Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day (2008)

Director:

Bharat Nalluri

Writers (WGA):

David Magee (screenplay) and
Simon Beaufoy (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

27 March 2008 (Hong Kong)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

Every Woman Will Have Her Day

Plot:

Guinevere Pettigrew, a middle-aged London governess, finds herself unfairly dismissed from her job. An attempt to gain new employment catapults her into the glamorous world and dizzying social whirl of an American actress and singer, Delysia Lafosse. |

Plot Keywords:

Profanity | Second Chance | Piano | Makeover | Cage Elevator

Cast

Amy Adams	...	Delysia Lafosse
David Alexander	...	Chestnut Seller
Clare Clifford	...	Margery
Christina Cole	...	Charlotte Warren
Stephanie Cole	...	Miss Holt
Beatie Edney	...	Mrs. Brummegan
Shirley Henderson	...	Edythe Dubarry
Ciarán Hinds	...	Joe Blumfield
Sarah Kants	...	Annabel Darlington
Sally Leonard	...	Woman at Train Station
Frances McDormand	...	Guinevere Pettigrew
Katy Murphy	...	Mrs. Holt's Assistant
Lee Pace	...	Michael Pardue
Tom Payne	...	Phil Goldman
Tim Potter	...	Nightclub Patron

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some partial nudity and innuendo.

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

UK:PG | Finland:K-7 | Hong Kong:IIA | Australia:PG | USA:PG-13 (certificate #43967)

Filming Locations:

Ealing Studios, Ealing, London, England, UK

Company:

Keylight Entertainment Group

Trivia:

'Francis McDormand' 's character Guinevere Pettigrew claims to be raised by a clergyman, when in real life, McDormand's adoptive father is Canadian minister Vernan McDormand.

Goofs:

Continuity: Edythe's cigarette changes length between alternating close and full person shots, in the scene on the balcony at Delysia's party.

Movie Connections:

References Every Day's a Holiday (1937)

This Miss is bliss! McDormand is enchanting in the title role and Adams is charming, too

Miss Pettigrew (Frances McDormand) is a penniless nanny, currently out of a job. Although she has worked for a placement agency in the past, they give her the cold shoulder this time, mostly because her last three stints as a nanny, with impossible children, fared badly. Absolutely desperate for work, Miss Pettigrew hears of a position as a social secretary as she is walking out the agency's door. Making a beeline to the appropriate home, she encounters the young starlet, Delysia La Fosse (Amy Adams) who asked for her services. But, what doings! Delysia has had a male guest, overnight, who is not the man who owns the flat where she is currently bunking! The interloper must be ushered out before Mr. Moneybags returns or Delysia will be in a heap of trouble. Not missing a beat, Miss Pettigrew gets the situation under control with her innate wisdom. Delysia is grateful. But, the day is only getting started. There is a third man in Delysia's life and the young beauty is juggling suitors in a quest to become a bonafide star of the screen. Not only that, Delysia whisks Miss Pettigrew off to a fashion show and salon, where the new social secretary gets a makeover and meets a rich, handsome man (Ciaran Hinds) with eyes for HER. Is it possible to go from rags to riches in twenty four hours? Definitely, maybe! This is a lovely film with a great plot and a terrific cast. Adams is engaging as the beautiful but mixed-up starlet while Hinds is marvelous as the man who rediscovers what is important in life. The rest of the players are also wonderful, with a word of mention extended to Shirley Henderson for her nice turn as a conniving, inconvenient woman. But, really, this is McDormand's film, as she is the heart and soul of the picture and deservedly so, for her performance is absolutely enchanting and touching. Needless to say, the sets and costumes from the late 1930's are grand and so are the film's art direction and photography. Congratulations are hereby given to the fine, fine script and story, as well. Do you want to experience movie bliss? Then, don't miss Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, as your day will be as bright as newly minted penny, after a viewing.