Mrs. Harris

Mrs. Harris
Original poster
Based on	Very Much a Lady by Shana Alexander
Screenplay by	Phyllis Nagy
Directed by	Phyllis Nagy
Starring	Annette Bening Ben Kingsley
Music by	Alex Wurman
Country of origin	United States United Kingdom
Original language	English
Production
Executive producers	Elizabeth Karlsen Pam Koffler Christine Vachon John Wells
Producer	Chrisann Verges
Cinematography	Steven Poster
Editors	Curtiss Clayton Lee Percy
Running time	95 minutes
Production companies	HBO Films John Wells Productions Killer Films Number 9 Films
Original release
Network	HBO
Release	September 16, 2005 (2005-09-16)
Infobox instructions (only shown in preview)

Mrs. Harris is a 2005 American-British made-for-television drama film written and directed by Phyllis Nagy.^[1] Based on the 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 telefilm was produced by Killer Films, Number 9 Films, and John Wells Productions for HBO Films.

The film stars Annette Bening as Jean Harris and Ben Kingsley as Herman 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).