Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day Amy Adams

Directed by Bharat Nalluri
UK 2008

Amy Adams must enjoy fairy tales - this is the second one in which she has appeared during the last six months. Although Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day differs substantially in many key areas from Enchanted, both movies are anchored by Adams, whose beauty, charisma, and infectious energy make them compulsively watchable. Miss Pettigrew is a female buddy movie frosted with elements of whimsy and a little romance. Its setting of London during the latter years of the Great Depression allows its fanciful edge to meld with a bittersweet element of nostalgia. (Odd how one of the most widespread periods of human suffering during the 20th century has been romanticized over the years.) Miss Pettigrew is a feel-good production that strives and succeeds to put smiles on the faces of its viewers.

As fairy tales go, this one is a little more "adult" than Enchanted. While there's no profanity or violence (or indeed anything radically inappropriate for younger viewers), there are a few well-placed sexual innuendos, some coy nudity by Adams, and a brief butt shot courtesy of Tom Payne, who shows common sense in covering up quickly. Still, it's all pretty tame stuff by today's standards. In the end, Miss Pettigrew comes across feeling a little like Cinderella, although it's difficult to figure out whether the movie's title character is more appropriately linked to the girl who wore the glass slipper or the fairy godmother who made the whole thing possible. Maybe a little of both...

Excerpt from ReelViews (James Berardinelli) located HERE

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Theatrical Release: March 7th, 2008

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DVD Review: Universal - Region 1 - NTSC

DVD Box Cover		CLICK to order from:
Distribution	Universal Home Video - Region 1 - NTSC
Runtime	1:31:36
Video	2.35:1 Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 5.26 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate:
Audio	English (Dolby Digital 5.1), DUB: French (Dolby Digital 5.1)
Subtitles	English, French, Spanish, None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Universal Aspect Ratio: Original Aspect Ratio 2.35:1 Edition Details: • Audio commentary with director Bharat Nalluri • "Deleted Scenes" (8:46) • "Miss Pettigrew's Long Trip to Hollywood" (8:04) • "Making an Unforgettable Day" (18:22) DVD Release Date: August 19th, 2008 Keep Case Chapters: 20

Comments:

This Universal transfer seems quite competent - especially considering it is only single-layered. Colors aren't extravagantly bright but detail is strong. Black levels and contrast are very well rendered. Good news again that I don't see excessive manipulation and the image is pristinely clean. On one side of the disc is the widescreen and the opposite is the pan-and-scan.

Audio consists of a fairly untested 5.1 track that gives little exercise to the rear speakers, but dialogue is clear and consistent (there is also a French DUB offered). The DVD is supported with English, French or Spanish subtitle options.

The audio commentary is not particularly engaging. Bharat Nalluri sounds like a decent chap but there is no passion in his dissertations. Production details seem relayed with a degree of accuracy though but there is nothing overly in-depth exported. There are about 10 minutes of humorous deleted scenes. "Miss Pettigrew's Long Trip to Hollywood" runs 8 minutes and talks with the son of the author, Winifred Watson, about the 1938 novel's extended trip to the big screen. "Making an Unforgettable Day" is almost 20 minutes and runs on the opposite side of the widescreen feature (coupled with the full-frame version). It gives some decent overview with cast and crew chipping-in.

This is a great little film - oozing nostalgia as a throwback of the charming days of 1930's and 40's Hollywood comedies. Amy Adams is a lot like her character in Enchanted - full of energy... but sexier. I found this very enjoyable. It is a film that not just your Mom will like!

Gary W. Tooze

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