We remember Mrs. Doubtfire mostly for the comedic genius of the late, great Robin Williams. Of course, the film gave Williams numerous opportunities to show off some more serious chops, as well. But apparently, director Chris Columbus held back on showing the heights of Williams’ dramatic side. Three deleted scenes from Mrs. Doubtfire, shared with the Internet by journalist Matthew Keys, show just how strong a dramatic performance Williams gave to the movie. That these scenes completely overpower the film’s light tone is probably why they weren’t included in the final cut. Which is unfortunate, because these clips are terrific.

The first scene follows Daniel as he arrives late to his oldest daughter Lydia’s (Lisa Jakub) spelling bee. Daniel inadvertently disrupts Lydia’s concentration at a critical moment while angrily attempting to get a seat with his family. That leads to an extended scene between Daniel and Lydia as he apologizes for his actions. It’s no surprise that Williams is great in both of these scenes, but Jakub’s performance is also very strong.

Field receives her chance to shine in the very dramatic scene that closes out the video. After being exposed as Mrs. Doubtfire, Daniel has a very emotional conversation with his ex-wife that spirals out of control. Frankly, it’s one of the best scenes filmed for the movie…but it’s an incredibly downbeat moment for the story. It would have been hard to reconcile the film’s relatively happy ending with the intensity displayed here.

What did you think of the lost Mrs. Doubtfire scenes? Let us know in the comment section below!

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HT: Matthew Keys

Image: 20th Century Fox