Mrs. Harris Goes To Paris (2022)

By: Mike Ward on Friday, July 15

PG Running Time: 115 mins

SHOULD I SEE IT?

YES

Sometimes movies should just make you smile.
Lesley Manville is simply wonderful in every moment and Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris is a perfect vehicle for her.
Manville herself, the costumes, the score, a terrific ensemble of actors all feeding off Manville’s grounded, believable performance - Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris is simply delightful.

NO

Some may look at this and think if you’ve seen one of these costume-rich British comedy/dramas then you have seen them all.
As it works on finding its message, it tends to hang around a bit too long. A tighter, more succinct film would leave an even better feeling exiting the theater or clicking off the television.
Rare is the movie where the talented Isabelle Huppert feels miscast and underutilized. However, here we are.

OUR REVIEW

When Ada Harris (Lesley Manville) finds some good fortune and luck in her life, she discovers some of the most extraordinary dress designs and more at a private showcase arranged by Parisian director for the House of Dior, Claudette Colbert (Isabelle Huppert).

The blending of grays and blacks in a sleek, elegant design. A shock of yellow molded into a flowing skirt, pinched-tight-at-the-waist. A soft pink frock which twirls and breathes effortlessly, looking as comfortable as a soft chiffon breeze.

As amazing as those designs appear to be, nothing holds a candle to what brought Ada to the Dior event in the first place. A purple, flowery Dior, which in her eyes is simply the greatest dress she has ever seen.

In Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris, Ada is a poor, widowed cleaning lady who allows her wealthy clientele to defer payment and be late as they flaunt excess with superficial extravagance, the purple Dior is a holy grail that encapsulates emotion, desire, and hope. In 1957 London, 500 pounds was a hefty sum of money. Ada convinces herself, or manifests as kids say nowadays, that she will work hard, save up and purchase that Dior one day.

Manville is so delightful in the role that even when the movie veers from its comedic roots to elements more dramatic, we stay transfixed on how she reacts to everything thrown her way. From the reliance on her best friend Vi (Ellen Thomas) to help her face difficult realities, the joy in finding that dress or in the motherly qualities she shows when she connects with Natasha (Alba Baptista), Dior’s most prized model, Manville has created a character we simply champion and root for. The Oscar-nominated actor is simply adept at bringing forth all the nuanced emotions connected to whatever trials and tribulations find her.

Directed and co-written by Anthony Fabian, Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris is adapted from a 1958 novel, which has previously been adapted into television films, including a 1992 version with Angela Lansbury. Fabian leans on Manville to return many great rewards living within the story, infusing the film with a sense of discovery and newfound experiences that plant a semi-permanent smile on your face nearly the entire time.

At the heart of the story is the notion that a soft-spoken, meek “cleaning lady” is permitted to have a glimpse, or momentary residency, inside the world of the wealthy and elite. Continually, Ada wins people over and becomes seen as someone who can find the strength to stand on her own two feet, while helping others see their behaviors in different and enlightening ways. And while we expect a movie with this premise and this presentation to build to those moments, Manville makes them feel fresh, including the inevitable and predictable quarrels she has with Huppert’s bellicose Claudette.

Though it may feel somewhat trivial to embrace a film about a woman who essentially covets a fancy dress, three-time Oscar winner Jenny Beaven’s costumes take on a life of their own. The tender and nurturing score by Rael Jones adds a nice soundtrack of emotional and spiritual depth to how Ada views those inanimate creations beautifully positioned on both mannequin and model.

At 115 minutes, sadly Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris runs out of things to say before the end credits arrive. However, when the film works best, we see a world that Ada sees, pure and full of potential. The Dior dress does not define her. The dress is a tangible piece of a dream she has sought for herself for years.

Mrs. Harris may have been looked over, taken for granted, left behind, and ignored frequently in her life. However, when she goes to Paris, she finds a life worth living on her own terms, providing joy and warmth to those who find themselves on the journey with her.

CAST & CREW

Starring: Lesley Manville, Isabelle Huppert, Jason Isaacs, Lambert Wilson, Alba Baptista, Lucas Bravo, Anna Chancellor, Ellen Thomas, Rose Williams, Roxane Duran, Christian McKay, Guilaine Londez

Director: Anthony Fabian
Written by: Anthony Fabian, Carroll Cartwright, Keith Thompson, Olivia Hetreed
Based on the novel “Mrs. ‘Arris Goes to Paris” by Paul Gallico
Release Date: July 15, 2022
Focus Features

Sometimes movies should just make you smile.

Lesley Manville is simply wonderful in every moment and Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris is a perfect vehicle for her.

Manville herself, the costumes, the score, a terrific ensemble of actors all feeding off Manville’s grounded, believable performance - Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris is simply delightful.

Some may look at this and think if you’ve seen one of these costume-rich British comedy/dramas then you have seen them all.

As it works on finding its message, it tends to hang around a bit too long. A tighter, more succinct film would leave an even better feeling exiting the theater or clicking off the television.

Rare is the movie where the talented Isabelle Huppert feels miscast and underutilized. However, here we are.