Why It Ranks
Mrs. Doubtfire grossed $441 million and became Robin Williams' biggest hit. The makeup transformation is legendary. Williams' improvisation produced enough material for three films. The pool party reveal is one of the great comedy set pieces. The film made every 90s kid believe their dad might be their nanny.
The Film
Mrs. Doubtfire is Robin Williams at his most controlled — which, for Williams, still means operating at an energy level that would hospitalize a normal human. Williams plays a divorced father who disguises himself as an elderly Scottish nanny to spend time with his children, and the genius of the performance is that Mrs. Doubtfire is not just a disguise. She is Williams' best self — patient, attentive, and present in a way his character Daniel never managed to be.
Fun Facts
Robin Williams improvised so much that there are reportedly PG, PG-13, R, and NC-17 cuts of the film based on his different takes.
The makeup transformation took 4.5 hours daily — Williams used the time to develop Mrs. Doubtfire's voice and mannerisms.
Williams once went to a sex shop in full Mrs. Doubtfire makeup and remained in character the entire time — nobody recognized him.
The restaurant scene where Daniel switches between identities was filmed over five days — each take was completely different.
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