- Director : Anthony Fabian
- Actors : Lesley Manville, Isabelle Huppert, Lambert Wilson, Alba Baptista, Lucas Bravo
- Producers : Anthony Fabian, Xavier Marchand, Guillaume Benski
- Writers : Carroll Cartwright, Anthony Fabian, Keith Thompson, Olivia Hetreed
- Media Format : NTSC, Digital_copy
- Studio : Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
- MPAA rating : PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
- Country of Origin : USA
- Number of discs : 1
- Run time : 1 hour and 56 minutes
- Release date : September 6, 2022
I’m torn when it comes to Mrs. Harris Goes
to Paris, like the seam of a well-worn piece of clothing. On one hand, narratives
with older female protagonists are rarely found onscreen and its mere existence
is deserving of some praise. On the other hand, I found myself longing for more
nuance and depth in the story itself. Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris is
good-natured enough and has a solid message, not to mention spectacular
production design, but every moment felt a little too predictable and
contrived. I wish the feel-good moments had been better earned with a screenplay
as detail oriented as the film’s performances and costumes.
Based on Paul
Gallico’s 1958 novel, Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris follows London-based widowed
cleaning lady Mrs. Ada Harris (Lesley Manville), whose everyday existence is
picking up after wealthier people’s messes. After seeing one of her client’s
haute couture Dior dress, Mrs. Harris becomes determined to own one of her own.
She saves money, gambles, and eventually has more than she needs after receiving
backpay for a war-widow's pension. Encouraged by her best friend (Ellen Thomas),
Mrs. Harris decides to travel to Paris to purchase her very own Dior dress.
If it were as
simple as buying a dress, this film would not be very long, so there are predictable
obstacles when Mrs. Harris finally arrives in Paris. Although she is able to
find her way into the Dior building, the working-class woman is initially met
with disdain and derision by the Dior director, Claudine Colbert (Isabelle
Huppert). This obstacle is quickly outweighed by the positive relationships
Mrs. Harris simultaneously develops with the company’s accountant, André Fauvel
(Lucas Bravo), and top model, Natasha (Alba Baptista). Mrs. Harris also finds a
suitor in widow and Dior client Marquis de Chassagne (Lambert Wilson).
The entire endeavor
is entirely wholesome and sweet. Even when bad things happen to Mrs. Harris,
you can be sure it will be overcorrected with an unbelievable amount of good fortune.
And this is also part of the problem. The obstacles feel contrived, as do the overly
positive resolutions. Everything just seems destined to succeed for Mrs.
Harris, which makes the problems feel that much more forced. For those who just
want something unchallenging and sweet, you could do worse than Mrs. Harris
Goes to Paris. But I would argue that you could also do better.
Part of my compliant
with the film is that it feels rushed, leaving me longing for more character
development between events. This is addressed slightly in the Collector’s
Edition Blu-ray, which comes with extra footage in the special features. There
are deleted scenes as well as extended versions of ones included in the film.
The extras also include a gag reel, which is a fun addition to show the cast
was having a good time while making the movie.
The Blu-ray itself is also a welcome
choice for viewing the movie, as the high definition highlights the spectacular
work done to bring the period’s fashion to the screen. The set design and all
of the props are also wonderfully executed. For those who merely enjoy period
films for the production design, Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris has plenty to
offer. Along with the Blu-ray disc, the Collector’s Edition also comes with a code
for a digital copy of the film.
Entertainment Value:
7/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 7/10
Historical
Significance: 4/10
Special Features: 5/10
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