The Worst Witch (1986)

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. The headmistress of the school, Miss ... See full summary »

Director:

Robert Young

Writers:

Jill Murphy (book), Mary Pleshette Willis (adaptation)

Stars:

Diana Rigg, Charlotte Rae, Tim Curry

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Diana Rigg	...	Miss Constance Hardbroom
Charlotte Rae	...	Miss Cackle / Agatha Cackle
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

Storyline

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. The headmistress of the school, Miss Cackle, has an evil twin sister (Agatha) who plans to destroy the school. Can Mildred foil the plan before the Grand Wizard (Tim Curry) comes to the Academy for the Halloween celebration you'll never forget?!!

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Plot Keywords:

school | girl | evil twin | witch | teacher | 

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Taglines:

Things never go right for Mildred Hubble...

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Genres:

Comedy | Family | Fantasy | Musical

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Certificate:

G

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

31 October 1986 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Worst Witch

Filming Locations:

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

Company Credits

Production Co:

Central Independent Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

70 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This is one of three movies Fairuza Balk has been in that featured witches. The others were "Return to Oz," where she was hunted by a wicked witch, and "The Craft," where she was a wicked witch.

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Goofs

When the girls are playing terror tag Dawn Undercover of the red team screams twice. The blue team only got one point, the other point never went up.

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Quotes

[Mildred and Maud have accidentally made themselves invisble]
Miss Hardbroom: Have you any idea what you did wrong Mildred?
Maud Warlock: It was my fault Miss Hardbroom.
Mildred Hubble: No, it was my fault Miss Hardbroom.
Miss Hardbroom: I don't care whose fault it was. Sit still until you reappear!
Mildred Hubble, Maud Warlock: Yes Miss Hardbroom.
Miss Hardbroom: You Mildred Hubble, will go straight to Miss Cackle's office and explain exactly why you failed your potions test so miserably!
[claps her hands]
Miss Hardbroom: Class dismissed.

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Connections

Featured in WatchMojo: Top 10 Tim Curry Performances (2017)

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Soundtracks

Anything Can Happen on Halloween
performed by Tim Curry

User Reviews

I delight in this movie!

First, I must admit two things. 1. I am a fan of Tim Curry. 2. I am a reader and I devour everything I get ahold of including the /Worst Witch/ book that this movie was based on. One of those books series of course is Harry Potter, and I think this movie comes off very well in comparison!

In 1986, the idea for this movie was "a wrap" and no one had even conceived (except JK) there was to be a huge following of a boy who attends a school for wizards. This movie is about a batch of girls who attend a witch school. The potions master in the currently internationally famous movie (Alan Rickman, pants!) is a mean, nasty man who dislikes the lead character. The first scene we have with Diana as Miss Hardbroom is a potions scene.

You might note other similarities, trust me. I especially chuckled watching the flight-teacher "surfing" on her broom. Nahhhh. Don't know where Chris Columbus got that idea do we? Smiles.

Despite all the above, I am seeking a copy of this movie for my son and myself. I think it's a cute movie. Just like the (coughsHPcoughs) other movie, there are supernatural elements in WW, but I think today's children can handle them just fine. If not, we'll turn Queen Aggie on them!

If you get a chance, do watch this one. It's a keeper.

**** out of *****