The Worst Witch is a 1986 British musical fantasy television film based on the first children's book in The Worst Witch series, written in 1974, by the English author Jill Murphy.
The film stars Fairuza Balk as Mildred Hubble, who is the "Worst Witch" at Miss Cackle's Academy for Witches. Charlotte Rae plays Miss Cackle, Diana Rigg stars as Miss Hardbroom, and Tim Curry plays the Grand Wizard who appears at Halloween. The opening and closing song, "Growing Up Isn't Easy", is performed by the English West End theatre star Bonnie Langford. Several television series and adaptations have aired for both ITV and the BBC between 1998 and 2020.
Contents
Plot
The story revolves around Mildred Hubble, who is invariably the "Worst Witch" at Miss Cackle's Academy for Witches. Mildred causes many mishaps, including being late for school, making all of her classmates fall down, unintentionally turning herself and her friend Maud Warlock invisible, and transforming the class bully Ethel into a pig. The climax surrounds Miss Amelia Cackle's notorious evil twin sister, Agatha, plotting to take over the academy. Ultimately Agatha is foiled by Mildred, and Mildred establishes herself as the hero for the academy.
Cast
Fairuza Balk as Mildred Hubble
Diana Rigg as Miss Constance Hardbroom
Charlotte Rae as Miss Amelia Cackle/Agatha Cackle
Tim Curry as Grand Wizard Egbert Hellibore
Sabina Franklyn as Miss Spellbinder
Su Elliot as Delilah
Danielle Batchelor as Maud Warlock
Anna Kipling as Ethel Hallow
Kate Buckley as Donna
Leila Marr as Pixie Brown
Liz May Brice as Zoe Chant-Vestry
Katrina Heath as Sophie Hattrick
Tara Stevenson as Gloria Hobgoblin
Laura Heath as Misty Meadow
Sophie Cook as Natalie Sinister
Sophie Millett as Verity Sinister
Julia J. Nagle as Bubble Toil
Kathryn Lacey as Goodie Twocharm
Nevena Kaley as Dawn Undercover
Caroline Woolf as Julie Vanishing
Amy Shindler as Spinner Webb
Pui Fan Lee as Prefect
Production
The film was shot at St Michael's College in Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire, England.
Soundtrack
The film's opening and closing song "Growing Up Isn't Easy" was performed by the West End star Bonnie Langford and was composed by Charles Strouse with lyrics by Don Black. The pair also wrote "Anything Can Happen on Halloween". Denis King composed the film's score and wrote the song "My Little School".