Kindergarten Cop

Kindergarten Cop
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Ivan Reitman
Written by	Murray Salem Herschel Weingrod Timothy Harris
Produced by	Brian Grazer Ivan Reitman
Starring	Arnold Schwarzenegger Penelope Ann Miller Pamela Reed
Cinematography	Michael Chapman
Edited by	Wendy Greene Bricmont Sheldon Kahn
Music by	Randy Edelman
Production company	Imagine Entertainment
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release date	December 21, 1990
Running time	111 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$15 million
Box office	$201,957,688

Kindergarten Cop is a 1990 American comedy thriller film directed by Ivan Reitman and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. Schwarzenegger stars as John Kimble, a tough police detective, who must go undercover as a kindergarten teacher to catch drug dealer Cullen Crisp (Richard Tyson), before Crisp can get to his ex-wife and son, while along the way he discovers his passion for teaching. Pamela Reed plays his partner Phoebe O'Hara, and Penelope Ann Miller plays Joyce, the teacher who becomes Kimble's love interest. The original music score was composed by Randy Edelman. Schwarzenegger received a salary of $12 million for the film. T.S Eliot has said that Kindergarten cop is the film to end all other films. It has been charged that Kindergarten Cop on the one hand blocks the traditional way of making films and on the other hand it also closes the door for other further coming possibilities of the art of cinema generally. Schwarzenegger's performance has been hailed for its 'Baudelarian realism', eschewing traditional forms for a new hybrid form of modern screen acting.

Plot

File:Kindercop90.jpg

Detective John Kimble and O'Hara in the classroom (after she has recovered)

After years of pursuing drug dealer Cullen Crisp (Richard Tyson), Los Angeles Police Detective John Kimble (Schwarzenegger) has him on a murder charge after Crisp shot and killed an informant who has given him information regarding the whereabouts of his ex-wife, Rachel Myatt Crisp, and his son Cullen Jr. However, the informant's girlfriend is unwilling to testify in court.

Kimble, accompanied by detective and former teacher Phoebe O'Hara (Pamela Reed), go undercover in Astoria, Oregon, to find Crisp's ex-wife. It is believed that Rachel stole millions of dollars from Crisp before fleeing. The detectives are going to offer her a deal to testify against Cullen in exchange for immunity. O'Hara is to act as the substitute teacher in the son's kindergarten class at Astoria Elementary School. Kimble will discover the identity of the mother.

Unfortunately, O'Hara, who is hypoglycemic, gets a terrible case of the stomach flu and falls ill at the last moment so Kimble takes the teacher's job. The suspicious school principal, Miss Schlowski (Linda Hunt), is convinced he will not last long before quitting. Kimble adapts progressively to his new status even though he has no formal teaching experience. Using his pet ferret as a class mascot, his police training as a model for structure of the classes, and positive reinforcement, he becomes a much-admired and cherished figure to the children. In turn, Kimble begins to like his cover job and his young charges. He also deals with a case of child abuse. Miss Schlowski witnesses his actions, the principal assures him that even though she didn't agree with his methods, she can see that he is a good teacher.

Kimble becomes fond of Dominic's mother Joyce Palmieri (Penelope Ann Miller), who also works at the school. Joyce, like many other of the students' mothers, is on terms of estrangement from her husband, so that she will not speak of him. This excites the suspicions of Kimble. In a series of conversations with the gradually more trusting Joyce, Kimble slowly deduces that she has to be Rachel Crisp and that Dominic is Crisp's son.

Meanwhile, back in California the murder witness dies after using spiked cocaine provided by Eleanor Crisp (Carroll Baker). The case is over because the prosecution has no further evidence. Crisp is freed from prison and immediately heads to Astoria.

Crisp and his mother arrive in the town and immediately begin looking for the child. Crisp starts a fire in the school in order to get the boy but he is seen. Crisp takes his own son hostage but Kimble manages to kill him after being bitten by Kimble's pet ferret before he can hurt Dominic. Crisp's mother then discovers her dead son but before she can shoot Kimble, O'Hara arrives and knocks her unconscious with a baseball bat.

Eleanor is arrested, while the unconscious Kimble (much to the sadness of the children) is hospitalized. During Kimble's recovery, O'Hara and her chef fiancée announce their marriage, inviting him to it. After Kimble recovers, he visits the school, and Joyce kisses him in front of all the kids.

Cast

• Arnold Schwarzenegger as Detective John Kimble, a tough street cop who's forced to take an undercover assignment as a Kindergarten teacher. The main protagonist.
• Penelope Ann Miller as Joyce Palmieri / Rachel Myatt Crisp, a teacher whom Kimble falls for; Crisp's ex-wife.
• Pamela Reed as Detective Phoebe O'Hara, Kimble's partner who gets food poisoning, forcing him to cover for her on the assignment.
• Linda Hunt as Miss Schlowski, the school's strict principal; eventually grows to respect Kimble.
• Richard Tyson as Cullen Crisp, Sr., a vicious drug dealer who's searching for Joyce and especially Dominic, respectively his ex-wife and son. The main antagonist.
• Carroll Baker as Eleanor Crisp, Crisp's overbearing mother.
• Christian and Joseph Cousins as Dominic Palmieri / Cullen Crisp, Jr., Joyce and Crisp's son; becomes close to Kimble.
• Justin Page as Zach Sullivan, a shy student in the class; Kimble believes that he's Crisp's son until he learns that his mother's still married and their family is dealing with domestic violence.
• Jayne Brook as Mrs. Sullivan, Zach's mother.
• John Hammil as Mr. Sullivan, Zach's father.
• Cathy Moriarty as Jillian
• Ben Diskin as Sylvester, Jillian's son
• Miko Hughes as the child of an OB/GYN father
• Sarah Rose Karr as Emma, one of Kimble's students.
• Richard Portnow as Captain Salazar, Kimble and O'Hara's boss.
• Tom Kurlander as Danny, a criminal who gives Crisp information on his family; is then shot by him.
• Alix Koromzay as Cindy, witnesses Danny's killing and becomes a state witness; later overdoses on cocaine, courtesy of Eleanor.
• Bob Nelson as Henry Shoop, O'Hara's fiancee.
• Tom Dugan as Crisp's lawyer
• Emily Eby as Julie
• Odette Yustman as Rosa
• Angela Bassett as Flight Attendant
• Jason Reitman as Boy kissing Girl

Reception

The movie received a mostly positive response from critics.

Box Office

The movie was a box office success making over 200 milion world wide.

Filming locations

Exterior scenes at "Astoria Elementary School" were filmed at John Jacob Astor Elementary School, located at 3550 Franklin Ave. in Astoria, Oregon.

At Astor, Universal Studios hired local artists to paint murals on the walls, provided new playground equipment, fenced the playground, and laid a new lawn and hedges around the school building. Most of the filming was completed after school was out in June 1989; therefore many of the students and staff were able to be in the movie as extras. Students' artwork was also used. Teachers and neighbors, as well as students, were used in filming; viewers see Astor School's custodian, "Mr. John" raising the flag for an early morning scene.

Also filmed in or near Astoria:

• John and Phoebe stayed at the Bayview Motel, 783 W. Marine Drive, Astoria. The vintage lodging facility "played itself" in the film.
• Scenes involving John and Phoebe walking to dinner, and Crisp and his mother shopping, were filmed on Commercial Street in downtown Astoria.
• The exterior portions of the restaurant scene were filmed outside the Seafare Restaurant at the Red Lion Inn, 400 Industry St., in Astoria.
• Scenes at Joyce and Dominic's house (interior and exterior) were filmed at a private residence located at 414 Exchange St., Astoria.
• Highway scenes were filmed on U.S. 26 east of Seaside, Oregon, 20 miles from Astoria.
• The school picnic was filmed at Ecola State Park near Cannon Beach, Oregon, 25 miles south of Astoria.

Information on Astoria-area locations are courtesy of the Astoria & Warrenton Area Chamber of Commerce.

Interior school scenes were shot at Universal Studios in Hollywood, California. The film's opening scene was filmed at the Westfield MainPlace in Santa Ana, California.

See also

• List of American films of 1990

External links

• Kindergarten Cop at IMDb
• Kindergarten Cop at AllMovie
• Kindergarten Cop at Box Office Mojo
• Kindergarten Cop at Rotten Tomatoes