Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day (Widescreen & Full Screen Edition)
by Bharat Nalluri
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DVD details
Actor: Amy Adams, Frances McDormand, Lee Pace, Shirley Henderson, Tim PotterDirector: Bharat Nalluri
Brand: Universal Studios
Cinematographer: John DeBorman
Composer: Paul Englishby
Conductor: Paul Englishby
Editor: Barney Pilling
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 5.1; English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1; French (Dubbed), Dolby Digital 5.1
Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 92 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2008-08-19
Audience Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Universal Studios
Product features:
- TESTED
DVD Reviews of Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day (Widescreen & Full Screen Edition)
DVD Review: How Do You Solve a Problem Like the Nanny?
Summary: 3 Stars
"Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day" is like a comedian trying so hard to be funny but only coming off as annoying. The two main characters have personalities that clash to an incredible degree: one is tightly wound and the other is always bright and bubbly. Together, they're about as incompatible as oil and water, and watching them is ultimately a tiring experience. This isn't to say that they don't have moments of effectiveness; they actually get more bearable as the film nears the end, at which point the theme of pretending to be something you're not is made clear. Based on Winifred Watson's novel and taking place in England at the dawn of World War II, "Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day" tells the story of how down-and-out governess Guenivere Pettigrew (Francis McDormand) inspires American actress Delysia Lefosse (Amy Adams) in the course of one day. Something about this idea doesn't sit well with me--maybe one day is not enough time for such big changes.
It would be too much to say that I disliked this film, but I definitely didn't appreciate the direction it wanted to go in. The story begins when Miss Pettigrew is once again fired; because it's happened so many times, her agency is unwilling to give her another chance. But as her boss berates her, one of Delysia business cards is left on her desk. Right away, a golden opportunity for arises for Miss Pettigrew to pose as an employed nanny. But as she quickly discovers, meeting Delysia is like walking through a sugary hurricane. Here's a young woman that's all fluff and frill, with a bouncy gait and a voice that would give Minnie Mouse a run for her money. Her girlishness is second only to her lust for fame; despite only getting work as a film extra, her ultimate goal is to be a singer/actress, first on London's West End, second in Hollywood.
Miss Pettigrew meets Delysia in her boyfriend's elegant flat. Dressed only in a robe, Delysia is in a panic because it's after ten in the morning and Phil has to get up. Miss Pettigrew is more than willing to help, believing that Phil is Delysia's son; upon entering the bedroom and tossing back the covers, she finds a naked nineteen-year-old man instead of a child. As it turns out, Phil Goldman (Tom Payne) is the son of one of London's best-known stage producers, and Delysia is sleeping with him because she wants desperately wants a part in a new musical play. Clearly, this is an entirely different situation for Miss Pettigrew, who's so old fashioned and bland that she feels completely out of place. Her feelings only intensify when she learns why Phil has to leave right now: Delysia's club-owner boyfriend, Nick, is on his way home. She also has to get ready to attend a fashion show (as an observant, not as a model).
By the time Miss Pettigrew meets Nick (Mark Strong), she realizes that Delysia stays with him for financial security, not because she's in love with him. In realizing this, Miss Pettigrew takes it upon herself to guide Delysia in matters of love, life, and happiness. Delysia is so grateful that she oversees a complete makeover of Miss Pettigrew, from her clothing to her hair to her makeup. It's through this that we meet Edythe Dubarry (Shirley Henderson), a fashion designer, and her ex-fiancé, Joe (Ciarán Hinds), also a fashion designer. Their relationship is on the rocks, which is understandable considering Edythe is snooty and scheming while Joe is honest and even-tempered. Things take an interesting turn when both women remember seeing each other the night before: Miss Pettigrew saw Edyth passionately kissing another man, and Edyth saw Miss Pettigrew waiting in the soup line near a homeless shelter. Each knows something about the other, and neither wants to be exposed. To show her authority, Edyth blackmails Miss Pettigrew, forcing her to convince Joe that the engagement should be called on again. She seems to be doing a good job with Delysia, anyway.
And speaking of Delysia, there's yet another man in her life. His name is Michael (Lee Pace), and he's and Delysia have an act of sorts at Nick's club--he plays the piano while she sings. Despite the fact that he doesn't have a penny to his name, he loves Delysia with all his heart. She loves him too, but she's also afraid of commitment since he can't give her the financial security she craves. He's understandably tired of her constant running around, and he immediately gives her an ultimatum: if she doesn't leave Nick and Phil, then he'll sail to New York and leave her forever. Miss Pettigrew can see that he's a wonderful man, but Delysia apparently doesn't know a good thing when she sees it; she's completely blindsided by the possibility of fame.
As the film nears the end, much of the grating comedy is replaced with more tolerable moments, largely defined by a deeper emphasis on character development. It isn't until the final twenty minutes that we learn of Delysia's past and Miss Pettigrew's former love life, and that's bad because both back-stories could have helped the story earlier on. Consider the fact that Miss Pettigrew and Joe show signs of having feelings for one another: had the audience known why she keeps her emotions under lock and key sooner, they wouldn't have seemed so ill fitting. Ultimately, "Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day" is a film that relies too much on character quirks and not enough on a substantive story. When you stop and think about it, does the title character really live for a day? Yes, she wears fancy clothes and attends parties, but she remains the same frazzled, nervous, emotionally distant woman all throughout. I don't consider that a way to live.
Description of Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day (Widescreen & Full Screen Edition)
Academy Award® nominee Amy Adams (Enchanted) and Academy Award® winner Frances McDormand star in this charming comedy about finding a new life and a new love, all in one day. When Miss Pettigrew (McDormand) stumbles upon the chance to become the new "social secretary" to glamorous high-society singer and actress Delysia Lafosse (Adams), she seizes the opportunity despite being totally out of her element. Swept up into the glamorous whirl of high society, it?s all Miss Pettigrew can do to keep up with Delysia as she juggles her lovelife and career in this ?delightful champagne cocktail of a comedy!? (Leah Rozen, People).Based on a 1938 Winifred Watson novel, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day is a colorful story about lives stalled in middle age but kick-started again by the follies of youthful lovers all around. Frances McDormand stars as Miss Pettigrew, whose inability to hold a job in London as a governess compromises her well-being shortly before England?s entry in World War II. Finessing her way into a position as social secretary to a young, American golddigger and singer named Delysia Lafosse (Amy Adams), the starving Miss Pettigrew finds herself at the center of a whirlwind that is her new employer?s life. Hemmed in by lovers and suitors--including a young, theatrical producer (Tom Payne) looking to cast one of his pleasing girlfriends in a plum role; a creepy nightclub owner (Mark Strong) in whose flat Delysia lives; and a pianist (Lee Pace) who genuinely loves her--Delysia needs a map to figure out how to navigate through life. Miss Pettigrew, who suffered a loss during WWI that she does not speak of, nudges the naïve songstress toward wise decisions. But she is at the mercy of Delysia?s formidable friend (Shirley Henderson), who knows the truth about her impoverished state and is engaged to a much older man (Ciarán Hinds). The latter, a fellow of substance who seems to be meandering through life, falls instantly for the soulful Miss Pettigrew. Full of Art Deco trappings and paced with a vintage, screwball comedy energy, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day is like watching a contemporary version of a Hollywood classic. --Tom Keogh
Get to Know the cast from Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day
 Amy Adams |  Frances McDormand |  Lee Pace |
Beyond Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day on DVD
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