'Mrs. Harris' shows off her spunk; 'The Gray Man' finds color with action

Lesley Manville is the main reason to see "Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris," a really feel-good story that has been around for 65 years.

Naturally, the grand lady of stage, screen and (predominantly) British TV, plays the title dynamo, most likely as author Paul Gallico originally conceived her in the first of four "Mrs. 'Arris" books about the ever-traveling cleaning woman.

Here, of course, the widow Harris charmingly enters the City of Lights to buy a Dior dress similar to one she spots at the residence of the chintziest of her rich, London-based bosses. That discovery, along with the recent sad news that her long-lost soldier husband finally and officially has been declared dead in WWII, are enough to get going with her '50s-era, working-class life. 

Manville, Oscar-nominated for a key, upscale role in 2017's "Phantom Thread," her last foray into the world of high fashion, breezily bumps heads with a haughty "dress-shop girl" (Isabelle Huppert), but hits it off easily with a host of new and connected acquaintances at Dior's modern and equally fresh French headquarters. Count a lovely if mysterious model (Alba Baptista)) and the smitten Marquis (Lambert Wilson) among them, while a streetsmart dog-track clerk (Jason Isaacs) and BFF (Ellen Thomas) offer plenty of support from back home.

By the way, the busy and always awards-worthy Manville next can be seen as Princess Margaret when the Emmy-hogging series, "The Crown," returns in November for a fifth regal season on Netflix.

Rated "PG" by MPAA: suggestive material, language, and smoking; 1:55; $ $ $ and 1/2 out of $5

Speaking of what's ahead on the streaming service, a strong cast and credible ending almost makes up for the screenwriting sins in "The Gray Man," a wall-to-wall actioner with, perhaps, some franchise possibilities. 

Cleveland's favorite movie sons, Anthony and Joe Russo, return to the directing helm, with the latter also appearing in a late cameo and sharing a co-writing credit opposite Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeeley (the same pair of scripters as on the Russos' trio of Marvel-ous box-office beauties, "Captain America: Civil War," "Avengers: Infinity War" and "Avengers: Endgame").

Despite its title, "Gray" opens colorfully with some plain talk between a prisoner and a visiting operative with a get-out-of-jail-free card for becoming a CIA-inspired assassin. Since the quickly likable conversationalists are portrayed by ever-watchable performers Ryan Gosling and Billy Bob Thornton, respectively, you know you'll be in for a fast ride even before some stylish credits and the litany of good actors to follow.

Most notable certainly will be the eye-catching Ana de Armas, introduced during a very early kill that goes bad but still very much in ass-kicking mode from the last James Bond movie, AND a later-on-the-scene Chris Evans, as a bad guy who would embarrass and truly piss off the aforementioned Capt. America in oh-so-many ways.

Toss in trustworthy young players such as Jessica Henwick ("The Matrix Revolutions"), Rege-Jean Page ("Bridgerton"), Indian-film superstar Dhanush and the memorably scene-stealing Wagner Moura (Apple's "Shining Girls"), and viewers might look past the plot holes you can drive the proverbial truck or motorcycle or train or even a plane through. You get the idea, and maybe an international geography lesson, too. 

Rated "PG-13" by MPAA: intense sequences of strong violence and strong language; 2:09; $ $ $ out of $5. 

("The Gray Man" opens in select theaters today and debuts July 22 on Netflix. Also new in theaters: "Where the Crawdads Sing," "Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank," "The Deer King" and "Gabby Giffords Won't Back Down." Streaming debuts include "Persuasion" on Netflix.)