I Choose You: Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day (2008)

Most Romantic Moment #13

 Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day (2008)

This film takes place shortly before the “official” start of WWII in London, England. The film is based on the novel of the same name, published in 1938

 Miss Pettigrew (Frances McDormand) is a governess/nanny, who has quite some trouble keeping a job. At the start of the film she is fired and denied her pay. She bumps into a young man who mentions he has just been released from prison and flees from him, leaving her luggage behind. She heads to a soup line, but gets bumped into again and loses her meal. This noise attracts the attention of a fashionably dressed couple from across the way

The next day Miss Pettigrew heads over to the employment agency where she learns that after her last firing, she has run out of chances. While she is pleading, the phones rings and a Delysia Lafosse asks for a person to be sent over. While the people at the employment agency are distracted, Miss Pettigrew takes off with the address in hopes of getting the job.

When she reaches Delysia Lafosse’s apartment, she finds an undressed, half-asleep woman (Amy Adams). After Miss Pettigrew introdices herself and tells her what time it is, Delysia gets freaked out as she has to have the entire apartment cleaned up, with Phil up and out of there. Miss Pettigrew tells her she will help get her little boy out, only to discover that Phil is not a little boy, but one of Delysia’s boyfriends. You see Delysia wasn’t asking for a governess, but she needed a social secretary. Anyways, Delysia is sleeping with Phil in order to get the part in the musical he is producing and her big chance to become a real star. The only problem? Delysia’s other boyfriend, boss, and the man paying for her clothes, food, and apartment; Nick is on his way and will NOT be happy if he finds Delysia with another man. With the help of Miss Pettigrew Phil is out the door, and shortly Nick is bumped out too.

Then the two head off to a fashion show where Delysia’s friend, Edythe Dubarry, is showing some pieces. Edythe is dating the famous underclothing designer, Joe Blomfield (Ciarán Hinds). Edythe and Joe are on the outs as Joe thinks Edythe is cheating on him as she was out when he called her the night before. Miss Pettigrew realizes that Edythe is the same woman she saw the night before, carrying on with a man that was clearly not Joe. Joe and Miss Pettigrew also meet and talk, with Miss Pettigrew deveoping a slight crush on him. Then Miss Pettigrew is whisked away by the girls for a complete makeover.

While shopping, Edythe recognizes Miss Pettigrew from the soup line and knows Miss Pettigrew saw her with another man. She blackmails Miss Pettigrew into helping her get Joe back or else she’ll tell Delysia the truth about her being a “social secretary”.

When the girls finish shopping, Miss Pettigrew and Delysia return to Delysia’s apartment. There they find a young man playing the piano. It turns out to be the same man recently released from prison that ran into Miss Pettigrew the day before. His name is Michael and he plays the piano in Nick’s club, accompanying Delysia, the singer. You see Michael is her third boyfriend. Unlike Nick who uses her for sex, and boy Phil who has never had the attentions of a woman before; Michael is in love with Delysia. He planned this big romantic scene on a boat in the river Thames, equipped with champagne and a ring to propose. Delysia never showed up, so Michael drank all the Champagne himself, got drunk, tried to steal the crown jewels; and was arrested and thrown in prison. Michael is planning on leaving for America and wants Delysia to marry him and come with. Delysia is unsure as she wants more than Michael can give her. Miss Pettigrew tells him that Delysia will have an answer by the end of the night.

That night holds a lot for them as Delysia has the announcement of the casting of the musical to worry over and how to handle young Phil. What to do about Nick as he is expecting payment for all the things he buys her. And whether or not to go off with Michael, the man who loves her but is poor. For Miss Pettigrew she has to help Delysia get the part in the musical, keep Nick at bay, encourage Delysia to make the right decision involving love, get Joe and Edythe back together, and figure out just what her role as social secretary really is.

***Most Romantic Moment***

One of the most romantic moments for me comes near the end of the film. Delysia has just won the lead in the musical, but had to declare her undying love to Phil to guarantee it. Nick understands, but still expects to get his payment from her. Michael, after hearing Phil shout his and Delysia’s undying love, is leaving to America, never to see her again. Everything in Delysia’s life is going as planned but yet, completely wrong. Just then the city is warned to take cover from an air attack. As Delysia is hiding under the piano she and Miss Pettigrew discuss love, Miss Pettigrew telling her about the man she loved but lost in WWI. They had nothing really, but to Miss Pettigrew their love was more than enough to build a life on. This encourages Delysia, and as soon as it’s safe she rushes toward Michael to tell him how she feels.

As she is running after him, Nick stops her and tells her to sing. Michael comes to her rescue, but Nick is a better fighter and knocks him down.

While Michael is recovering from that great hook, Delysia rushes over to him and proposes!

Delysia: Is the offer still open?

Nick: Get up!

[Michael stands and Nick knocks him back down with a punch to the nose]

Delysia: Well, is it a yes or is it a no?

Michael: What?

Delysia: Well will you doggone marry me or will you doggone not?

Michael: [he grins in delight, scrambles up, socks Nick square in the jaw, and pulls Delysia to her feet] Yes. God help me, yes! [they kiss fervently]

I love this scene because Delysia asking Michael to marry her showed him that she really, truly, completly loved him and wanted to be with him. Plus it gives him the strength to knock Nick out of the way.

Yep it’s not the money that matters, but the man.

To start Romance is in the Air: Part III from the beginning, go to I Can See Your Beauty: The Breakfast Club (1985)

For the previous post, go to I Don’t Want to Own You, I Just Want to Be With You: A Room With a View (1985)

For more on Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, go to Part VIII: The Little Movie Line List

For more on Amy Adams, go to I Don’t Dance or Sing, Except When I’m With You: Enchanted (2007)

For more on Ciaran Hinds, go to A Bit Pottery About Jane Austen

For more films based on a book, go to What a Fanatic!

For more period piece films, go to Beast or Man: The Wolfman (2010)

For more of my favorite quotes, go to Marry Me: Gigi (1958)

Conan the Librarian

Okay I loved the original Conan films with Arnold Schwarzenegger, I thought they were absolutely great. (To read more of my thoughts on the first film, go here.)

So anyways, I found this pic on the internet and it is hilarious. 🙂 And it got me thinking…Wouldn’t Conan make an awesome librarian? I mean with him there would be no late fees, ever.

Let me show you what happens to people who keep items past their due date!

He would use all his strength and power to pass on the love of reading.

“Mongol General:  Conan! What is best in life?

Conan: To teach people how to use the online catalog, help people find the books they want, and create children and adult reading programs!”

Haha! LOL

Think about it people. Sometimes the way of the future can be pulled out of the past.

Now in other news, today is a very special day in our world & nation’s history. Not only is it Veterans’ Day, but 2014 marks the 100th anniversary of WWI. I would just like to take the time to give a shout out to all the veterans who have served, and all the troops currently serving.  Thank you so much for everything you have done and for all the sacrifices you have made. I am so happy to live in a country that gives honor to those who deserve it for all that they do. Happy Veteran’s Day!

For more on Conan go to Part XI: A Movie Line List’s Excellent Adventure

For more on Arnold Schwarzenegger, go to I’ll Be Back

For more on libraries, go to The America I Love

To read more book related posts, go to What Have We Done to Each Other?

For more on Veterans’ Day, go to Let’s Hear It for the Boys

For  more on Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, go to My Favorite Movie Lines

That Would Make Me Happy

Day 8) Favorite Disney Female Sidekick

Merryweather

So I haven’t really talked a lot about my family on here. I tend to try and stay away from making posts about people I know as if they ever read this I don’t want them getting upset with me.  So I have two older siblings, Paige and Holly. Now I love Sleeping Beauty a lot, in fact Aurora is my favorite princess (second to Princess Leia). I wanted to be her (and was for two Halloweens) and used to act it out every year. Now I don’t know if my sister Paige was trying to be mean to me or create a bond between the three of us girls (when I was a little girl I always thought it was the first one), but she would tell me that I couldn’t be Aurora I had to be Merryweather. Paige was to be the leader Flora, Holly Fauna, and I had to be Merryweather. Now as a kid I hadn’t having to be be her, but you know what, the older I get the more I realize what an awesome character she is. She is smart, caring, sassy, and just plain hilarious. And she sounds just like me.

Like wanting to turn the people you hate into a toad? I agree, let’s take them out.

She’s not afraid to speak her mind and give her opinion on things, although sometimes it bites her in the butt.

Plus you gotta love Merryweather for the fact that she’s the smartest of the three fairies. First of all she saves Aurora’s life.

And then saves it again

“Flora: I’ll turn her into a flower.
Merryweather: Maleficent?
Flora: [chuckles] No, no, dear. The princess.
Fauna: Oh, she’d make a lovely flower.
Flora: Don’t you see? A flower can’t prick its finger.
Merryweather: It hasn’t any.
Fauna: That’s right.
Flora: She’ll be perfectly safe.
Merryweather: Until Maleficent sends a frost.
Flora: [laughs, then stops abruptly] Yes… oh dear.”

Plus she is the only one who actually knows how to do any thing without her wand.

[preparing for Aurora’s birthday party]
Merryweather: But, I never baked a *fancy* cake.
Flora: Oh, you won’t have to, dear!
Fauna: *I’m* going to bake the cake!
Merryweather: You?
Flora: Oh, she’s always wanted to, dear, and this is her last chance.
Merryweather: [doubtfully] Well…
Fauna: I’m going to make it 15 layers with pink and blue forget-me-nots.
Fauna: And *I’m* making the dress.
Merryweather: But you can’t sew! And she’s *never* cooked!”

Yep Merryweather’s been doing it all.

Plus Merryweather doesn’t care whether or not Aurora marries a prince, she just wants her to be happy.

“Merryweather: [irked] Ooh, I don’t see why she has to marry any old… prince!”  

More Merryweather sass

For more on Sleeping Beauty, go to Prince of a Man

For more on a Disney Princess, go to A Hidden Wonder

For more on Disney Sidekicks, go to Squeak, Squeakity, Squeak-ems

For more on Disney, go to Episode VI: Return of the My Favorite Movie Lines List

For more on Birthdays, go to Happy B-day

For more on Princess Leia, go to Be Like Han