A divorced father who will do anything to see his children — even dress up as a Scottish nanny. Robin Williams makes Mrs. Doubtfire both hilarious and deeply moving.
Released in 1993, Mrs. Doubtfire stars Williams as Daniel Hillard, a voice actor whose divorce limits his time with his three children. In disguise as the elderly housekeeper Mrs Doubtfire, played by Williams in prosthetic makeup, he is hired to look after them, and the deception grows more complicated by the day.
The film works because Williams plays both roles with commitment: Daniel is warm and irresponsible, Mrs Doubtfire is brisk, funny and wise, and the audience can see the father’s love behind the disguise. Its most famous scenes — the dinner, the job interview, the unmasking — are comic, but its ending is honest about divorce and family.
It is a signature role because it is Williams at his most versatile: two characters, one heart, and a comedy that never forgets what is at stake.