Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day

Set in 1939 London, with nervous Brits bracing for the Nazi blitz, this delightful period piece delicately balances humor and pathos. Miss Pettigrew somewhat resembles an old Noel Coward farce but also comments, fairly soberly, on the dizzying social whirl and sexual gamesmanship that gave rise to so much hypocrisy among the upper class. Judgmental, morally rigid governess Guinevere Pettigrew (Frances McDormand), hungry and desperate after having talked herself out of a job, takes a position as social secretary to glamorous young American actress Delysia Lafosse (Amy Adams), who’s inefficiently juggling three lovers in various attempts to further her career. Director Bharat Nalluri, working from a clever script, establishes a near-breathless pace right at the outset. At the same time, he painstakingly constructs the standard plot edifice of a classic screwball comedy: the protagonist’s temporary class displacement results in the upending of clearly defined social relationships.

Shelf Talk: Though a fine actress, McDormand isn’t much of a draw, while the story’s Depression-era setting cuts both ways: some consumers like such period pieces, others don’t. Comedies of Miss Pettigrew’s stripe are almost never made anymore, so you can’t really compare it to recent hits. To the extent that Enchanted star Adams has developed a following, you can expect to secure some rentals based on her presence.