Daily Dialogue — May 2, 2013

After seeing “Mrs. Doubtfire” peeing while standing up.

Chris: Lydia! We gotta call the cops! We gotta dial 911 now!
Lydie: Why?
Chris: [stammering] Mrs. Doubtfire! He’s a she! She’s a he! He’s a she-she.
Lydie: What?
Chris: He’s half-man, half-woman.
Lydie: [screams] WHAT?

— Mrs. Doubtfire (1993), screenplay by Randi Mayem Singer, novel by Anne Fine

The Daily Dialogue theme for the week is: I’m not who you think I am, suggested by Mark Twain. Today’s suggestion by Aarthi Ramanathan.

Trivia: Known for his trademark spontaneity of improvisation, Robin Williams was given free range by director Chris Columbus to do what he needed. However, his improvisation can occasionally spark off numerous references to other works that prove to be legal headaches for movie studios. The scene where Daniel speaks with his wife and refers to her clothes as “this lovely Dances with Wolves motif”, required legal clearance for the studio to put it in the film. Associate producer Paula DuPré Pesmen later kept track of every reference Williams made while improvising.

Dialogue On Dialogue: Commentary by Aarthi: “Mrs.Doubtfire, an innocent, slow-moving old nanny is actually the complete opposite: a crazy dad, who has gone on the deep end with an agenda: to regain custody of his kids.”

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