Even after 1989's college campus drama Dead Poets Society, Robin Williams was still considered a comedy actor when Mrs. Doubtfire came out in 1993. The role played to every one of Williams' strengths: it required a fair amount of physical comedy, a phenomenal vocal range, but most importantly, a ton of heart. Though on the surface the film was a big-budget comedy about a guy dressing up as an old woman, at its core Mrs. Doubtfire is a heartbreaking story about an actor who's wasting his creative talents in a dead-end job. He goes through a messy divorce with a woman he still loves and loses his beloved kids in the process.

These recently unearthed deleted scenes from the film would have added more to that tragic narrative—and they're tough to watch. In one scene, Williams' character (the man version) gets into a fight with his ex wife at his daughter's spelling bee. The second one—which really would have worked nicely in the film—fills in some of the narrative holes after his ex-wife finds out he's really Mrs. Doubtfire.

Sure, these aren't the most fun scenes, but they're reminders that Williams had an unparalleled ability to strike a balance between comedy and drama—a talent that would earn him an Academy Award just five years later for Good Will Hunting.

[h/t: AV Club

From: Esquire US