Coming up on this episode of TV Tuesday is our first TV movie. 1992's "Mrs. 'Arris Goes To Paris" tells the story of a char woman from London who goes to Paris in order to buy a Dior dress. While in the French capital, she transforms the lives of all she meets.
The film's cast includes Angela Lansbury, Diana Rigg, Lothaire Bluteau, John Savident, Lila Kaye, Tamara Gorski, Omar Sharif, Barbara Barnes, and Mel Martin.
Mrs. Ada Harris is a happy and good-natured char woman who works in London at the residence of Lord and Lady Dant.
At the Dant residence, Mrs. Harris finds an invitation to the coronation ball for Queen Elizabeth II. Then she sees something that truly takes her breath away.
Lady Dant has set out two beautiful gowns created by Dior. Mrs. Harris helps her to make up her mind which to wear for the event at Buckingham Palace. Right then and there, Mrs. Harris decides to have one for herself or die in the attempt.
She scrimps and saves, working extra jobs to make the huge sum that is required to purchase a dress from the famous fashion house.
Finally, a reward for finding a diamond pin is given to her, and it's just the amount she needs so that she can set off on her journey to Paris.
On the day of her departure, her friend and neighbor Mrs. Butterfield doesn't want her to go, saying that they don't speak English in Paris and that they eat snails! Mrs. Harris is firm in her resolve. "It's taken three long years of my life to get
that money, and I'm not going to let a little thing
like eating snails stop me now," she says.
She arrives in Paris and is able to see all the sights as she rides around in a taxi.
She's a bit nervous as she arrives at "Dior's dress shop". However, she strolls in confidently like she owns the place.
Mrs. Harris is puzzled by the fact that there are no dresses in this "dress shop". Madame Colbert, a director at Dior, tells her that they are shown by invitation only. She takes a liking to Mrs. Harris and passes her an invitation for later that afternoon.
At the showing in the afternoon, some people are not at all thrilled that an ordinary Englishwoman is among the guests.
Mrs. Harris is just thrilled to be there. She curtsies to a visiting Princess Margaret, and she even makes a new friend. The man sitting next to her finds himself completely charmed by this lovable English lady.
He even becomes her champion when a loud, obnoxious American lady is furious at having to sit next to Mrs. Harris.
The fashion show completely captures Mrs. Harris's attentions. She seems to be in love with each and every one of the gowns on offer.
She makes her choice. It is Number 89, Temptation, modeled by the lovely Natasha. The two become very friendly.
Mrs. Harris's stay in Paris is somewhat longer than she anticipated. She uses her time in extraordinary ways. First, she gets Natasha and a young man from the Dior account's department together. Without her intervention, the two probably would never have become involved.
She becomes very good friends with the man who sat next to her at the Dior showing. It turns out that he is the Marquis Hippolite de Chassagne, a minister in the government.
Mrs. Harris helps reunite him with his estranged daughter and granddaughter. Through teary eyes, she watches the happy reunion from behind a tree.
Mrs. Harris helps Madame Colbert as well. She feels her husband was forgotten by his country after the war, and Mrs. Harris finds a way to have the government honor his memory. Madame Colbert is completely overcome with joy.
Things aren't going well for her, though. Forces have conspired to find a way to make sure that she doesn't get her dress. She goes out on her own and has a good cry, thinking her efforts were in vain.
However, the friends she made in Paris come to her aid, and Mrs. Harris gets the dress she so desired. Back in London, she hangs it up and admires it.
As she lovingly touches the material, Mrs. Harris thinks back to her time in Paris and a party that everyone gave for her for bringing such happiness to their lives. It's a memory she will treasure forever.
Cast rundown:
Angela Lansbury...................................Mrs. Ada Harris
And that's it for Mrs. 'Arris Goes To Paris. This film is based on a series of books by Paul Gallico. Not only does Mrs. 'Arris go to Paris, she also goes to New York, Parliament, and Moscow.
This film is available for you to watch in its entirety here. It's absolutely delightful.
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