Mr. Harris Goes to Paris is Ode to Haute Coutre and Christian Dior

Nothing gives me more joy than shopping and finding just the right dress.  You know the one that hugs every curve and from the moment you slip into it you feel like a million bucks. Well, when Mrs. Harris, a widowed cleaning lady falls madly in love with a couture Dior dress, she saves her coins to embarks on an adventure to Paris that will change not only her own outlook, but the very future of the House of Dior.

Ada Harris (Lesley Manville) is no ordinary woman. Unfailingly kind, admirably resilient, and extremely dependable, she’s confident in who she is, and she always endeavors to see the best in people. “Mrs. Harris is a very authentic character, and part of what makes her appealing to everybody around her is that she’s genuinely herself,” explains director Anthony Fabian. “She unmasks all the people around her and helps them become their true selves.”

To find an actress who could successfully embody her warmth and charm, Fabian turned to Oscar® nominee Lesley Manville.  “Lesley Manville has so many extraordinary qualities and range that she can play everything from Ada’s sweetness to Ada’s strength.”  Besides, Manville was well acquainted with both English life and world of fashion in the 1950s, having researched both for Phantom Thread.

Of course you can’t talk about fashion and Paris without mixing in a little romance.  The romantic pairing of Lucas Bravo (André Fauvel) and Alba Baptista (Natasha) is about as adorable as they come and these two actors are giving GIGI vibes, making you want to fall madly in love as soon as possible.  Manville and Jason Isaacs (Archie) provide the a little more seasoned version which is quite lovely to watch unfold and proves that no matter the age love can come with all the awkward vulnerability that totally makes a person do and say things completely out of the norm.

This film serves as the ultimate tribute to the Christian Dior brand while bringing up the question of class vs fashion.  As Bravo says during our interview, “…the most fashionable people are people that dress from inspiration from thrift shops and just have a clear perception of what their image is.  They can perceive details.  They see what mixes.  It’s just a combination of colors and textures and I don’t think it applies to money.”

Directed by Anthony Fabian, Mrs. Harris Goes To Paris is an adaptation of the classic 1958 novel by Paul Gallico.  With a screenplay from Fabian, Carroll Cartwright , Keith Thompson and Olivia Hetreed, this 2022 update is a charmingly chic fairytale giving me vibes ranging from Phantom Thread to Gigi to Mary Poppins. Yet, it’s an inspiration tale with exquisite production design, cinematography and costume design from the Academy Award winning costume designer Jenny Beavan giving audiences permission to desire inviting haute couture into our lives while embracing our dreams now more than ever.