Mrs. Doubtfire
Movie, 1993, The Early 90s, Set in San Francisco
Mrs. Doubtfire is #16 of 27 in release order and #16 of 27 in chronological order in the VHS Kids Classics.
The story
Loving but irresponsible dad Daniel Hillard, estranged from his exasperated spouse, is crushed by a court order allowing only weekly visits with his kids. When Daniel learns his ex needs a housekeeper, he gets the job -- disguised as a British nanny. Soon he becomes not only his children's best pal but the kind of parent he should have been from the start.
Mrs. Doubtfire recap
Daniel Hillard, a voice actor in San Francisco, loses his job and throws his son a chaotic birthday party, and his wife Miranda asks for a divorce. The court gives Miranda custody of Lydia, Chris and Natalie, with Daniel allowed one visit a week until he finds a steady job and home. When Miranda advertises for a housekeeper, Daniel uses his brother Frank's make-up skills to become Euphegenia Doubtfire, an elderly Scottish nanny, and is hired. As Mrs. Doubtfire, he spends every day with the children, learns to cook and clean, and becomes the person Miranda confides in, including about her new boyfriend, Stu. Lydia and Chris discover the truth and keep the secret. Daniel lands a meeting with a TV boss who wants him to host a show, at the same restaurant where Miranda is having her birthday dinner with Stu and Mrs. Doubtfire.
Mrs. Doubtfire ending explained
Daniel switches between himself and Mrs. Doubtfire all night until Stu chokes and Mrs. Doubtfire saves him, losing the mask in front of everyone. The court gives Miranda full custody and allows Daniel only supervised visits. Daniel becomes the star of a children's show as Mrs. Doubtfire, and Miranda, seeing how much the children miss him, asks Daniel to look after them himself.
Post-credits scenes
No. There is no post-credits scene.
Where to watch Mrs. Doubtfire
Mrs. Doubtfire is streaming on Disney+ and Hulu in the US. You can rent or buy it on Amazon, Apple TV, and Google Play.
Ratings
IMDb 7.1/10, Rotten Tomatoes 71%
Where it fits
- Release order: after Cool Runnings, before Angels in the Outfield.
- Chronological order: after Cool Runnings, before Angels in the Outfield.
Cast
- Robin Williams as Daniel Hillard / Mrs. Doubtfire
- Sally Field as Miranda Hillard
- Lisa Jakub as Lydia Hillard
- Matthew Lawrence as Chris Hillard
- Mara Wilson as Natalie Hillard
- Pierce Brosnan as Stu
- Robert Prosky as Mr. Lundy
- Anne Haney as Mrs. Sellner
- Harvey Fierstein as Frank
- Scott Capurro as Jack
- Polly Holliday as Gloria
- Sydney Walker as Bus Driver
Directed by Chris Columbus.