Director and co-writer ANTHONY FABIAN goes in-depth in this exclusive interview discussing the making of his own moonlight with MRS. HARRIS GOES TO PARIS.
Nothing short of magical enchantment, MRS. HARRIS GOES TO PARIS is pure joy and a wonderful adaptation of Paul Gallico’s 1958 novel, which I have loved since first reading it in elementary school in the late 60s. With four beloved MRS. HARRIS books to Gallico’s series, it has always been surprising that the only film or television adaptation of this original haute couture “fairy tale” or the optimistically joyful dreamer Ada Harris was a 1992 telemovie starring Angela Lansbury as Mrs. ‘Arris. Charming to be sure (you can never go wrong with Angela Lansbury!) and designed for television, the telemovie was fun with a bit more “fluff” than in the book. But now, along comes ANTHONY FABIAN in 2022, and with MRS. HARRIS GOES TO PARIS, we have one of the most wonderful book-to-screen adaptations I have ever seen.
Co-written by Fabian along with Carroll Cartwright, Keith Thompson, and Olivia Hetreed, the film stays true to Gallico’s novel but expands on the supporting characters and their backstories, thus giving the film more emotional and visual weight and texture. Starring Lesley Manville, Jason Isaacs, Isabelle Huppert, Lambert Wilson, Alba Baptista, Lucas Bravo, and Ellen Thomas, the joy, beauty, and wonder of MRS. HARRIS GOES TO PARIS all come together under the direction of ANTHONY FABIAN.
Perhaps known best for his directing of the 2008 drama Skin starring Sam Neill, Alice Krige, and Sophie Okonedo, with MRS. HARRIS GOES TO PARIS, Anthony soars not only with thematic storytelling but the visual and emotional tonal bandwidths, with each melding with the other in perfect synergy.
Listen as Anthony goes in-depth talking about adapting Gallico’s book with its various themes as well as building strong character backstories, working with cinematographer Felix Wiedemann in designing the visual grammar and the camera choreography and lyricism which fuels visual metaphor, cinematic influences like Funny Face, My Fair Lady, and The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, the use of color in designing overall color palettes with contrasts between Paris and London and carrying that into production design, costuming and character, working with the House of Christian Dior not only with original fashions but in creating the Dior atelier salon, the brilliance of costume designer Jenny Beavan, Rael Lewis’ whimsical score and musical contrasts, and more. Making his own moonlight with MRS. HARRIS GOES TO PARIS, Anthony covers it all in this conversation!
TAKE A LISTEN. . .
by debbie elias, exclusive interview 06/30/2022
