10 Legendary Films You Never Realised Were Based On Books

The late, great Robin Williams took on many diverse roles, able to make us both laugh and cry in equal measure. It’s highly debatable which of the characters in his lengthy filmography is the most iconic but surely Mrs Doubtfire must be a contender for the top spot.

The premise, a struggling father separated from his family due to an impending divorce disguises himself as his children’s new nanny, could easily be read as a horror movie pitch. But instead it’s a warm, comedic delight, touching on difficult themes without ever losing the sense of joy at its heart.

And it was all originally based on a book by acclaimed British author Anne Fine. The only significant change that was made when adapting Madame Doubtfire to film was that the children initially do not initially recognise who their new nanny really is. In the novel, the two eldest children immediately guess the truth, while the youngest child and their mother remain oblivious.

It seems as though some stories really can’t be improved on.