"Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day" (2008) I suggest is a 'classic' narrative in the best sense of that word. It is not an overstatement perhaps to say that it owes more to the satirical and often to "screwball" type comedies of the 1930s and 1940s than it does to more recent blatant screen humor. Its true sub-genre is that of the "intruder"--the outsider who enters a situation, one wherein several forces, suitors, parties etc. are living in uneasy limbo between opposition and resolution, and proceeds to change everything by means of some power--skill with a weapon, superior knowledge, a tipping of the balance of powers, or simply honesty where this had been lacking...The story of this film can be stated in one sentence: "Desperately needing work, a woman applies for a nanny's position only to find herself engaged as the social secretary to a madcap U.S. actress trying to juggle three ardent suitors and make a career in the London of the pre-WWII period, who then by her own honesty begins to affect all the parties concerned very strongly." Like the TV series "Barney Miller", and "My Man Godfrey", Winifred Watson's novel, adapted for the screen by David Magee and Simon Beaufoy, presents us during most of the film with a single normative character, everyone else we meet being in some way behaving badly, unreasonably, or worse. As Miss Pettigrew notes, "Love is not a game"; she, however, seems to be the only who who judges the case that way. The presentation I find to be modern, and fluidly directed by Bharat Nalluri; it also benefits from period and original music by Paul Englishby, the well- maintained cinematography of John de Borman, Michael O'Connor's costumes, Katie Spencer's intelligent set decorations. I found the Production Design by Sarah Greenwood and the Art Direction by Nick Gottschalk to be powerful attributes of the film, as much a part of its atmosphere as were the difficult lighting and deliberate but never-flagging pace of the events unfolded. From believable couturiers' shops to a nightclub, an office, outdoor locales, soup kitchens, alleyways and posh bedrooms, the film presents us with a glittering era from its top to its bottom. As the ambitious actress struggling up from humble beginnings, Amy Adams is attractive, smart and never strident no matter how badly she is behaving. The three suitors vary in tone and intensity, but all come across well without any opportunity to do more than to contribute to several interesting scenes apiece; Lee Pace as Michael has the most to do. Stephanie Colt as Miss Holt and Ciaran Hinds as Joe also score impressively, with less to work with. Niall Mulroney as supervising art director also deserves special thanks, as do the hairstyle and makeup experts for their contributions here. This is a well-paced film, whose central star, Frances McDormand, as Miss Pettigrew deserves award consideration as does the film itself. It is memorable, only occasionally bitter, a brilliant indictment of the inter-war generation's heedlessness, a quality the film's makers also comment upon in the similar behaviors of post-1994 youth and others who also should know better. The film I found to be beautiful, satisfying and a little disturbing all at once; I claim (as is "American President"), it is a great satire.