Guarding Tess (1994)

User Rating:

6.0/10   

Director:

Hugh Wilson

Writers (WGA):

Hugh Wilson (written by) &
Peter Torokvei (written by)

Release Date:

11 March 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

A comedy beyond the call of duty.

Plot:

A former First Lady of the US wants a particular Secret Service agent to head her bodyguard detail, even though he can't stand her.

Plot Keywords:

Secret Service | U.S. President | Bodyguard | Widow | First Lady

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe.

Cast

Nicolas Cage	...	Doug Chesnic
Shirley MacLaine	...	Tess Carlisle
Austin Pendleton	...	Earl Fowler
Edward Albert	...	Barry Carlisle
James Rebhorn	...	Howard Schaeffer
Richard Griffiths	...	Frederick
John Roselius	...	Tom Bahlor
David Graf	...	Lee Danielson
Don Yesso	...	Ralph Buoncristiani
James Lally	...	Joe Spector
Brant von Hoffman	...	Bob Hutcherson
Harry Lennix	...	Kenny Young
Susan Blommaert	...	Kimberly Cannon
Dale Dye	...	Charles Ivy
James Handy	...	Neal Carlo

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:L | Canada:PG | Canada:PG (Ontario) | South Korea:12 | Philippines:G | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:K-10/7 | Germany:6 | Netherlands:AL (video premiere) | Norway:10 | Peru:14 | Spain:T | Sweden:11 | UK:12 | USA:PG-13 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

9690 Deerco Road, Timonium, Maryland, USA

Company:

Channel Films

Trivia:

George Clooney auditioned for just one line in this movie but it never made it to the screen.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): Frederick sarcastically expresses surprise to Doug that he isn't standing outside The Russian Tea Room as part of Jacqueline Kennedy's Secret Service detail. Kennedy forfeited her Secret Service privileges when she remarried.

Quotes:

Doug Chesnic: Get in the god damn chair.
Tess Carlisle: Hmm. Very good, Douglas. You're going to be all right.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Holiday (2006)

Soundtrack:

Joy To The World

Unusual theme, unusual relationship, brilliantly done

This is an unexpected pearl of a movie. Neither of the two stars, Shirley MacLaine or Nicholas Cage, are normally high on my list of favorites, but they pull off this odd ball relationship to perfection. There's chemistry here, just not in the usual sense of the word! It's a plot idea unlike any I've previously encountered...

Doug (Nicholas Cage) is a Secret Service man assigned the dubious honor of "guarding Tess" Carlisle (Shirley MacLaine), the feisty, aging, crotchety widow of a former American President and friend to the current President (who owes her favors and she doesn't let him forget it!). Nothing Doug does pleases Tess; nothing ANYONE does pleases Tess. Yet, she has an obvious underlying affection for her Secret Service guard, the only agent she'll in fact tolerate, who most of the time wishes he had just about any other job. Tess's own son totally neglects her and she's a lonely lady, caught up in old memories of her past White House days, when she and her husband were objects of great respect, affection, and attention. Tess is a cantankerous character now (of course Shirley MacLaine's a natural for the part!) but altogether sympathetic. I won't give away the story but Doug has his work cut out for him, and not just putting up with her moods, whims, and assorted outrages. The plot thickens and drama awaits...

There's action and adventure but the movie is much more character driven than plot driven. It's a treat to watch the unfolding relationship between this unlikely pair. Whether it's a realistic scenario or not, it makes for an entertaining, amusing, and touching movie you're bound to enjoy.