Corrina, Corrina (1994)
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A grieving widower hires a housekeeper who forms a deep bond with his non-verbal daughter, leading to an unexpected romance.
The story
In 1959 Los Angeles, jingle writer Manny Singer is a recent widower with a young daughter, Molly, who refuses to speak following the death of her mother. Manny hires Corrina Washington, an African-American housekeeper-nanny, to help fill the void of his wife's absence. Corrina quickly forms a strong bond with Molly, developing a system for the girl to communicate. As Corrina becomes increasingly involved in the family's life, she helps Molly heal while also finding common ground with Manny, who is struggling with his own grief.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1959 Los Angeles, jingle writer Manny Singer is a recent widower with a young daughter, Molly, who refuses to speak after her mother's death. After several failed attempts at hiring help, Manny hires Corrina Washington. Corrina establishes a communication system for Molly and tells her that her mother is in heaven, despite Manny's atheism. As Corrina integrates into the family, she helps Manny with his work and they begin to discover their compatibility. Despite facing prejudice as an interracial couple, they fall in love. However, after Corrina secretly allows Molly to skip school, Manny fires her, causing Molly to become withdrawn again. Following the death of Molly's grandfather, Harry, Manny visits Corrina to apologize. After a period of tension, Corrina eventually accepts his apology and brings him into her home to meet her family. The film ends with Molly joyfully reuniting with Corrina as Manny and Corrina return home.
- First release year
- 1994
- Runtime (minutes)
- 115
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Jessie Nelson
- Writers
- Jessie Nelson · writer
- Cast and characters
- Whoopi Goldberg · Corrina Washington; Ray Liotta · Manny Singer; Tina Majorino · Molly Singer; Wendy Crewson · Jenny Davis; Larry Miller · Sid; Joan Cusack · Jonesy; Don Ameche · Harry Singer
- Genres
- comedy-drama; romantic drama
- Themes
- Grief; Interracial Romance; Child Care; Religion vs. Atheism
- Tone and mood
- Comedy-Drama; Polarized
- Premise and plot tags
- Interracial Romance; Nanny; Father-Daughter Relationship; Grief
- Reception
- The film received mixed and polarized reviews from critics, who often criticized the handling of the interracial romance. It was a moderate box office success, grossing $20.1 million on a $10-15 million budget.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 37% · review count: 19
- Awards and nominations
- Honorable mention · John Hurley, Staten Island Advance · Nomination/Mention
- Production trivia
- It was the final film in which Don Ameche starred.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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