IMDb > Teaching Mrs. Tingle (1999)
Teaching Mrs. Tingle
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Overview

User Rating:
5.0/10   10,317 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 10% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writer (WGA):
Kevin Williamson (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for Teaching Mrs. Tingle on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
20 August 1999 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
Before school lets out, Mrs. Tingle's class is going to need a substitute teacher. more
Plot:
The story of one girl (Katie Holmes) who is willing to do anything to become Valedictorian; even if it means murdering the one person who stands in her way, Mrs. Tingle. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
4 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(13 articles)
Scream 4 Writer Talks Sequel Influences
 (From newsinfilm. 12 November 2009, 10:20 PM, PST)

‘Taken’ Director ‘Signals’ For ‘More’ ‘Action’
 (From FilmSchoolRejects. 4 November 2009, 11:00 PM, PST)

User Comments:
Playing with fire. more (162 total)

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)

Helen Mirren ... Mrs. Eve Tingle

Katie Holmes ... Leigh Ann Watson

Jeffrey Tambor ... Coach 'Spanky' Wenchell

Barry Watson ... Luke Churner

Marisa Coughlan ... Jo Lynn Jordan

Liz Stauber ... Trudie Tucker

Michael McKean ... Principal Potter

Molly Ringwald ... Miss Banks

Vivica A. Fox ... Miss Gold

John Patrick White ... Brian Berry

Robert Gant ... Professor
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Killing Mrs. Tingle (USA) (working title)
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MPAA:
Rated PG-13 for thematic content, violence, sexuality, language and some teen drinking.
Runtime:
96 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
After an incident similar to the Littleton school shooting occured in Germany too, the German release title was changed from 'Tötet Mrs. Tingle' (Kill Mrs. Tingle) to 'Rettet Mrs. Tingle' (Save Mrs. Tingle). However the German video release still shows 'Tötet Mrs. Tingle' on the box. more
Goofs:
Incorrectly regarded as goofs: When Trudy is "shot", the arrow hits the grade book she's holding. Some thought they saw blood where there should be none, but that is the red tail of the arrow. more
Quotes:
Leigh Ann Watson: I am not scared of you.
Mrs. Tingle: Who do you think you're fooling? You're so scared I can smell it. Your fear is the most predictable thing about you. You've lived your whole life in fear. Terrified of making a mistake; Scared to death you won't get that A, that ticket out. Afraid you'll never escape your mother and her name tag...
more
Movie Connections:
Soundtrack:
IF I FALL more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
8 out of 12 people found the following comment useful.
Playing with fire., 26 August 2007
4/10
Author: lost-in-limbo from the Mad Hatter's tea party.

History teacher Mrs Tingle seems to have it in for student Leigh Ann Watson, who has her heart on achieving a writing school scholarship. She receives another low grade from Tingle, which doesn't help. When one of her classmates Luke steals the paper of the final history exams and pops it in her bag, Mrs. Tingle finds it sticking out. She threatens the three that she will go to the principal about it, but he's not available. So before she reports it the next morning. Leigh, her friend Jo Lynn and Scott head to her place that night and try to convince her not tell the principal. However due to Tingle's stubbornness, that find themselves reverting to drastic measures to stop this getting out.

Wasn't fan of it when I first saw it, and after another viewing, I'm still not one. Writer Kevin Williamson was on a roll after penning the successful contemporary teen horror films; 'Scream (1996)', 'I Know What You did Last Summer (1997)', 'Scream 2 (1997)' and 'The Faculty (1998)'. He was riding the success (also not to forget the TV show 'Dawson's Creek), but this project would be the final bump. The difference there, compared with this entry was other then writing the screenplay, he was also making his debut in directing. The strange thing though, was that I found his direction to be competently done, but material he stormed up to flavourless and tired. It seemed to get caught in playing both a black comedy and straight-out thriller, without making it gel. The script is cluttered with quick-wit, on-going gags, trivial stretches and gimmicky references towards other films, but the problem is that it's too watered-down with so many contrived developments and sappy moral currents disrupting the flow. The fractured script had to be more strong and potent, since it's a small-scale production that feels like you're watching a stage show because of its mostly confined sets. It tries to play mind games with the characters, but these moments are there to only serve the story's poor progression into a puddle of stupidity and senselessness. The film's ending takes the cake. Williamson's polished direction is sound, but more so in a pedestrian way and therefore it lacks suspense and the pacing even with its taut surroundings can really plod on. You eventually feel it after the halfway mark, and it shows up how minor the story is. The performances are tolerable enough, although if it weren't for Helen Mirren's classy, icy portrayal of manipulative prowess as Mrs. Tingle and a buoyant Marisa Coughlan, we would have been stuck watching a vapid goody-to-shoes Katie Holmes. Barry Watson is modest in his slacker part and Molly Ringwald has a lesser role. The soundtrack packs enough energy, but I found it terribly overwrought and shapeless in its choices.

Watchable, but mechanical all round.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Teaching Mrs. Tingle (1999)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Why didn't the old hag just RETIRE? temperamint-1
Reese Witherspoon as Leigh Ann?? Viv70
What made Jo Lynn change her mind about Leigh Ann? (Spoilers) owleye1
The case for Mrs. Tingle Ramses1983
Mrs. Tingle hates Leigh Ann but not Trudy? bleah545
Uncredited?? stueck
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