives Miranda full custody. Daniel can only have supervised visits. This makes Daniel, the children, and even Miranda very sad.
Without Mrs. Doubtfire, Miranda and the kids miss her. They realize how much she improved their lives. Soon, they see Mrs. Doubtfire hosting a new children's TV show. It's called Euphegenia's House, and it becomes very popular.
One day, Miranda visits Daniel at the TV studio. She tells him that things were better when he was part of the family. They agree to share custody of the kids. Daniel can now pick up the kids every day after school. As Daniel leaves with the kids, Miranda watches Euphegenia's House. Mrs. Doubtfire answers a letter from a girl whose parents are separated. She tells the girl that no matter how families are set up, love will always win.
Meet the Cast
- Robin Williams as Daniel Hillard / Mrs. Doubtfire
- Sally Field as Miranda Hillard
- Pierce Brosnan as Stu
- Harvey Fierstein as Frank
- Polly Holliday as Gloria
- Lisa Jakub as Lydia Hillard
- Matthew Lawrence as Christopher Hillard
- Mara Wilson as Natalie Hillard
- Robert Prosky as Mr. Lundy
- Anne Haney as Mrs. Sellner
- Scott Capurro as Jack
- Martin Mull as Justin Gregory
- William Newman as Mr. Sprinkles
Casting Choices
Did you know that Blake Lively (who later became a famous actress) tried out for the role of Natalie Hillard? Also, the author of the book, Anne Fine, originally wanted Warren Beatty to play Daniel Hillard.
Movie Release
The film was released in the United States on November 24, 1993. It was rated PG-13, meaning some parts might not be suitable for very young children.
Plans for a Sequel that Never Happened
For many years, people talked about making a "Mrs. Doubtfire 2." In 2001, ideas for a sequel started. Robin Williams was going to return as Mrs. Doubtfire. However, he wasn't happy with the script. The movie kept getting delayed. By 2006, the sequel was put on hold.
In 2014, there was new hope for a sequel. Robin Williams and Chris Columbus (the director) were expected to come back. But Mara Wilson, who played Natalie in the first movie, said she wasn't interested. Sadly, Robin Williams passed away in August 2014. After that, all plans for a sequel were canceled for good.
Chris Columbus later shared that his last conversation with Robin Williams was about the sequel. He said that a sequel just isn't possible without Robin Williams.
From Screen to Stage: The Musical
"Mrs. Doubtfire" was so popular that it was turned into a musical! The musical first opened in Seattle in December 2019. It then moved to Broadway in New York City in March 2020. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the shows had to stop. The musical officially opened on Broadway in December 2021.
See also
In Spanish: Mrs. Doubtfire para niños
