Teaching Mrs. Tingle (1999)

User Rating:

5.0/10   

Director:

Kevin Williamson

Writer (WGA):

Kevin Williamson (written by)

Release Date:

20 August 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Thriller

Tagline:

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

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.

Plot Keywords:

Teacher | Valedictorian | Bed | Dominatrix | Crossbow

Awards:

4 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Wed. July 8

8:00 AM

FX

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

Also Known As:

Killing Mrs. Tingle (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

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

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Canada:14A | Iceland:12 | Australia:M | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:IIB | Norway:11 | Portugal:M/12 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:PG-13 | Singapore:PG | Philippines:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Culver City High School - 4401 Elenda Street, Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Interscope Communications

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.

Goofs:

Factual errors: No accused witch was burned at Salem. The victims of the scare were all hanged. Therefore Leigh Ann's report is flawed and Mrs. Tingle is entitled to mark her down on it.

Quotes:

Leigh Ann Watson: What's the matter Mrs. Tingle? Getting scared yourself?
Mrs. Tingle: Oh no! Ms. Watson, things are just starting to get fun.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Naked Movie (2002)

Soundtrack:

'TIL I CRY YOU OUT OF ME

A peach of a movie

In the UK, we're lucky enough to see Helen Mirren regularly on tv, especially as the lead in a crime drama series called Prime Suspect. In Teaching Mrs Tingle, she offers us a splendidly embittered bitch, teetering on the edge of caricature but always just - only just - on the stylish side of the thin line. The supporting cast of young actors, Barry Watson, Katie Holmes and Marisa Coughlan, are sexy and sassy - as the film is itself - and are good enough to suggest that in a few years time we'll all be watching this wondering why we didn't realise how good it was when it came out. The narrative's carefully managed by the writer (with none of the dreaded Dawson Creek verbal diahrroea), the photography and lighting are cleanly and sometime imaginatively done, and the dramatic thrills generate emotional excitement in a way that many so-called thrillers would like to emulate. Someone making this film was absolutely first rate at getting the best out of their team: maybe not everyone involved is going to do better later, and maybe this will turn out to have been their finest hour - but if you want to see a really enjoyable comedy thriller, then try this excellent movie.