1939. Miss Pettigrew (Frances McDormand) is a little uptight,old-fashioned and opinionated- which doesn’t go well with her occupation as a nanny/housekeeper. She finds herself out on the streets, completely broke and unable to get a new job. But through a coincidence, she starts working for Delysia Lafosse (Amy Adams), the complete opposite of her in every way imaginable:
She is young,pretty,chirpy and well, very busy romantically. She has juggling a romance with her possibly future producer and the owner of her luxurious apartment and the club she is singing at (Mark Strong). Then there is the actual love of her life Michael (Lee Pace), just back from prison, willing to elope with her if she will have him. Pettigrew eventually gets over her shock and disapproval and she decides to be “the social consultant” Delysia needs her to be…but with all the shopping and the partying and juggling, Pettigrew’s life gets even more complicated when she develops a crush for a man who might be involved with one of Delysia’s friends…
This movie is really entertaining. I was either laughing or smiling the entire time. I love a good period piece.and this is as fun as it can ever get. I’ve loved seeing Amy Adams on screen ever since I first watched her in Enchanted as the fairy tale princess, fish out of water in the real world. Frances McDormand just oozes charm and perfect comedic timing. And Lee Pace as a romantic lead? Wonderful casting in a lovely and very fun(ny) movie. Check it out.
7.1 on IMDB. At least 7.5 from me.
Other Posts on Lee Pace
Possession starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, Lee Pace and Michael Landes
Soldier’s Girl: A Haunting True Story starring Lee Pace and Troy Garity
The Fall starring Lee Pace and Catinca Untaru
When in Rome starring Kristen Bell and Josh Duhamel. feat. Lee Pace
The Good Shepherd starring Matt Damon, Robert De Niro, Angelina Jolie & Lee Pace
Other Posts on Amy Adams
Leap Year starring Matthew Goode and Amy Adams
Enchanted starring Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey and James Marsden
Other Posts on Frances McDormand
City by the Sea starring Robert De Niro, James Franco & Frances McDormand
Something’s Gotta Give starring Jack Nicholson, Diane Keaton, Keanu Reeves& Frances McDormand
First of all I must say that I have to see the movie again. Many of the jokes have passed me by because of the British accent. I don’t know why but I find it less difficult to understand American English. Since even this film has ever published in Italy (damn distribution), I’ve got English subtitles, so I can read parts to me incomprehensible. Lee should pay me for all the work I do because of him. Although the Italian school is the best in the world for dubbing it’s a shame to lose original voices of actors and Lee’s voice…God, it would be a sacrilege to miss it. Tarsem wanted only Lee just because he had lost his head for his voice (and because Lee had a dick 🙂 ).
Now about the movie… Lee’s accent made me fall in love with him even more (didn’t think was possible). His was a great character, an example of class, honesty and romance. One of those that all girs dream about and sadly never meet in their lives. The classic scam that we have all become accustomed and which we all going to deal with.
Michael is the damn perfect man! He can speak, he is incorruptible, he’s full of charm, he rises you like a feather, he is jealous but in a decent way, he leaves the room when indignant but not before handing you a glance that will make you feel ashamed for the rest of your life. And…he can sing in a smooth and sad way, he knows how to fight without looking like a bully, he can play the piano, he knows how to hold you and kiss you.
Delysia is an unbearable woman. She is silly, she’s shallow, she is fickle, she is unfaithful, she manages to be inexplicably liking to Michael and Miss Pettigrew, she is full of suitors (saying it gracefully – because for the time she gives herself away rather easily).
Miss Pettigrew is a real woman who passes a difficult time but doesn’t lose her innate class. She is smart, she’s interesting, she is out of the ordinary, she is wise. Thanks to these qualities she recognizes Michael’s magnificence, which Delysia, poor fool, had considered and discarded. Miss Pettigrew is not for everyone because she is sincere and profound. And the only trace of superficiality in her is imposed by Delysia, who would not understand other language at first. Is it understood that Delysia got on my nerves?
It’s a nice and rather theatrical comedy but then again I have to see it again because right now I don’t have a powerful impression (probably because the film is very light and perhaps there’s not too much to analyze). However the actors are good and the lively sense of lightness at the end of vision is pleasant and uplifting.
Thanks for the comment. Actually, your memory is perfect and you indeed have analyzed everything that there was to analyze.
Yep, Michael is too good to be true. He is hot, honest, adorable, loyal, romantic…Oh, even talking about his qualities hurts, because as you said, he is the type of guy you hope you will meet but never do. Although it is depressing. Surely there has to be some men like him amongst a couple of billions of men living on earth?
Oh well. Lovely film. As fluffy as it is, it shows you a really good time. It also has a quality that I love: you can watch it again and again and never get bored. It is great that our lead character Pettigrew also found the perfect suitor for herself. Would really suck if she hadn’t:)
That of the happy ending for one of the wisest was really the key of the film. After all the movie is even called by her name… The whole plot is in fact an edge at the turn of true star’s fortune. In comedies the good always win thank goodness, otherwise we will loose the purpose of looking…
I really liked the scene where Michael comes behind Delysia in the dressing room, dressed in a tuxedo. He extinguishes his cigarette and looks at her for a moment. He desperately loves her but doesn’t dare say anything more. She expects to go out to sing and he will accompany her. They’re waiting and she feels him behind her and the air is electric.
I have also used this scene in a video/declaration of love that I made about Lee. I just started playing with mounting images I needed a topic to practice and what better than this? I send you the link and hope you will not laugh.
I loved the video and commented on it too. My nick is skydiveroffreefalls. I should change it to my real name as I am planning to make some video blog “posts” eventually.
I will tell you what- I will be doing a collection post on Lee- which movies to see and why. I can link to your video if you like. After all, you have scenes from all the movies I’ll talk about. By the way, which program did you do the video with? Looks great.
Since Pettigrew was in the title, I thought for a second that something would happen with her and Michael. OK- it was before Michael turned out to be so extremely and desperately in love with our spoiled actress/singer;)
ooooooohhhhhhh YES! It would be great! I love young men who fall for older women. Delysia is so useless…and how much he could learn from a woman as Miss Pettigrew. And then there were some mutual gazes if you remember, admiring glances. On second thought Michael would become unbearably fascinating. The rule is that an extraordinary woman makes her man as well. What would he become? Delysia is necessary as a basis for comparison after all:)
For this video I used the basic Moviemaker. A free program that comes with Windows XP. But it has done its duty. Now I’m learning to use a semi-professional program. It’s difficult, but what it can do is really fascinating.
Sure you can put the link to my video, it would be a pleasure.
I should learn a program like that. For a person who is obsessed with movies, it’s a shame I didn’t try my hand at making my own clips. What’s the semi-professional program you are using?
Still with all her quirkiness and naughtiness, Amy Adams does manage to get you to like her. I love that woman. She was the perfect role to play the princess in Enchanted and perfect to play Delysia as well.
Indeed Delysia is irritating but Amy was good at grasping the character and she’s also a good singer.
Now I’m using Sony Vegas Pro 9.0. But I think that you should start with something more simple first, something like Movie Maker or VideoSpin or AVS…
Thanks for all the suggestions. I asked about the advanced one because I was curious.
I will make the time to learn the basic one- hopefully. I am a freelance writer who works from home but I still find there’s not enough time for everything I want to do…
I love Amy’s singing, habit from Enchanted;)
You’re a writer who never gets tired … and the day has only 24 hours:) but if you’ll jump into this new passion of the images you have to know that it takes a long time but it will give you much satisfaction. Just try…
I do not know if you have already written something about it but it might be interesting to analyze famous brothers in showbuisness, like Julia/Eric Roberts, Warren Beatty and Shirley MacLaine, Maggie/Jake Gyllenhaal, all the bandwagon of Baldwins, Joseph/Ralph Fiennes, Ben/Casey Affleck, Sean/Chris Penn, Jennifer/Meg Tilly, Jane/Peter Fonda etc. And maybe not just actors, trying to analyze why one has become more famous of the other…
Actually, I haven’t written about it yet. Thanks, it’s a terrific idea:)
But if you do want to write about them yourself, I’d have no problems putting your piece on the blog with your name on it:) Oh and there is Jeff/Beau Bridges and Randy/Dennis Quaid. I don’t want to sound prejudiced or biased (but I am a little bit:D) I do think Jeff and Dennis are both prettier and more talented than their brother:)
Thank you very much for the confidence Zoey but unfortunately my English doesn’t allow me to be taken seriously and I wouldn’t bring down drastically the level of your blog 🙂
Now you are being too kind to me and too mean to yourself:)
Well, in that case I’ll write the piece soon and send you the link;)