Mrs. Harris

Mrs. Harris is a 2005 drama television film written and directed by Phyllis Nagy.^[1] Based on the 1983 non-fiction book Very Much a Lady by Shana Alexander, the film explores the complex and volatile relationship between Herman Tarnower, a prominent cardiologist and author of The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet, and Jean Harris, the headmistress of an elite girls' school. The film is a co-production of the United States and the United Kingdom, and was produced by Killer Films, Number 9 Films, and John Wells Productions for HBO Films.

It stars Annette Bening as Harris and Ben Kingsley as Tarnower, with supporting performances by Cloris Leachman, Chloë Sevigny, and a cameo appearance by Ellen Burstyn—who had previously portrayed Harris in the 1981 television film The People vs. Jean Harris. Mrs. Harris premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 16, 2005, and was later broadcast on HBO on February 25, 2006.

Mrs. Harris received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised Bening and Kingsley's performances, particularly for their emotional depth and nuance. It earned multiple award nominations, including a leading seven at the 58th Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Television Movie, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie (for Kingsley), Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie (Bening), and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie (for both Burstyn and Leachman).

On a stormy March night in 1980, Jean Harris, the headmistress of a Virginia girls' school, arrives at the home of her former lover, renowned cardiologist Herman Tarnower, in Purchase, New York, after a long drive. Intending to confront him and end her life on his estate following his growing attachment to his younger secretary, Lynne Tryforos, Jean instead becomes involved in a physical struggle during which Tarnower is shot. She initially leaves to seek help but returns when she sees police arriving at the house.

Told through a nonlinear narrative structure, the film interweaves flashbacks and flashforwards to depict the history of Jean and Herman's turbulent relationship. Their romance, which began with promise, gradually deteriorates as Herman's domineering personality and serial infidelity take a psychological toll on Jean. Despite his engagement gesture—a flashy ring she deems inappropriate for her professional image—Herman refuses to marry her, citing his unwillingness to take on a paternal role for her two sons. As their relationship sours, Herman continues to manipulate Jean, maintaining emotional control and prescribing her a regimen of medications that lead to dependency.

As the story progresses to Jean's trial for murder, a second depiction of the shooting is shown, contrasting the earlier portrayal. In this version, Jean is seen deliberately shooting Herman multiple times, contradicting her courtroom claim of accidental discharge. Her refusal to allow her attorney to present Tarnower's manipulative behavior as part of her defense undermines a plea of emotional disturbance. She is ultimately convicted and sentenced to 15 years to life in prison at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility for Women in Westchester County.

Mrs. Harris was adapted for television by playwright and screenwriter Phyllis Nagy, who also made her directorial debut with the film. The project was initiated when executive producer Elizabeth Karlsen brought Nagy in to discuss potential directors. In an interview with Creative Screenwriting, Nagy recalled, "After I finished the first draft of that script, and Liz Karlsen brought me in to talk about directors, I knew she was going to ask me who I thought could direct this. I thought to myself, 'Well, I want to direct it.' But I didn't say that." When Karlsen rejected the other names Nagy suggested, she proposed that Nagy direct it herself—a decision Nagy described as both unexpected and affirming.^[2]

The film stars Annette Bening as Jean Harris and Ben Kingsley as Dr. Herman Tarnower, supported by Cloris Leachman as Tarnower's sister and Chloë Sevigny as Lynne Tryforos, his secretary and lover. Ellen Burstyn, who portrayed Harris in the 1981 television film The People vs. Jean Harris, appears in a cameo role as Gerda Stedman, one of Tarnower's former romantic partners. Burstyn's brief appearance—consisting of two lines of dialogue totaling 38 words and lasting 14 seconds—earned her a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie. In response, she quipped, "My next ambition is to get nominated for seven seconds, and, ultimately, I want to be nominated for a picture in which I don't even appear."^[3]

The film was produced for HBO by Killer Films, Number 9 Films, and John Wells Productions. Production design and visual aesthetics aimed to capture the contrasting environments of Harris's structured professional life and her increasingly chaotic personal relationship with Tarnower. The film used a nonlinear narrative style with flashbacks and flashforwards to parallel Jean Harris's emotional deterioration and the unraveling of her trial.

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 43% of 7 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.2/10.^[4] On Metacritic, Mrs. Harris holds a weighted average score of 70 out of 100, based on 21 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews."^[5] In his review for Variety, Dennis Harvey described the film as "competent rather than inspired" and "an uneven affair," noting that it struggles to settle on a consistent tone. He wrote, "Elements of mystery, social satire (Nagy does have some bright lines up her sleeve), psychological horror story, black comedy, and straightforward tragic love story all jostle without complementing each other or achieving a successful kaleidoscope effect." Nevertheless, he acknowledged that "tale and execution are both colorful enough to hold attention."^[6]

Mrs. Harris was released on DVD by HBO Home Video in anamorphic widescreen format on August 1, 2006.^[17] The disc includes audio options in English and Spanish, with subtitles available in English, Spanish, and French. Special features include an audio commentary with Annette Bening, Ben Kingsley, and writer-director Phyllis Nagy, as well as a short featurette titled Mrs. Harris: For the Record, which presents brief interviews with individuals connected to the real-life events, including Jean Harris herself.^[18] The film was re-released on DVD in September 2012.^[19]

• Official website (Archive)
• Mrs. Harris at BFI
• Mrs. Harris at IMDb