Search - Mrs. Doubtfire [Widescreen] on DVD

MPAA Rating: PG-13 Content Advisory: Adult Situations, Questionable for Children, Profanity Movie Release: 1993 DVD Release: 10/14/2003 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV Audio Tracks: English, French Subtitles: English, Spanish SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 2 hrs 5 mins Studio: 20th Century Fox Members Wishing: 55 Genres: Comedy, Comedy of Errors, Domestic Comedy See Also: Mrs. Doubtfire [Fullscreen], Mrs. Doubtfire [Fullscreen] [Holiday Themed O-Ring], Mrs. Doubtfire [Widescreen] [Holiday Themed O-Ring], Mrs. Doubtfire [Special Edition], Mrs. Doubtfire [Blu-ray]

Robin Williams learns that keeping in touch with his children can be a drag in this hit comedy. Daniel Hillard (Williams) is an eccentric actor who specializes in dubbing voices for cartoon characters. Daniel is a kind man and a loving father, but he's a poor disciplinarian and a shaky role model. After throwing an elaborate and disastrous birthday party for his son, Daniel's wife Miranda (Sally Field) reaches the end of her patience and files for divorce. Daniel is heartbroken when Miranda is given custody of the children, and he's only allowed to visit them once a week. Determined to stay in contact with his kids, Daniel learns that Miranda is looking for a housekeeper, and with help from his brother Frank (Harvey Fierstein), a makeup artist, Daniel gets the job disguised as Mrs. Iphegenia Doubtfire, a stern but caring Scottish nanny. Daniel pulls off the ruse so well that neither his ex-wife nor his children recognize him, and in the process, he learns how to be the good parent he should have been all along. However, Daniel also has to deal with the little matter of Miranda's new boyfriend, Stu (Pierce Brosnan). ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Robin Williams - Daniel Hillard
Sally Field - Miranda Hillard
Pierce Brosnan - Stu
Harvey Fierstein - Frank
Polly Holliday - Gloria

Those who might dismiss Robin Williams' cross-dressing farce as mere piffle would do well to examine this DVD release that is simply brimming with noteworthy features. A solid 2.35:1 widescreen transfer is the first attribute. The picture looks better than ever, and the letterboxing brings more depth to many of the scenes. The sound is also commendable, but in such a dialogue-laden film, it never really takes center stage. What really sells this DVD are the extras. An excellent commentary track from Chris Columbus is alone worth the price. He knows the film inside and out and provides some great anecdotes about Williams' improvisation on the set, as well as some insight into his own vast knowledge of cinema (who would ever think to look for a reference to John Ford's The Searchers in Mrs. Doubtfire?). Viewers also get a great collection of deleted scenes, most of which easily could have been left in the film. In addition, there is a ton of information about how Williams made the transition from male actor to the titular character. These include makeup tests and actual early test footage of Williams and co-star Sally Field. Lastly, fans of animator Chuck Jones' opening sequence will love the interviews with Jones about the creation of the cartoon, as well as pencil tests and the entire animated sequence with Williams providing the voices. Mrs. Doubtfire, one of 1993's most innocuous movies, turns out to be one of the more solid DVD releases on the shelves. ~ Jeremy Brown, All Movie Guide