The Worst Witch (1986) (TV)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Robert Young

Writers:

Jill Murphy (book)
Mary Pleshette Willis (adaptation)

Genre:

Comedy | Family | Fantasy

Tagline:

Things never go right for Mildred Hubble...

Plot:

Mildred is one of the young girls at a prestigious witch academy. She can't seem to do anything right and is picked on by classmates and teachers...

Plot Keywords:

Girl | Wizard | Witch | Teacher | Halloween

Cast

Diana Rigg	...	Miss Hardbroom
Charlotte Rae	...	Miss Cackle, Agatha
Tim Curry	...	The Grand Wizard
Fairuza Balk	...	Mildred Hubble
Sabina Franklyn	...	Miss Spellbinder
Su Elliot	...	Delilah
Danielle Batchelor	...	Maud Warlock
Anna Kipling	...	Ethel Hallow
Kate Buckley	...	Donna
Leila Marr	...	Pixie Brown
Liz May Brice	...	Zoe Chant-Vestry (as Lisa Brice)
Katrina Heath	...	Sophie Hattrick
Tara Stevenson	...	Gloria Hobgoblin
Laura Heath	...	Misty Meadow
Sophie Cook	...	Natalie Sinister

Runtime:

USA:70 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:G

Filming Locations:

St. Michael's College, Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire, England, UK

Company:

Central Independent Television

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Mildred and Maud have reappeared and are sitting talking, when Mildred says, "If I live to have any," the actress playing Maud is mouthing the line as Mildred says it.

Quotes:

[repeated line]
Miss Hardbroom: MILDRED HUBBLE!

Movie Connections:

Version of "The Worst Witch" (1998)

Soundtrack:

The Worst Witch (Growing Up Isn't Easy)

Great for youngsters and the adults may like it as well.

The kids love this movie so much that I finally had to sit down and give it a beginning-to-end look. It's no wonder they love it but the odd adult who sees it will like it, too; a lot if you're disposed toward good children's entertainment, maybe a little less if you're approaching curmudgeonhood. But you'd have to be a real sourpuss to actively dislike it.

Charlotte Rae and Diana Rigg are fun to watch and I imagine they enjoyed these none-too-subtle roles. Rigg is especially wonderful, playing the unlovable mistress of a witch's academy for all it is worth. The young ladies boast several fine actresses as well. Fairuza Balk was an excellent performer at an early age, as anyone who saw 'Gas, Food, Lodging' will know, but my favorite here is Anna Kipling, who plays Ms. Balk's nemesis.

Some parents have religious concerns about showing children anything connected with the supernatural. I would encourage them to try to remember when they were children and think how they would have reacted to a film like this. It's probably the same way your kids will. Have some faith in them and give them a little credit for intelligence. If a parent watches this movie with a child and talks to him or her about their concerns, I don't think there will be any problems.