Citizen Rules...Cinemaesque Chat-n-Review

Ha! But...the book idea would be a temporal paradox.

Yes, but every time travel movie should have a good temporal paradox. That's what makes them so much fun.

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day (2008)

Director: Bharat Nalluri
Cast: Frances McDormand, Amy Adams, Ciarán Hinds
Genre: Screwball comedy, romance
Length: 92 minutes

Premise: In 1939 London, Miss Pettigrew is a middle aged governess who finds herself with no job, no food and no luck. She decides to take matters into her own hands when she poses as a social secretary and lands a job with an American actress, Delvsia Laffose, who lives in a posh world of glamor and glitz.

Review: What a wonderfully fun film to watch. It's made in a style that was popular 80 years ago, the screwball comedy. And what a history this film has! In 1938 Winifred Watson's book Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day was published and became a smash success. It was planned to be turned into a movie starring Billie Burke but World War II brought a halt to production and the film idea was forgotten. In 2000 the book was republished which brought the idea of making the movie back to life.

Director Bharat Nalluri does a wonderful job of remaking the classic screwball comedy. The characters, the sets, the situations, the dialogue and story...all would be right at home in a Carol Lombard film. If this was shot in black and white, one might think it was a lost classic. It is a lost gem, a story from 1938 that took 70 years to get made.

Frances McDormand is Miss Pettigrew, she does just a wonderful job of playing the 'straight character', which give the other cast members a chance to play off. She makes us care about her character.


Amy Adams is quickly becoming one of my favorite modern actresses. She plays the ditzy aspiring actresses and singer Delvsia Laffose. It is almost like watching a performance by Carol Lombard when you watch Amy. She just glows effervescently.

The period piece sets are exquisite, ever detail is there. The ultra posh apartment looks like something out of a glamor Hollywood movie circa 1930s. The costumes and even the lingerie are period correct. But it's the fun, engaging story that makes this movie work.

This is a gem of a movie. I'm so happy that the director paid homage to the great screwball comedies of the 30s.

You had me at Mcdormand and Adams. You lost me at screwball comedy. I may give it a look sometime. Weird I don't remember it being on my radar at all.

I just seen Amy Adams in Spielberg's Catch Me if You Can (2002). Have you seen that one?

Adams is one of my favorites, so I'll have to check it out sometime

Yeah, a couple of times. It's pretty great. I love DiCaprio in it.

Ya, DiCaprio is great in Catch Me if You Can, I really liked it. It did not seem like a Spielberg movie.

He has a couple that don't seem in his comfort zone which I guess means they are. What's your favorite Spielberg films?

Good question, Sean

Really liked these:
2002 Catch Me If You Can
2002 Minority Report
1998 Saving Private Ryan
1993 Schindler's List
1985 The Color Purple
1987 Empire of the Sun
1982 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
1981 Raiders of the Lost Ark
1977 Close Encounters of the Third Kind
1971 Duel (TV Movie)
1975 Jaws

Luke warm to these:
2012 Lincoln
2005 War of the Worlds

Hated these:
2001 A.I. Artificial Intelligence
2011 War Horse

I mostly agree, but a couple would switch spots. Raul and I are going to finish up Spielberg in our thread this week. I will put together a list tomorrow or Tuesday there.

I'll take a look at your thread. I bet you would move Lincoln up from luke warm to really liked. A lot of people like that one. I guess I've seen other performances of Lincoln and have an idea of how he should be portrayed in my head and Daniel Day Lewis didn't cut it for me. But the film wasn't bad at all.

I liked the other Lincoln film about the trial of the conspirators ( I can't remember what its called right now.)

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day was so much fun! Strong cast and characters and the chemistry between Delysia and Michael was very sweet. Amy Adams is such a great actress to watch all the way from Drop Dead Gorgeous and Enchanted to Julia & Julia and dramas like The Fighter. Movie also has Ciarán Hinds, who is one actor that will make any film more watch-worthy in my eyes. Glad you enjoyed this movie and as always, nice review!

Thanks for mentioning Drop Dead Gorgeous, Enchanted and The Fighter. I hadn't seen any of those, but now I want to!
I just looked up Amy Adams films and she was in some really good ones, I've seen these and thought highly of them:

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day
Big Eyes
Doubt
Catch Me If You Can
Leap Year
Sunshine Cleaning
Julie & Julia

Great review. I've never heard of Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, but it sounds like my kind of movie. I added it to my watchlist.

I've had this sat on my shelf for years. Another one I really must get around to seeing.

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5-time MoFo Award winner.

HK, I watched another of your recommendations the other day and liked it, I'll write a review soon.

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day....I hesitate to use the term screwball comedy as it evokes visions of Adam Sandler it's nothing like that. It's not wacky and not in your face, no gags, no bananas....but lots of fun.

GBG I think you would like it. I also liked the fact it was only 90 minutes. I don't know why movies are getting longer and longer these days.

The Conspirator. I thought that was okay. I would have to see it again to rate it.

Interesting you really like Big Eyes Citizen. I really wanted to, but I had really high hopes for it.

Did you see American Hustle CR?