THE Mrs. Doubtfire rumors of an NC-17 version have been refuted by the film’s director, Chris Columbus. But he says there is a narrow cut between three different versions of the film.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Columbus said that actor Robin Williams’ tendency toward improvisation resulted in three different approaches to filming the Mrs. Doubtfire movie.
“The reality is that there was an agreement between Robin and me, which was, he would do one or two, three takes with a script. And then he said, ‘So let me play.’ And we were basically going to do between 15 and 22 takes, I think 22 is the maximum I can remember, ”said Columbus.
An NC-17 rating would prevent minors under 17 from seeing the film. An R rating allows children under 17 to watch a movie with their parents or adult guardian. The evaluation indicates that the film contains adult activity, harsh language, intense graphic violence, drug abuse or nudity.
The rumor about the NC-17 version started online, referring to a 2015 interview where Columbus mentioned an NC-17 version. The film stars Williams disguising himself as a housekeeper to spend time with his children, who he lost in a custody battle. It was classified as PG-13 after its launch in 1993.
The Williams maniac invented new lines at each take, Columbus recalled.
“He sometimes entered a territory that would not be appropriate for a PG-13 film, but certainly appropriate and hilarious for a prohibited film. I just [previously] used the phrase NC-17 as a joke. There could be an NC-17 version of the film. “
Columbus said there is potential to see these outtakes in a future project.
“I would be open to perhaps making a documentary about the production of the film, and allowing people to see certain scenes reissued in a censored version,” said Columbus. “The problem is that I don’t remember most of it. I only know what’s in the movie right now because it’s been a long time. But I remember it was absurdly funny stuff. “
Williams died in August 2014 from suicide. He was known for his improvisational skills.