Beautician and the Beast [1997]
Beauty-school teacher Fran Drescher, basically reprising her television role in The Nanny, is whisked out of Queens and deposited in Eastern Europe after she is mistaken for a science teacher. Timothy Dalton is the gruff and stilted president for life she tames with mousse and kindness. Drescher, with that inimitable voice and colorful clothing, is very funny. It is not a far stretch to compare her favorably with Lucille Ball. The script, however, matches her bubbly humor with nothing but clunkiness. A mild diversion, this is one of many Hollywood comedies that works just fine on video. --Rochelle O'Gorman