In 1950s London, a widowed cleaning lady falls madly in love with a Dior dress, deciding she must have one of her own.

After working to raise the funds to pursue her dream, she embarks on an adventure to Paris that will change not only her own outlook, but the very future of the House of Dior....

MHGTP (as what I'm calling it, the the epitome of a safe film. It's a cup of tea and a biscuit kind of film. You go into the cinema, and as soon as the film starts, you are greeted with a big warm hug of a film, Yes, it's predictable, and some of the ways that money crosses the titular lady is very hard to swallow, but you just cannot help but be drawn into the whole proceedings.

Ada is like a subliminal Nanny McPhee, getting people together, turning grumpy people into happier people, and of course, making Dior the fashion giant it is today. Everyday things then.

Manville is amazing as the titular Ada. World weary, but still happy go lucky, even though her life is in despair. So once she has ruffled through Anna Chancellor's wardrobe, she decides to go to Paris to get one of her own.

Of course, this is where the fish out of water story arc sneaks it's little head in. The Hoity Toity people in Dior (both buyers and staff), turn their noses at her, dismissing her for her working class routes. Enter Lambert Wilson to save the day, and in the blink of an eye, Ada makes friends with almost everyone, except Isabelle Huppert, whom she will save later.

And that's pretty much the film. Ada weaves her magic to everyone, apart from the Wino at the train station, or maybe that's a deleted scene, and she goes on her merry way back to Jason Issacs.

All in all, it's a great watch, with a really nice ending, and a top notch performance from Manville.

This is a well-directed and well-acted film about an English charwoman who becomes besotted with a Dior dress, and eventually manages to cobble up the funds to go to the House of Dior in Paris to buy one. But a Dior dress is not something she can buy off-the-rack, and so Mrs Harris has time for side adventures. The film is well-directed and well-acted, and allegedly the re-creations of Dior are authentic.

This is a European production, not Hollywood. Everyone speaks their own language, and at one point one French character admonishes another to speak in English (in the presence of Mrs Harris). At some points, I wished for full closed-captioning rather than just subtitles, since sometimes Mrs Harris slipped into a difficult-to-understand accent. Also, there were background plot points that just flashed by, so I needed an explanation from a companion.

Decades ago I had read the novel, and so was eager to see the film. I don't remember details, but the bones of the story was there, even though the ending was tweaked. A recommended film for those who wish to avoid the summer blockbusters.

If you come in expecting to be told a fairytale, you will not be disappointed. It is a well-executed fairytale meant to teach morals as opposed to be realistic. It's 'Cinderella' meets 'The Devil Wears Prada' meets 'Pretty Woman' with a dash of 'The Phantom of the Open'.

Above all: this film is a chocolate chip cookie. We all know what goes into a chocolate chip cookie and we all recognize how one should taste. Despite the familiarity, a chocolate chip cookie done well remains a treat.