Summary

• Mrs. Doubtfire's witty and memorable quotes make the movie a timeless family comedy that continues to be beloved.
• Robin Williams' brilliant performance as Mrs. Doubtfire showcases his comedic talents and ability to bring warmth to the character.
• The movie explores important themes like divorce and the importance of love and laughter in keeping a family together.

Mrs. Doubtfire quotes show why the movie remains one of the most beloved family comedies of the 1990s and one of Robin Williams' best roles. In Mrs. Doubtfire Robin Williams plays Daniel, a divorced man who (in an attempt to spend more time with his family) disguises himself as the family's kindly new Scottish nanny, Mrs. Doubtfire. It is a wild premise that sets the stage for a funny and heartfelt family movie and the best Mrs. Doubtfire quotes ensured that the movie continues to live on decades later.

Mrs. Doubtfire celebrated its 30th anniversary in November 2023 and, needless to say, with many revisiting the classic and others discovering it for the first time. Mrs. Doubtfire is a classic comedy with the strangeness of the ruse behind her existence and the one-liners delivered through Williams' brilliant performance all serving to make it a timeless movie. Mrs. Doubtfire's most memorable quotes show the many wonderful sides to the character, from hilarious to heartwarming, and also show why the late Robin Williams was regarded so highly as a comic actor.

25 "Layla, Get Back In Your Cell. Don't Make Me Get The Hose!"

Daniel's Other Nanny Applicants

One way Mrs. Doubtfire comes off as such an amazing nanny is the ineptitude and unsuitability of every other applicant. Miranda puts an ad in the paper in search of a new nanny which Daniel sees and recognizes as a perfect way to see his kids more. However, part of his ruse is to lower Miranda's morale by bombarding her with phone calls from fake applicants who are far from perfect. Williams clearly has a lot of fun performing the various over-the-top characters who would make for nightmare nannies and who help to make Mrs. Doubtfire seem all the more appealing, as exemplified by this Mrs. Doubtfire quote.

24 "Euphegenia Doubtfire, Dear. I Specialize In The Education And Entertainment of Children."

Mrs. Doubtfire Introduces Herself

Robin Williams' transformation as Mrs. Doubtfire is impressive from a physical sense with the great makeup job, but it is also a testament to the actor's talents how effective he is stepping into the role. After putting Miranda through countless calls from the unfit nannies, Daniel takes on the persona of Mrs. Doubtfire and calls. Even at this moment without the makeup, Williams immediately disappears into the role. It is an incredible moment of Mrs. Doubtfire's warmth immediately radiating and showing what an endearing character she is — plus the made-up name Euphegenia is funny in and of itself, of course.

23 “Touch Me Again and I’ll Drown You, You B-----d.”

Mrs. Doubtfire Warns Stu

The love triangle between Daniel and Stu in Mrs. Doubtfire is hilarious as Stu is completely unaware that he is in a competition for Miranda's heart — and certainly doesn't know that it is with the kindly nanny Mrs. Euphegenia Doubtfire. In fact, Stu tries his best to be nice and caring to Mrs. Doubtfire as if she were a member of the family. When the family goes to Stu's social club, he graciously insists she put everything on his tab while harmlessly touching her back. Mrs. Doubtfire thanks him but as soon as he is out of earshot, she makes this hilarious threat that's live on as one of the more memorable Mrs. Doubtfire quotes.

22 "Please, Don’t Take My Kids Away From Me."

Daniel Makes A Plea

Not every Mrs. Doubtfire quote is remembered for its humor, and it is easy to forget that it is actually Daniel beneath all that makeup as Mrs. Doubtfire. Through her, he shows why he is able to be such a good nanny even if he was a flawed father at times. Though it is a fun comedy, Mrs. Doubtfire is still a movie about divorce, as the emotional courtroom scene after Daniel's ruse is found out shows. He admits to his mistakes but gives a heartfelt plea to the judge to not take his kids away, showing the immense love he has for them.

21 "Lou, Millions Of Kids See This Cartoon. It’s Like Sending Each One Of Them A Packet Of Cigarettes And Saying 'Light Up!'"

Daniel Stands Up For Kids

Another way Daniel shows himself to be a moral and responsible person when it comes to kids is in his job as a voiceover actor. He is providing the voice of a Looney Tunes-like cartoon which depicts the cartoon animals smoking a cigarette. After first changing the planned dialogue to a more anti-smoking message, Daniel then argues with his bosses the responsibility they have as children entertainers to provide safe content for them. This Mrs. Doubtfire quote is a nice bit of foreshadowing to when Daniel has his own children's program as Mrs. Doubtfire where he is able to give worthwhile lessons to the young kids.

20 "The Only Thing You'll Be Watching is Deep-CNN."

Mrs. Doubtfire On Her TV Schedule

Though his older children are the first to discover his ruse, Daniel is adamant about hiding that he is in fact Mrs. Doubtfire. On the first day on the job as a housekeeper and nanny, Mrs. Doubtfire proves she's not what the children are expecting right out of the gate. After getting their attention away from the TV, she delivers this brilliant one-liner as she flings the remote into the fish tank. The children may quickly hate their new nanny, but Daniel does a solid job of not making them suspect for a moment that it is their father under that disguise.

19 "No, He Was Hit By A Guinness Truck. So It Was Quite Literally The Drink That Killed Him."

Mrs. Doubtfire On Losing Her Husband In An Odd Way

Mrs. Doubtfire is yet another movie that shows the amazing versatility of Robin Williams as he is able to jump between drama and comedy so effortlessly. This leads to some great moments when Mrs. Doubtfire seems to be more serious only to deliver an unexpected punchline. One such moment comes as Mrs. Doubtfire remembers her deceased husband and tells Miranda that it was "the drink" that killed him. Naturally, Miranda assumes she means alcoholism, but Mrs. Doubtfire actually means it in a more literal way.

18 "They Always Say The Key To A Solid Marriage Is Laughter."

Mrs. Doubtfire On A Healthy Marriage

While Daniel's whole ruse as Mrs. Doubtfire is an attempt to spend more time with his children, he also sees it as an opportunity to save his marriage. This makes for some awkward and difficult-to-watch scenes of Miranda confiding in Mrs. Doubtfire about her failed marriage, and Mrs. Doubtfire trying to convince her it is not so bad. After hearing Miranda talk about how Daniel never took anything seriously, Mrs. Doubtfire offers up that humor is an important part of a relationship. However, he gradually learns that while he was laughing, Miranda was struggling and realizes his mistakes as a husband.

17 "Between The Hours Of 3pm And 7pm, I'm In Charge."

Mrs. Doubtfire On Who Runs The House

Daniel might have been a more relaxed father than he should have been, but he seems determined not to make the same mistake while being Mrs. Doubtfire. While she is kind and speaks softly, Mrs. Doubtfire quickly proves that she is no pushover, as shown in this Mrs. Doubtfire quote. During their first day together, the oldest daughter Lydia attempts to take control of the house and tell Mrs. Doubtfire how things go. This doesn't go as she plans as Mrs. Doubtfire assures her that she is the one in charge, and they play by her rules.

16 "Look, Nattie. That's Called Liposuction."

Mrs. Doubtfire On Stu's Physique

Even as Daniel navigates this very delicate deception and tries not to be discovered as Mrs. Doubtfire, he simply cannot hide his own jealousy towards Stu, and the bubbling animosity makes for some of the most memorable Mrs. Doubtfire quotes. He takes every opportunity to insult and degrade him despite the fact that Stu actually seems like a pretty good guy. When the family takes a trip to Stu's country club, he shows off his impressive figure in his swimsuit. But Mrs. Doubtfire is quick to suggest that Stu's physique is all plastic surgery.

15 "A Hip, Old Granny..."

Mrs. Doubtfire On Being Cool

Juggling identities would more than likely wear anyone out, but Robin Williams seems to have near-limitless energy when it comes to taking on personas. During the dinner scene at the restaurant, Daniel has to switch back and forth between Mrs. Doubtfire and himself during a pitch meeting with his boss that will get him out of the shipping department. When he forgets to take off his disguise, Daniel (in the form of Mrs. Doubtfire), makes the pitch using her as a host who can "hip-hop, be-bob, and dance till you drop." Williams's improv skills really shine here as he seamlessly pulls his Nanny persona out like it was just another character.

14 "Off Your Mercedes, Dear..."

Mrs. Doubtfire On Stu's Car

Daniel/Mrs. Doubtfire is not a malicious person, but when the position of spending time with the kids is threatened by the arrival of Miranda's suitor, Stu, things get a little hairy. Especially when his competition has a brand-new Mercedes sitting in front of his house. Pulling the hood ornament off was petty, but making the jabs that "a man who has to buy a big car like that is trying to compensate for smaller genitals" literally hits below the belt. It is funny to see that Daniel is dedicated to staying in character even while allowing himself to embrace these childish digs.

13 "If There's Love, Dear, Those Are The Ties That Bind."

Mrs. Doubtfire On Keeping A Family Together

The ending scene of Mrs. Doubtfire is one of the most touching, poignant, and heartwarming sequences in the history of family films, and sends an important message to young people in a difficult situation. Divorce is a hard and scary concept for kids to understand and adults don't always know how best to discuss it. Fortunately, Mrs. Doubtfire is like a warm blanket who treats the matter with kindness, clarity, and reassurance. Although to some it might sound like a saccharine and sweet sentiment they'd hear on Sesame Street, from the mind of the lovely Mrs. Doubtfire, it becomes a beacon of hope in a gloomy world.

12 "But Personally I Prefer Short, Furry And Funny."

Mrs. Doubtfire On Her Type

Even before Pierce Brosnan became James Bond, he was a very dashing figure which made him a hilarious romantic rival for Robin Williams as Stu in this movie. However, even under all the Mrs. Doubtfire make-up, Daniel attempts to make himself look just as good in comparison. When Miranda comments on how obviously handsome Stu is, Mrs. Doubtfire interjects with her own personal opinions about attractive men which sounds an awful lot like Daniel himself. It is a moment of Daniel's ego coming close to giving away his whole charade.

11 "All My Love To You, Poppet"

Mrs. Doubtfire On A Charming Sign-Off

Williams is the kind of actor fans will watch in any genre, whether he is the villain in a thriller or a charming character like Mrs. Doubtfire. The use of the word "poppet" adds to the charming nature of the character who feels like a real loving nanny. It's fitting the character's final lines should be a message and reminder of love. While his ex-wife might see him as selfish and borderline creepy at times and his behavior is undoubtedly problematic, Daniel is a loving and devoted father who would be anything for his kids, and he projects this to his young television audience.

10 "Back Off, A**hole!"

Mrs. Doubtfire On Standing Up To Bullies

Mrs. Doubtfire might be a sweet old lady, but she's certainly no push-over, as this Mrs. Doubtfire quote shows. She proves to be a fairly strict authority in her role as nanny and is even more aggressive when she's walking the streets. An elderly and polite woman might seem like a pretty obvious target for a mugger, but this one got far more than he expected when he tries to grab Mrs. Doubtfire's bag. Looking to make a quick getaway, the would-be thief likely wasn't expecting her to put up so much of a fight, let alone curse him out like she did.

9 "Well, I Hope You're Up For A Little Competition. She's Got A Power Tool In The Bedroom, Dear."

Mrs. Doubtfire On Keeping Miranda Happy

Daniel's main reason for the entire Mrs. Doubtfire scheme is to see his kids. However, when his ex-wife begins pursuing a relationship with a new suitor, Mrs. Doubtfire doesn't miss an opportunity to try and sabotage that new relationship. When the kindly nanny begins innocently interrogating the ruggedly handsome Stu about his intentions, she certainly doesn't leave anything off the table. Trying to intimidate Stu, Mrs. Doubtfire graphically describes certain tools Miranda uses in the bedroom. It is over the line for Daniel but a hilarious line to hear said by sweet Mrs. Doubtfire.

8 "My First Day As A Woman And I’m Getting Hot Flashes."

Mrs. Doubtfire On Struggling In Her New Position

Daniel's entire scheme could very well be seen as extremely creepy, but it is nice to see him grow as a person thanks to Mrs. Doubtfire. Though he might not have been the most responsible parent or husband while his marriage was still together, as Mrs. Doubtfire, he does try to put in the effort that he didn't before. One of the major struggles he has is with the required cooking. His first night trying to prepare the family meal results in him catching his fake breasts on fire, giving him new appreciation for the role.

7 "It Was A Run-By Fruiting."

Mrs. Doubtfire On A Sudden Attack

Daniel does a pretty good job at keeping his identity hidden, but he can't help but push his luck when it comes to giving Stu hell. Even though Stu shows that he genuinely cares for Miranda and the children, Mrs. Doubtfire only gives him a hard time. When the whole family takes a trip to the pool and Daniel overhears Stu talking about how Miranda's ex-husband is a loser, he throws an orange at the back of Stu's head. Mrs. Doubtfire then innocently reacts in horror to the attack from an unknown assailant. It is clear that Stu doesn't buy it, but he's too much of a gentleman to call out the old woman.

6 "Carpe Dentum. Seize The Teeth."

Mrs. Doubtfire On Losing Her Dentures

While it might be a stretch to think that his very own family wouldn't recognize him, the make-up for Mrs. Doubtfire is pretty impressive. The disguise also leads to some of the funniest Mrs. Doubtfire quotes and scenes as Daniel tries to keep his true identity under wraps. In one of the many cosmetic mishaps, Mrs. Doubtfire's fake teeth fall into her water glass during a family dinner. Without breaking character, Mrs. Doubtfire tries to reclaim her dentures. It feels like the kind of classic improvised line that Williams was delivering back when he was a TV actor.