There is more to family movies than one might think, at least to “Mrs Doubtfire” (Chris Columbus, 1993). Everybody knows the story: Daniel Hilard (Robin Williams) goes trough a divorce with his wife (Sally Field). She does better than him, therefore the judge gives him the usual custody pittance that sensitive family courts grants fathers: custodial visits every other week-end. Hilard cannot stand to see his kids that rarely. As his wife seeks a nanny, Hilard takes care of the competition (by falsifying the phone number posted in his wife’s ad) and applies for the job as “Mrs Doubtfire,” a strongly principled woman with supposedly tons of experience as a nanny in England. Prior to applying as Mrs Doubtfire, Hilard has incarnated so many insane applicants for the job than his wife is relieved to see in Mrs Doubtfire somebody who she can foresee leaving her kids with. What struck my attention this time is the movie parental alienation awareness and a message against it. Indeed, during her interview, Mrs Doubtfire told Mrs Hilard who was badmouthing her husband something like : “Dear, send the kids to their room before you verbally bash their father.” Not bad for Hollywood in 1993, while evidence of parental alienation syndrome was not what it is now.
Perhaps one day, when family courts will prescribe therapeutic rehab sessions for parental alienators, “Mrs Doubtfire” will be part of it…
