I normally do not go to the theatre to watch movies.  In fact, I hadn’t been inside a movie theatre since pre-Covid times.  Nonetheless, I saw the previews for Mrs. Paris Goes to Paris, and I was curious enough to head out to the theatre to see it.  It is definitely a feel-good  movie, adapted from the 1958 novel Mrs. ‘Arris Goes to Paris by Paul Gallico.  I think you will love it as much as I did!

Directed by Anthony Fabian, the film stars Lesley Manville as Mrs. Ada Harris, a simple cleaning lady in London in 1957.  Her husband died during World War II when his plane was shot down.  She lives life simply, hangs out with her dear friend Vi, and is always doing kind things for others just because that is authentically who she is. While cleaning the home of one of her affluent clients, Mrs. Harris discovers a beautiful Christian Dior haute couture dress draped over a chair in a bedroom, and becomes smitten, then obsessed.  For anyone who has ever fallen in love with a dress or pair of shoes or just felt like a princess in a particular outfit, this will definitely strike a chord.

There are several themes throughout the film, starting with the bridge from which Mrs. Harris casts things into the river.  A coin, the ring of her beloved husband who was killed during World War II, and a Dior gown she never got to wear all disappear into the shadowy depths.  She continually struggles with loss of things and people she loves.  The loss of her husband, the loss of the beautiful gown she struggled to finally bring home.  But after her losses, she continues to gain.  Her friend Archie invests a risky bet she made at the dog races on a more profitable one so she recoups money she lost.  She finds a lost piece of jewelry in the street and receives a reward.  She finally receives a war widow’s pension.  These landfalls allow her escape from her life as a cleaning lady in London and begin an adventure in Paris.

Mrs. Harris’s adventure begins with a Parisian wino leading her to Dior where she stumbles into a showing of their 10th anniversary collection.  She is initially turned away by haughty Dior Director Claudine, but shows her bravery and spunk by revealing the  rolls of cash she has brought to purchase the dress of her dreams.  She is supported by a distinguished attendant at the showing, the Marquis de Chassagne.  He shows her the ropes for purchasing her dress.  She loses her most loved selection, a seductive red dress called “Temptation”, to an affluent client with a history of many Dior purchases.  But because Dior has fallen on hard times financially, they agree to make Mrs. Harris her second choice dress, an emerald green number called “Venus”.

She finds support in the entire Dior staff, except for Claudine, and is invited to stay with Andre, an accountant at Dior, while her dress is fitted.  Andre’s dream is to take Dior fashion to the common people and believes this will help Dior succeed financially.  He is in love with Dior model Natasha, who shares his interest in author Sartre and existential philosophy.  Natasha resents her modeling career-her dream is to return to college and study philosophy.  Mrs. Harris helps both of them to achieve their dreams and plays cupid, when they are basically stuck and unable to move forward.   “We need our dreams, now more than ever”, she states to Andre.

What we see is that despite continual setbacks and abysmal accidents, Mrs. Harris continues to move forward while also helping others.  In return, she is admired and beloved.  After the unexpected loss of her Dior dress, she does hit rock bottom and refuses to get out of bed.  Her London friends come to the rescue, and then she receives the sweetest surprise of all.  The Dior staff have seen the news and what was done to her gown by the girl she had lent it to.  Through a stroke of luck, her initial choice, the red dress “Temptation”, is sent to her by Dior, along with a huge bouquets of roses.  The much too nice Mrs. Harris also learns to set boundaries and to see herself as not just a “nobody” doormat.  The film ends with a scene of Mrs. Harris descending a grand staircase wearing the “Temptation” dress, and happily dancing with Archie, her gentleman friend.

The film features charming scenes of 1950s London and Paris that provide a visual feast.  The gorgeous Dior garments and elegant models are also spectacular.  I followed four young ladies out of the theatre, listening to them chatter about a term mentioned in the film– je ne sais quoi. Mrs. Harris certainly has je ne sais quoi.  She also proves that no matter who you are, you should follow your dreams.  Because sometimes, against all the odds, fairy tales do come true.

Thank you for visiting my blog.  To view photos from the film, see imdb.com.  You may also enjoy Best Guest Dresses for a Beach Wedding.  Wishing you peace, love, happiness, & beautiful vistas.