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:

irony of fate | irony | evil woman | arrow | three word title | 

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Taglines:

For twenty years, Mrs. Tingle has terrorized her students. This year, three of them are going to teach her a lesson.

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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

Helen Mirren described the part of Mrs. Tingle as her "dream role", noting that the appeal was the ability to lay in bed all day in the "most comfortable costume I've ever worn".

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Goofs

When Leigh Ann and Luke are having sex, Mrs. Tingle tries to break free of her constraints. In the close up it is clearly noticeable that there are two different sets of constraints that are not attached in any way, one around Mrs. Tingle's wrists and one around the bed post. The one around the bed post has a loop for Helen Mirren to put her wrists through. The constraints would go back with Helen Mirren's wrist if it were a single piece, but the loop keeps its shape.

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Quotes

Mrs. Tingle: You present yourself with such self-assured tenacity, but your fear shows around the edges. You can do better.
Jo Lynn Jordan: We're trying, Mrs. Tingle. Work with us.

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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

Referenced in Four Twenty (2012)

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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 Mirrer. and it is enough

A teenager horror. nice, unrealistic but seductive for the performance of Helen Mirren who transforms her character in the lead pillar for sustain the film. the young actors are not bad but the script does not give many chances to a coherent image of revengers. so, a sort of mix between teenager film, suspense and few drops of horror. the tension works and the memories of viewer about difficult teachers are real useful in this case.