Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris | The fabulous destiny of Ada Harris ★★★★

You have to believe in your dreams, they say. Even if sometimes reality does everything to discourage us. Adapted from a best-selling novel published in 1958 by the American Paul Gallico, Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris is one of the great cinematic surprises of the summer. A feel good movie that will make you smile and also… think.

Luc Boulanger
The Press

In the mid-1950s in London, a cleaning lady, a war widow, leads a tidy and uneventful life, until the day she sees a Dior dress at one of her clients. This dress will make her dream! After picking up her pounds sterling one by one, Ada Harris leaves for Paris to get a creation from the famous couturier. The “ordinary” woman will then live an extraordinary adventure that will transform her life, but also the future of the Dior house.

Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris first presents itself as another comedy about the charms and clichés of the City of Light, a retro counterpart to the series Emily in Paris (the cast also includes Lucas Bravo, who plays Gabriel in the Netflix series). However, the film turns out to be a less light work than the announced postcard.

If the story revolves around haute couture and transports us to avenue Montaigne, to the Dior house, where Ada Harris lands with a crash, the film lingers behind the scenes of fashion. Director Anthony Fabian gives the good role to people who are said to be ordinary, to these “invisible” but essential people, who contribute to making the world beautiful and better. Without asking anything in return.

Moreover, we hardly see the big boss Christian Dior, except for a minute or two at the end. The story revolves around the workers, the “little hands”, the “invisible” employees of the house, without whom the rich and famous customers would shine much less. Outside, the Sacré-Coeur and the Eiffel Tower may shimmer on the horizon, but garbage is accumulating in Paris, courtesy of a garbage collectors’ strike.

Quietly, the retro comedy takes on the appearance of a working-class fable… Mrs. Harris will even encourage the staff to go on strike when the director of the Dior house, excellent Isabelle Huppert, decides to cut jobs to save the company.

Lesley Manville plays the title role and the success of the film is based on her charisma and her lace acting. The British actress wonderfully embodies this endearing woman, with sparkling eyes and a heart so vast, so tender, that some will abuse her… With her pretty hats, her modest coquetry, her optimistic nature, the character of Mrs. Harris is a little reminiscent of Beckett’s Winnie, in Oh ! the good days. And his interpreter recalls Madeleine Renaud with whom she has a certain relationship…

Samuel Beckett called Winnie “damned with hope”. A cheerful woman, full of kindness and gratitude towards life, despite her misfortunes. In a completely different register, Ada Harris remains benevolent before the Lord. This is why this character is moving and timeless.

Indoors

Drama

Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris (V.F.: A dress for Mrs. Harris)

Anthony Fabian

With Lesley Manville, Isabelle Huppert, Lambert Wilson and Lucas Bravo

1:55

★★★★