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September 11, 2026Short & citedBlog
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Kept by Bryan McAllister — short guides, clear facts, and the Canadian angle when it matters.
Screen & Stage • Film

Mrs. Doubtfire

Mrs.

Updated September 11, 20261 min readCited sources

Mrs. Doubtfire is a 1993 American comedy-drama film directed by Chris Columbus, starring Robin Williams as a divorced father who disguises himself as an elderly British nanny to spend time with his children.

What it is

The film follows Daniel Hillard, a recently divorced father who poses as Mrs. Euphegenia Doubtfire to stay close to his children. It is based on Anne Fine’s 1987 novel Madame Doubtfire and was released in the United States on November 24, 1993.

Key details

Robin Williams plays the lead role, with a cast including Sally Field, Pierce Brosnan, Harvey Fierstein, and Robert Prosky. The film was produced by 20th Century Fox, has a runtime of 2 hours and 5 minutes, and grossed about $441.3 million worldwide on a $25 million budget.

Reception and awards

The film received mixed critical reviews but was a major commercial success. It won the Academy Award for Best Makeup and the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, while Robin Williams won a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.

In short

  • A divorced father disguises himself as an elderly British nanny to be near his children.
  • Directed by Chris Columbus and starring Robin Williams.
  • Won the Academy Award for Best Makeup and a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.
  • Based on Anne Fine’s 1987 novel Madame Doubtfire.
Canadian angle

The film is widely known in Canada as a major Hollywood family comedy and has been available through Canadian streaming and broadcast services over time, but no Canada-specific production or release details are established in the provided sources.

Quick questions

What is Mrs. Doubtfire about?
It is about a divorced father who disguises himself as an elderly British nanny so he can spend time with his children.
Who directed Mrs. Doubtfire?
The film was directed by Chris Columbus.
Did Mrs. Doubtfire win any awards?
Yes. It won the Academy Award for Best Makeup and the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.

Sources

  1. IMDb — https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107614/
    Supports: Basic premise of the film about a divorced actor disguising himself as a female housekeeper to spend time with his children.
  2. IMDb — https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107614/plotsummary/
    Supports: Plot summary describing Daniel Hillard disguising himself as an older British woman to be hired as a nanny.
  3. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mrs._Doubtfire
    Supports: Directed by Chris Columbus; written by Randi Mayem Singer and Leslie Dixon; based on Anne Fine’s novel; cast; release date; awards; box office.
  4. Disney+ — https://www.disneyplus.com/browse/entity-3bc601f2-eaa5-4368-88b7-6b2b87bb00fa
    Supports: Runtime, release year, genre, director, cast, and synopsis.
  5. 20th Century Studios Family — https://family.20thcenturystudios.com/movies/mrs-doubtfire
    Supports: Release date, runtime, director, writers, producers, cast, and synopsis.
  6. Turner Classic Movies — https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/84089/mrs-doubtfire
    Supports: Plot premise about a father dressing as an old lady to become the children’s nanny.