Fine feathers make fine birds? – Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris Review

The way the world is right now, it’s no wonder that we occasionally need enchanting, sugar-coated stories. Have you heard the one in which a cleaning lady from London sees a pretty dress and decides she needs one too?

“Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris” is basically a fairy tale for adults – something we don’t see often, and we’re not even sure we need it but that’s exactly why it feels so good to believe in it. The funny, kind and heartwarming story of Mrs. Harris holds much more than one would guess at first sight, although its “sweetness” can often go overboard. Nevertheless, the interiors of the Dior Salon and sewing workshop in “Paris” were filmed at ORIGO Studios in Hungary, so that alone was enough reason for me to watch this truly fabulous tale of human kindness.

Set in the 1950s, Ada Harris spends her days washing, cooking, cleaning and sewing for her employers. After she receives a letter about her husband’s death, she comes across an expensive Dior dress, and she just can’t get her mind off of it. With hard work and some luck, she manages to save up some money and decides to travel to Paris – for just one day – to buy herself an original Dior.

She has to realize, however, that she can’t simply buy a dress – it has to be made and fitted to her, which could take weeks. During her stay, she gets to experience the city, meet new people and of course, get herself her very own Dior dress… which turns out to be quite a challenge.

As expected, the film talks a lot about the social differences between classes, and most interestingly, it partially revolves around the sanitation workers’ strike, which is quite a hot topic in Hungary at the moment. The lovely story also portrays the filth and sin of modern societies: while some people wade through a sea of garbage to make a living, others live in luxury, looking down on the poor. Strangely, Mrs. Harris doesn’t really mind these people – she just wants her dress at all cost, while spreading happiness with complete innocence in her heart, showing us a kindness that we often forget even exists.

The cast includes Lesley Manville (Mrs. Harris), Lambert Wilson (Marquis de Chassagne) and Isabelle Hupert (Claudine Colbert), who all give stellar performances. The beautifully crafted atmosphere is supported by ambient sets against the backdrop of Budapest, London and Paris, heightened by colorful shots and a fitting score by Rael Jones. But all of this can become somewhat tiring and repetitive after a while, since other than its kind moments and pure morals, the movie doesn’t really have any stakes to use to stay constantly entertaining.

“Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris” is a tale about the simplest emotions for adults, wrapped in candy paper, telling us that being good always has its rewards. Surely, we unfortunately know that’s not always the case but it’s still nice to believe it for two hours at the movies.

“Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris”

Director: Anthony Fabian;

Actors: Lesley Manville, Isabelle Huppert, Lambert Wilson, Jason Isaacs, Alba Baptista;

English drama, 115 minutes, 2022