Robin Williams' Impromptu Genius on Display in 'Mrs. Doubtfire': Cameras Couldn't Keep Up | Vanity Fair

By Chris Murphy

Chris Columbus, the director of the late Robin Williams' movie Mrs. Doubtfire, revealed that the abundant improvisation of Williams resulted in almost 2 million feet of film shot during the film's production.

Discussed in a Business Insider article paying homage to the 30th anniversary of Mrs. Doubtfire, Columbus unveiled that nearly 1,000 boxes of footage from the renowned film are stored somewhere. The footage comprises of the film's reels, outtakes and behind-the-scenes content. Williams was portrayed as Daniel Hillard in the film, a recent divorcee and voice actor who disguised himself as a British nanny named Mrs. Doubtfire to stay close with his three children. Columbus expressed his wish to employ an editor to thoroughly inspect the footage for potential usage.

Moreover, Columbus shared his aspiration to curate a documentary that narrates the making of Mrs. Doubtfire and honors the splendid comedic talent of Robin Williams. He expressed his intent to explore the distinctive and striking aspects of Williams' work. Considering the enormous amount of footage stored, Columbus reckons there must be something useful that can be capitalized upon.

A significant portion of the stockpiled footage features Williams' comedic improvisation. Columbus recalls that even when they ran out of film to shoot, they would inform Williams and he would carry on with his performance regardless. Despite the rapid rate at which film was being consumed, the studio managers enjoyed the content they were witnessing and allowed these circumstances to continue.

The film also starred Sally Field, Pierce Brosnan, and Harvey Fierstein alongside Williams. Columbus spoke of his decision to use four cameras during the shooting process to keep pace with Williams' unpredictable acting. He explained that he wanted to capture the reactions of the fellow actors as none of them knew what Williams would say next.

Williams was candid about his affinity towards improvisation, confirming to Columbus that he enjoys experimenting after a few scripted shots. Columbus acknowledged the challenge this posed for the crew, especially for the scriptwriters who had a tough time managing Williams' spontaneous changes.

Despite the complications, everyone was mesmerized watching Williams and his outstanding ability to improvise. He specifically remarked on two scenes from the final cut that featured an extra ordinary representation of Williams' talent. One of them being the hilarious scene where Mrs. Doubtfire loses her teeth into a glass at a restaurant.

Columbus also discussed the sequel to Mrs. Doubtfire that was being planned with Williams before his untimely death in 2014. Williams, initially reluctant about the sequel, changed his mind over time. However, following Williams' death, Columbus resolved never to proceed with the sequel.

Despite his unwillingness to make a sequel, he acknowledged the ownership rights of the film lie with Fox/Disney. Even though the studio has complete authority to make decisions, Columbus made it clear that he would vehemently oppose any such move.