Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Paris (1992 TV Movie)
8/10
Not always believable, but very touching!
8 August 2000
The title of this movie makes it sound like some kind of child's movie where some little old woman has a series of events in a strange town. Well, it is all true, but I don't know if children would find this story as touching as it is.

Ada Harris wants to buy a Dior dress and "scrimps and saves and slaves" for three years to get it. But upon arrival in Paris to buy a dress from "Dior's dress Shop", she begins to encounter all sorts of mishaps, including the Dior director who refuses to let her have a dress because she is common.

To get these out of the way, there are many parts of this film that are unbelievable. For instance, it supposedly takes place in 1953 but there are many scenes in the film where it seems like modern times. It is also highly bloody unlikely that that many things could happen to the same woman and her naivete, while being likely, is overcome way too easily in the film, but that's HOLLYWOOD!

But every little petty detail in this film can be easily overlooked by the delightful presence of Angela Lansbury! She is just absolutely terrific in a role that, while supposed to be lightly entertaining and kind of frivolous, she makes touch your heart. She is so wonderful and makes you feel so sorry for this old lady!

And then she is backed by a wonderful supporting cast, most wonderfully, Diana Rigg, as the show director at Dior, as well as the characters of Natasha, Andre, and, of course, Omar Sharif as the Marquis who befriends Mrs. 'Arris.

Fan of Lansbury or not, you cannot go wrong with this movie and you will love it!
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