IMDb RATING
6.0/10
12K
YOUR RATING
Harriet M. Welsch is a spy. But when her friends find her secret notebook, the tables are turned on her. Can she win them back and still keep on going with the spy business?Harriet M. Welsch is a spy. But when her friends find her secret notebook, the tables are turned on her. Can she win them back and still keep on going with the spy business?Harriet M. Welsch is a spy. But when her friends find her secret notebook, the tables are turned on her. Can she win them back and still keep on going with the spy business?
- Awards
- 3 wins & 2 nominations total
Vanessa Chester
- Janie Gibbs
- (as Vanessa Lee Chester)
Featured reviews
This is a good film. Michelle Trachtenberg makes a great Harriet the Spy. This movie is filled with comedy for the younger kids and is worth a look. I think this movie is underrated and it should have recieved more than it did. I read the book and from what I can remember, this movie resembles the book well. The
supporting cast including Rosie O'Donnell is great. The characterization is also well done including the characters Sport, Janie and the wise cracker Marion
Hawthorne. Harriet the Spy has a great mix of comedy, drama and tragedy. I
recommend this movie to any young one and if you've haven't read the book, I
would recommend you do or you might not understand this movie. *** out of ****
supporting cast including Rosie O'Donnell is great. The characterization is also well done including the characters Sport, Janie and the wise cracker Marion
Hawthorne. Harriet the Spy has a great mix of comedy, drama and tragedy. I
recommend this movie to any young one and if you've haven't read the book, I
would recommend you do or you might not understand this movie. *** out of ****
this movie i went and saw when it first came out. After watching the behind the scenes promos on nickelodeon i was really shocked that Nickelodeon can do movies as well as a television network. Brilliantly written and acted i loved the acting and all the characters. It shows that what you are thinking is not always good to write down for fear of someone finding it. It also show's her trials and tribulations going through 6th grade wanting to be a spy and having a nanny in the mix. I loved Rosie O' Donnell in this film she is truly an awesome actor and during the movie you can't help but get a little teary eyed and crack up when your supposed to. I recommend for anyone especially a movie night for the family and/or friends! ~!
I first saw this movie when I was nine years old. I liked it for that time. I in fact tried to emulate Harriet and her friends. But those days are over now. What I am trying to say is don't say this is an awful movie because you found it dumb. Yes, some of it may be a little...juvenile. But remember, it WAS MADE for juveniles, not adults or anyone else but the age range of 8-12. If you are between the ages of eight and twelve, and you still hated it, then yes, it is understandable. But it is ridiculous for an adult to say that they hated this movie because it is 'too juvenile'. I think this movie has a great plot and a great message to young children. Be truthful to your friends, and you will succeed beyond your dreams. I also read the book, and this movie is quite close to the book, which is a good thing for a movie to be. In totality, this is a cute movie with a good message, and if you liked the movie, read the book too.
I just saw this film yesterday morning - ideal relaxation for the holiday weekend. The story was OK, maybe a bit shallow for my taste - I'm haven't been a kid for a long time - but I was really taken with the acting. Everyone played his/her part beautifully, completely credible, and none was the frightful red-haired brat as used to be portrayed in children's movies.
I was particularly taken with Harriet herself, and am not surprised that she has gone on to greater things.
The main lesson learned from this film appears to be that two wrongs do not make a right. Bush note!
I was particularly taken with Harriet herself, and am not surprised that she has gone on to greater things.
The main lesson learned from this film appears to be that two wrongs do not make a right. Bush note!
Harriet M. Welsch (Michelle Trachtenberg) is a sixth grader with best friends Sport (Gregory Smith) and Janie Gibbs. Her nanny Golly (Rosie O'Donnell) drives her to write. She spies on her neighborhood writing it all down in her notebook. Marion Hawthorne (Charlotte Sullivan) is the class mean girl. Golly sees Harriet is old enough and leaves. Marion takes Harriet's notebook and starts reading it out loud to everybody. Even Sport and Janie turns on Harriet when her uncomplimentary private thoughts become public.
The movie is aggressively trying to be wacky. It comes off looking cheap. Director Bronwen Hughes in her feature debut struggles from time to time. Some parts of the movie is less compelling than others. Spying on the cat guy is fine but spying on Eartha Kitt takes up too much time in an important section of the movie. Then there is the heart of the movie. While I appreciate the attempt at a life lesson, it's a bit too muddy. I don't know if white lies are worthy of being the central lesson of the movie. I would also have preferred Sport go off on his own rather than joining Marion. It seems wrong for his character that has been created. Trachtenberg is a terrific child actress and gives a great performance. She keeps the movie moving.
The movie is aggressively trying to be wacky. It comes off looking cheap. Director Bronwen Hughes in her feature debut struggles from time to time. Some parts of the movie is less compelling than others. Spying on the cat guy is fine but spying on Eartha Kitt takes up too much time in an important section of the movie. Then there is the heart of the movie. While I appreciate the attempt at a life lesson, it's a bit too muddy. I don't know if white lies are worthy of being the central lesson of the movie. I would also have preferred Sport go off on his own rather than joining Marion. It seems wrong for his character that has been created. Trachtenberg is a terrific child actress and gives a great performance. She keeps the movie moving.
Did you know
- TriviaNickelodeon's first feature film.
- GoofsThis film is set in New York City, yet in scenes such as the "kids yelling and chasing Harriet through town" segment, landmarks unique to Toronto, the capital city, are featured blatantly, including a flowerbed in the park shaped like the Canadian maple leaf, and background shots of buildings recognized worldwide as Toronto's architecture.
- Crazy creditsDuring the opening credits, items from Harriet's spy kit (i.e. magnifying glass, flashlight, and compass) are seen interacting with the credits as they appear.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Undercover with Harriet the Spy with Host Spy Stick Stickly (1996)
- SoundtracksWack Wack
Written by Eldee Young, Hysear Walker, Isaac Holt & Donald Storball (as Don Storball)
Performed by The Young Holt Trio (as Young-Holt Unlimited)
Courtesy of Brunswick Record Corp.
- How long is Harriet the Spy?Powered by Alexa
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $12,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $26,570,048
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $6,601,651
- Jul 14, 1996
- Gross worldwide
- $26,570,048
- Runtime1 hour 40 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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