Trivia / Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day

• Actor-Shared Background: Miss Pettigrew claims to have been raised by a clergyman. Frances McDormand had a minister for a father.
• The Cast Showoff: Before becoming a film actress, Amy Adams worked in theatre (more specifically, dinner theatre), gaining singing and dancing experience. She gets to perform a couple of songs in Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day.
• Casting Gag: Miss Pettigrew is conservative enough to feel shame when she says the word 'damn'. Her actress Frances McDormand is known for swearing a lot.
• Fake Brit: Americans Frances McDormand and Lee Pace play the English Miss Pettigrew and Michael respectively. Northern Irish Ciarán Hinds also puts on an English accent to play Joe Bloomfield.
• Saved from Development Hell: The book was published in 1938 and the film rights were sold one year later. It didn't get made until 2008.
• Typecasting: At the time, critics were concerned about Amy Adams recycling her persona from Enchanted in various romantic comedies.
• What Could Have Been: The original concept developed for the 1930s would have had Billie Burke as Miss Pettigrew, and the film would have been a musical. But when Japan bombed Pearl Harbour and America officially entered the second World War, the project was shelved.