Mrs. Doubtfire

 ((Bittersweet comedy -- Color))

By BRIAN LOWRY

A 20th Century Fox release of a Blue Wolf production. Produced by Marsha Garces Williams, Robin Williams, Mark Radcliffe. Executive producer, Matthew Rushton. Co-producer, Joan Bradshaw. Directed by Chris Columbus. Screenplay, Randi Mayem Singer, Leslie Dixon, based on "Alias Madame Doubtfire" by Anne Fine.
 
Daniel Hillard/Mrs. Doubtfire ... Robin Williams Miranda Hillard ... Sally Field
Stu ... Pierce Brosnan
Frank ... Harvey Fierstein
Gloria ... Polly Holliday
Lydia Hillard ... Lisa Jakub
Chris Hillard ... Matthew Lawrence
Natalie Hillard ... Mara Wilson
Mr. Lundy ... Robert Prosky
Mrs. Sellner ... Anne Haney
Jack ... Scott Capurro
 

Fox's only major holiday offering should stuff its stockings with a favorite holiday color -- green. Although overly sappy in places and probably 20 minutes too long, this Robin Williams-in-drag vehicle provides the comic a slick surface for doing his shtick, within a story possessing broad family appeal. With those elements and a little luck, "Mrs. Doubtfire" may even cover the tab for Williams' last Fox outing, "Toys."

Director Chris Columbus shrewdly brings together many of the same selling points as in his "Home Alone" movies, mixing broad comedic strokes with heavy-handed messages about the magical power of family.

Foremost, however, the director and writers Randi Mayem Singer and Leslie Dixon have crafted a showcase for Williams (who also produced the film) that allows the comic to display his machine-gun-like wit and still play a character -- without, for the most part, bringing the action to a screeching halt each time he goes into his routine.

While the concept screams

"Tootsie," the tone is more "Mr. Mom." Williams plays a flaky, unemployed actor (the inspired opening has him voicing original animation provided by the venerable Chuck Jones) who quickly botches his son's birthday party and ends up getting tossed out by his wife (Sally Field).

Enormously attached to his kids but limited to weekly visitation, Daniel (Williams) and his brother (Harvey Fierstein), a gay makeup artist, hatch the plan of having Williams masquerade as a matronly nanny -- the better to steal precious hours with his three adorable moppets.

Columbus and the writers provide all the expected broad strokes, from Williams' agonizing over the misogynist who invented high heels to his manfully warding off a would-be purse-snatcher, and including an obligatory montage that smacks of "Risky Business" in a skirt.

The pic reveals occasional inspiration, however, in sharp dia-logue -- particularly Daniel's costumed efforts to dissuade Miranda (Field) from acting on her attraction to an old beau (Pierce Brosnan) -- and in scenes of well-choreographed slapstick, crowned by a scene in which Daniel/Mrs. Doubtfire fulfills two dinner engagements at the same time. Williams seems most comfortable playing such childlike characters, but few of his films -- other than "Dead Poets Society,""Good Morning, Vietnam" and, perhaps most notably, the animated "Aladdin"-- have as deftly allowed the comic to strut his comedic stuff and still create a character.

That said, "Mrs. Doubtfire's" warm-fuzzy aspects prove a bit much, from the raspy Sally Brown voice on the wide-eyed youngest daughter (Mara Wilson) to the ham-fisted "You're OK even if your parents aren't together" speeches and indeed, the filmmakers bend over backward to make the mom and her boyfriend sympathetic.

Still, it's hard to imagine Miranda not wanting to pummel the exposed Daniel after she's poured her heart out to him, as Mrs. Doubtfire, about their life.

Greg Cannom warrants kudos for the amusing body makeup (someone should have told De Niro about this before "Raging Bull"), while the usually reliable Howard Shore lays the powder on a bit thick with his saccharine score. One tastes that too-sweet flavor periodically in "Mrs. Doubtfire," but not enough to spoil the mixture.

Camera (Deluxe color; Panavision widescreen), Donald McAlpine; editor, Raja Gosnell; music, Howard Shore; production design, Angelo Graham; art direction, W. Steven Graham; set design, Steve Saklad, Steve Wolff, Robert Goldstein, Harold Fuhrman; set decoration, Garrett Lewis; costume design, Marit Allen; sound (Dolby), Nelson Stoll; associate producer, Paula DuPre; assistant director, Geoff Hansen; special makeup created by Greg Cannom; animation by Chuck Jones; casting, Janet Hirschenson, Jane Jenkins. Reviewed at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater, Beverly Hills, Nov. 12, 1993. MPAA Rating: PG-13. Running time: 125 min.