Blu-ray Review: MRS. HARRIS GOES TO PARIS

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Sep 18, 2022 Posted by Kyle Nolan in DVD/Blu-ray, Reviews | Comments

It’s 1957, and Ada Harris (Lesley Manville, The Crown) is generally a very happy and upbeat woman, who enjoys spending time with best friend Violet (Ellen Thomas)—who also works as a cleaning lady in London—and Archie (Jason Isaacs, Harry Potter), a bookmaker who works at the local dog track. Archie may have a bit of a crush on Ada, and is always asking her to save him a dance at the Legion Dance. Ada’s beloved husband Eddie never came back from the war, and even though it’s been nearly 13 years, she has never really allowed herself to let go and move on. Ada still talks to Eddie every week while overlooking the Thames. Ada is a people-pleaser, always wiling to help out others, but her clients often take advantage of this kind nature. This includes the seemingly-wealthy Lady Dant (Anna Chancellor, Pennyworth) who’s always changing the subject when Ada asks about settling her account, or aspiring young actress Pamela Penrose (Rose Williams, Sanditon) who knows how to manipulate Ada into doing things for her, or neighbor Giles (Christian McKay, Warrior) who relies on Ada’s discretion as he is seen leaving his apartment with a different young “niece” every morning.

Once Ada finally receives a package confirming that Eddie had been killed in action, she decides to move on with her life. When she had laid eyes on a 500£ Christian Dior gown in Lady Dant’s wardrobe, and it was the most beautiful frock she had ever seen. Ada has no idea where she would wear such a thing, but sets her mind on getting one for herself, and starts taking on extra tasks, gambling, and cutting costs. But once she finally saves up enough money and makes her way to Paris, she quickly learns that it’s not as easy as just simply walking into a shop and buying a dress. The House of Dior has a very specific way of doing things, and as a working class cleaning lady, she’s looked down upon by the rich clientele as well as Claudine (Isabelle Huppert, Greta), the woman in charge at Dior. However, the head of accounting for the company, André Fauvel (Lucas Bravo, Emily in Paris), welcomes Mrs. Harris’ willingness and ability to pay cash—most of the rich clientele never actually pay for their clothes. The seamstresses, and models such as Natasha (Alba Baptista, Warrior Nun), see Ada as an inspiration—a working-class woman who saved her pennies to buy herself a beautiful gown. Ada’s overnight trip to pick up a dress soon turns into a week-long adventure in Paris. As she waits for her custom-fit dress to be made, she explores the city, and even entertains the possibility of a romance with the man who first showed her some kindness at the runway show, Marquis de Chassagne (Lambert Wilson, The Matrix). She also tries to serve as a matchmaker for a young couple she notices are in love but too afraid to do anything about it. Mrs. Harris’s trip to Paris will not only change her own life, but also all of those she interacts with.

Mrs. Harris Goes To Paris is a delightful and entertaining comedy-drama, with lots of wonderful characters and funny moments. It also explores how it’s never too late to follow your dreams, and find the strength and courage to stand up for oneself. Lesley Manville is so charming in the titular role. While Ada has this rough accent, and matter-of-fact, no-nonsense way of talking, this is also what’s so endearing about her. No matter what happens, she always maintains an upbeat, positive attitude. While this initially leads to people walking all over her, she soon learns how to stick up for herself and become a strong, independent woman. When Ada arrives in Paris, the city is going through its own changes. The once beautiful streets are now covered in garbage as the trash collectors have gone on strike. This becomes a common theme of the film—people discovering their self-worth and no longer allowing other to take advantage of them.

In addition to Ada, the film is filled with lots of quirky characters and wonderful performances. It’s especially fun to see Ada’s more working-class way of speaking and doing things juxtaposed with the more refined nature of those at the House of Dior. I didn’t even recognize Emily in Paris‘ Lucas Bravo as the dorky, Sartre-loving André, who welcomes Mrs. Harris into his home while she waits for her dress. The Clark Kent glasses thing is real! The meet-cute and relationship that forms between André and model Natasha is a straight-up rom-com and something out of Hallmark, even down to them accidentally bumping heads as they meet. I also found it really sweet the way Ada constantly tries to be their matchmaker. Another great relationship is the trio of Ada, best friend Vi, and Archie, who are always looking out for each other. The three actors have such great chemistry, making their characters quite believable as longtime friends. I have really enjoyed actress Isabelle Huppert in her more villainous roles, and she is so deliciously evil as Claudine, who runs Dior with an iron fist, and certainty doesn’t hide her dislike for Mrs. Harris (who is pretty much the most likeable person there is). But over the course of the film, we also get to see why Claudine is the way she is, as she exposes some cracks in this cold exterior, and it is great to see Huppert play this side of the character as well.

I initially saw this film in the theater, but enjoyed it just as much the second time around at home on this Blu-ray. The movie has a perfect blend of humor, drama and romance, and features some really beautiful settings, both in London and in Paris. Each city has its own unique look and charm. While Paris is bright and colorful, London’s more natural color palette is also quite picturesque. It sometimes feels like two films in one, but both of these worlds are filled with fun, interesting characters who make you laugh and either love or love to hate them. Connecting both of these worlds is Mrs. Harris, who puts a smile on your face whenever she’s on screen, and ultimately brings strength and joy to anyone who crosses her path.

Universal’s Blu-ray release release looks and sounds great. The picture is pristine and clear, with a solid level of detail. This is a very colorful movie, especially in Paris, and the color palette and picturesque locales really come to life. The filmmakers also utilize some creative camera tricks to give the film a unique aesthetic, which really shines every time we see Ada fall in love with a dress. The audio track provides clear dialogue, a delightful score, and an immersive ambiance. The latter is especially noticeable when Ada attends the caberet.

The Blu-ray disc is packed in a standard HD keepcase with an glossy carboard slipcover. The release contains an insert with a code to redeem for an HD digital copy of the film (which is Movies Anywhere compatible). The disc and digital release contain a small assortment bonus material including a 4 minutes of deleted/extended scenes plus a 5-minute gag reel. Unfortunately there is no commentary or behind-the-scenes featurettes.

What’s Included:

Film: (1:55:33)

1080p / Widescreen 2.39:1
Audio: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, English DVS (Descriptive Video Service), Spanish DTS Digital Surround 5.1, French DTS Digital Surround 5.1
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French

Digital (code may not be valid after 12/31/2023):

HD Digital Copy (Movies Anywhere compatible)

Extras:

Deleted and Extended Scenes (4:24)
Three deleted/extended scenes. Play All, or select from:
- Ada Rushes Toward the Metro (:25)
  Ada runs to the Metro but is blocked by protestors/strikers.
- Ada Wants to Speak to André (:22)
  Ada walks to the door to speak with André, but he’s on the phone speaking French.
- Full Cabaret (3:36)
  See the full cabaret performance, which first finds several shepherdesses country dancing with their sheep. Then the sheep strip off their wool to reveal themselves as wolves as the music turns more ominous. The music then becomes a striptease as the ladies follow by stripping down into sexier outfits. This is followed by Ada dancing with the Marquis de Chassagne.
Gag Reel (5:14)
Hilarity ensues as the cast forget names, flub their lines, accidently pull out masks and sanitizer, laugh, deal with misbehaving locks, and have fun on set.

Final Thoughts:

My Rating

Film:

Video:

Audio:

Extras:

Recommended

Mrs. Harris Goes To Paris is a delightful and entertaining film, that finds the perfect blend of humor, drama and romance. Lesley Manville really shines in her performance as the titular character, leaving a smile on your face whenever she’s on screen. She is joined by a talented cast and lots of fun, quirky characters. Universal’s Blu-ray release looks and sounds great, but only includes a minimal selection of bonus material. The release is recommended based on the quality and rewatchability of the film itself.