Teaching Mrs. Tingle (1999)

The story of a girl who is willing to do anything to become Valedictorian, even if it means murdering the teacher that stands in her way.

Director:

Kevin Williamson

Writer:

Kevin Williamson

Stars:

Helen Mirren, Marisa Coughlan, Katie Holmes

4 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Helen Mirren	...	Mrs. Tingle
Katie Holmes	...	Leigh Ann Watson
Jeffrey Tambor	...	Coach 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
Harvey Silver	...	Roger

Storyline

Leigh Ann is salutatorian when she needs to be valedictorian to get her scholarship to Harvard. The only class she is worse than the leader in is history, taught by Mrs. Tingle, and the teacher hates her. When an attempt to get ahead in Mrs. Tingle's class goes awry, mayhem ensues and friendships, loyalties and trust are tested by the teacher's intricate mind-games.

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Plot Keywords:

evil woman | arrow | three word title | written by director | f rated | 

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Taglines:

Before school lets out, Mrs. Tingle's class is going to need a substitute teacher.

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Genres:

Comedy | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for thematic content, violence, sexuality, language and some teen drinking

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [France]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 August 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

Killing Mrs. Tingle

Filming Locations:

El Segundo High School - 640 Main Street, El Segundo, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$13,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,326,870, 22 August 1999, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$8,946,237, 3 October 1999

Company Credits

Production Co:

Miramax,Konrad Pictures,Interscope Communications

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The name of Mrs. Tingle's dog is never revealed throughout the entire movie.

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Goofs

When Leigh Ann and Mrs. Tingle fight towards the end of the movie, the blood running from Leigh Ann's nose keeps changing patterns. It starts off as a big blood smear to a simple line of blood running down her nose.

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Quotes

Principal Potter: Mrs. Tingle, I have waited twenty years to tell you this. You're fired.

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Alternate Versions

The credits list Robert Gant as "Professor" but those scenes where deleted. Robert Gant never appears in the film.

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Connections

References The Oprah Winfrey Show (1986)

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Soundtracks

At Seventeen
Written by Janis Ian
Performed by Tara MacLean
Courtesy of Nettwerk Productions/Capitol Records
Under License from EMI-Capitol Music Special Markets

User Reviews

Helen Mirren Teaches Acting

This isn't a dreadful film, merely insipid. The plot is deeply flawed and implausible. It tries to be a number of genres and fails at each. It fails as a comedy, as a suspense thriller and as a horror movie. It almost succeeds as science fiction. The direction is uninspired and Katie Holmes, cute cherub face that she is, should be modeling teen clothing, not acting. The only thing that keeps this movie from being a 1 out of 10 is Helen Mirren. Her performance is fabulously nefarious and is (almost) worth suffering through the rest of it. Her ability to transmute from imperious to faux sympathetic to deviously manipulate and control her prey shows masterful range. Other than Marissa Coughlin's delightful Exorcist rendition, Mirren is the only reason to see this movie. A solid 3.0.