I had not seen this movie since it was first broadcast back in 92 so it was a delight to find it on Youtube - a shame it was uploaded in low quality but I'm glad it was there. The story of an English cleaning lady played by the always wonderful Angela Lansbury who saves up her money to buy a very expensive dress by French designer Dior - circa 1950's. Now back in those days it would be absurd to imagine a lowly servant saving up 1000 dollars just to blow it all on a dress but this is more like the one dream you have in all your life and that's what Mrs 'Arris's dream is , to have that special dress. So she goes to Paris and runs into all sorts or people , the person in charge of sales at the Dior salon Mme. Colbert played by Diana Rigg is so spot on, her performance really shines and she goes from being snooty to warming up to Ms 'Arris and does everything she can to get her that dress despite the awful way the director of the house and another client treats Ms "Arris . There is also a young couple ,a Dior model and a Dior accountant who are in love but need that nudge which Ms 'Arris provides in getting them together.
Omar Sharif also has a nice supporting part of Marquis Hippolite -a very wealthy govt official who meets and is quite taken with Ms 'Arris as she reminds him of a past acquaintance and he lovingly nicknames Ms 'Arris , Ms Mopps after her. She helps him reestablish a relationship with his estranged daughter and granddaughter. The last part of the movie is sad and you almost think that she isn't going to get her dress and have the happily ever after but thanks to Mme Colbert and the Marquis Hippolite ,not only does she get her dress , but Mme Colbert gets promoted to the directors position and the nasty director gets demoted ,I only wished they had shown him groveling instead there is a scene where the Marquis meets with Dior to discuss his foul treatment of Ms 'Arris and you see him obviously nervous when Dior greets the Marquis and the door shuts. So in the end she gets her fairytale and even wears the dress to a fancy party in her honor held in thanks by all the people at Dior whose lives she touched. Now some think the party scene is a fantasy since it's done after the fact , she gets the dress home and after hanging it up, hugs it and then there is a dream type fade and she is at the party ,she tells her ladyfriend about the party who thinks she is making it up until she reaches inside the top part of the dress and pulls out a rose ,the same rose that the Marquis gave her in the party scene so she did indeed go to the party. A very cute ending and a happy one , i read somewhere that the books was more downbeat and I'm glad that they did not use the books ending. The only thing I didn't like about this movie was the my fair lady aspect with Ms 'Arris talking like Eliza Doolittle and the same type of tacky over-sized hat that ELiza wore when she was a flower girl and that larger ugly housecoat - warranted she was a poor cleaning lady in the 1950's but still it looked so dated for even that time. Overall an 8/10 and a charming performance by Mrs Lansbury.
Omar Sharif also has a nice supporting part of Marquis Hippolite -a very wealthy govt official who meets and is quite taken with Ms 'Arris as she reminds him of a past acquaintance and he lovingly nicknames Ms 'Arris , Ms Mopps after her. She helps him reestablish a relationship with his estranged daughter and granddaughter. The last part of the movie is sad and you almost think that she isn't going to get her dress and have the happily ever after but thanks to Mme Colbert and the Marquis Hippolite ,not only does she get her dress , but Mme Colbert gets promoted to the directors position and the nasty director gets demoted ,I only wished they had shown him groveling instead there is a scene where the Marquis meets with Dior to discuss his foul treatment of Ms 'Arris and you see him obviously nervous when Dior greets the Marquis and the door shuts. So in the end she gets her fairytale and even wears the dress to a fancy party in her honor held in thanks by all the people at Dior whose lives she touched. Now some think the party scene is a fantasy since it's done after the fact , she gets the dress home and after hanging it up, hugs it and then there is a dream type fade and she is at the party ,she tells her ladyfriend about the party who thinks she is making it up until she reaches inside the top part of the dress and pulls out a rose ,the same rose that the Marquis gave her in the party scene so she did indeed go to the party. A very cute ending and a happy one , i read somewhere that the books was more downbeat and I'm glad that they did not use the books ending. The only thing I didn't like about this movie was the my fair lady aspect with Ms 'Arris talking like Eliza Doolittle and the same type of tacky over-sized hat that ELiza wore when she was a flower girl and that larger ugly housecoat - warranted she was a poor cleaning lady in the 1950's but still it looked so dated for even that time. Overall an 8/10 and a charming performance by Mrs Lansbury.