The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom

TV movie

The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom
DVD cover
Genre	Biography Black comedy Thriller
Written by	Jane Anderson
Directed by	Michael Ritchie
Starring	Holly Hunter Beau Bridges Swoosie Kurtz
Music by	Lucy Simon
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
Production
Executive producers	Kyle A. Heinrich Frederick S. Pierce
Producers	James Manos Jr. Art Schaefer Zachary Feuer Dana Cole
Production location	Channelview, Texas
Cinematography	Gerry Fisher
Editor	Eric A. Sears
Running time	99 minutes
Production companies	Frederick S. Pierce Company HBO Pictures Sudden Entertainment
Original release
Release	April 10, 1993 (1993-04-10)

The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom is a 1993 biographical black comedy television film produced by and for HBO. It was directed by Michael Ritchie and starred Holly Hunter, Swoosie Kurtz and Beau Bridges.

It is based on the true story of Wanda Holloway, a woman who tried to put out a hit on one of her daughter's classmates (and the girl's mother) to advance her own daughter's Middle school cheerleading career.

Plot

The film takes place in Channelview, Texas. When Wanda Holloway was a teen, her father forbade her from trying out for her school's cheerleading team. Many years later, when Wanda had a daughter of her own, she was determined that her daughter would fulfill the dream she was denied and become a cheerleader—which would allow Wanda to make up that part of her childhood by reliving it through her daughter.

Wanda enrolls her daughter, Shanna, in various dance and gymnastics classes in order to enhance her prospects of becoming a cheerleader. She forces Shanna to practice for hours on end, despite sickness or injury. Wanda's best friend, Verna Heath, and her daughter, Amber, live next door to the Holloway family. Amber is the same age as Shanna and the two teenagers become friends. Verna had been a successful varsity twirler when she was young and holds the same ambition as Wanda for her own daughter.

Leading up to the cheerleading tryouts, jealousy sparks between Wanda and Verna, despite the fact that their daughters' friendship remains solid. In the months prior to the tryouts, Wanda forces Shanna to concentrate completely on cheer-leading. At the tryouts, Amber impresses the judges but Shanna is unable to, despite all of her training. Amber makes the squad and Shanna does not, disappointing both Shanna and Wanda. The fact that Shanna did not make it onto the team causes Wanda to end the friendship between Shanna and Amber. Wanda does not give up on seeing her daughter become a cheerleader, and decides to try again next year.

Every day until next year's tryouts, Shanna practices frequently at her mother's command. When the time arrives, Amber makes the team and is even promoted to co-captain, but Shanna is disqualified because of her mother's attempts to bribe the judges and other students. The shock of her daughter's failure for the second time puts Wanda into a mad fit of rage, anger and jealousy. Wanda decides that if it wasn't for Amber, Shanna would have definitely been a cheerleader. She becomes obsessed with the notion that living next door to talented Amber had sapped Shanna's confidence and ruined her chances of success.

Wanda meets her brother-in-law Terry to take a hit out on Amber and Verna. Terry is horrified by Wanda's hate for a thirteen-year-old girl, and disagrees with the murder of a young vibrant girl—especially over something as petty as cheerleading. After the rendezvous, Terry decides to turn Wanda in to the police. He meets Wanda again, this time with a tape recorder in order to obtain proof of Wanda's desire to commit homicide. Terry sends the recorded message, along with background information, to the police. Wanda is arrested and sentenced to fifteen years in prison, but is set free when it is discovered that a member of the jury at her trial was on probation. Wanda serves only six months for the attempted murder of Amber.

In the end, Shanna decides it would be best to quit trying out for the cheerleading team. Presently, Shanna and Wanda reside in California, where Shanna is taking classes in modelling, singing and acting. Wanda hopes that one day, her daughter will be a famous Hollywood actress, no matter what it takes.

Cast

Holly Hunter as Wanda Holloway
Beau Bridges as Terry Harper
Swoosie Kurtz as Marla Harper
Elizabeth Ruscio as Verna Heath
Gregg Henry as Tony Harper
Matt Frewer as Troy McKinney
Eddie Jones as C.D. Holloway
Frankie Ingrassia as Shanna Harper
Gary Grubbs as Detective Helton
Jack Kehler as Sergeant F.E. Blackwell
Frederick Koehler as Shane Harper

Reception

Reception for the film was positive. Entertainment Weekly praising the film stating "the movie gets its real kick when it comes time for everyone to sell their rights to Hollywood... with one writer remarking she has 'Holly Hunter' in mind for the lead." However, People magazine's review stated that the movie "has two good performances" but that it "just doesn't seem to have much point." Roger Ebert recommended the film as Video of the Week on At the Movies.

Television critic Matt Zoller Seitz in his 2016 book co-written with Alan Sepinwall titled TV (The Book) named the film as the 2nd greatest American TV-movie of all time, behind Steven Spielberg's Duel. He stated that "this is a serio-comic (emphasis on serio-) account of a real and bizarre crime, but also a satire on media ethics and the entertainment industry's insatiable tendency to turn real people's pain into entertainment.... The film is self aware from start to finish ... yet it never loses track of the pathetic and tragic aspects of the story, and it never condescends to its small-town characters".

Accolades

Year	Award	Category	Nominee(s)	Result
1993	Artios Awards	Best Casting for TV Movie of the Week	Richard Pagano, Sharon Bialy, and Debi Manwiller	Nominated
	Primetime Emmy Awards	Outstanding Made for Television Movie	Kyle A. Heinrich, Frederick S. Pierce, and James Manos Jr.	Nominated
		Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Special	Holly Hunter	Won
		Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Special	Beau Bridges	Won
		Outstanding Individual Achievement in Directing for a Miniseries or a Special	Michael Ritchie	Nominated
		Outstanding Individual Achievement in Writing for a Miniseries or a Special	Jane Anderson	Won
		Outstanding Individual Achievement in Sound Editing for a Miniseries or a Special	Joe Melody, Tim Terusa, Gary Macheel, Richard Steele, Bob Costanza, David C. Eichhorn, Billy B. Bell, Rusty Tinsley, Mike Dickeson, Dan Luna, Kristi Johns, and Allan K. Rosen	Nominated
1994	American Cinema Editors Awards	Best Edited Motion Picture for Non-Commercial Television	Eric A. Sears	Nominated
	CableACE Awards	Movie or Miniseries	Kyle A. Heinrich, Frederick S. Pierce, and James Manos Jr.	Won
		Actress in a Movie or Miniseries	Holly Hunter	Won
		Directing for a Movie or Miniseries	Michael Ritchie	Nominated
		Writing for a Movie or Miniseries	Jane Anderson	Nominated
	Directors Guild of America Awards	Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Specials	Michael Ritchie	Won
	Golden Globe Awards	Best Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television	Holly Hunter	Nominated
	Golden Globe Awards	Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television	Beau Bridges	Won
	Writers Guild of America Awards	Original Long Form	Jane Anderson	Won

References

Roberts, Jerry (2009). Encyclopedia of Television Film Directors. Scarecrow Press. p. 480. ISBN 978-0-8108-6138-1.
Tucker, Ken (April 9, 1993). "The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom". EW.com.
Gliatto, Tom (April 12, 1993). "Picks and Pans Review: The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom". People.
"The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom – 1995". Siskel & Ebert. Season 10. Episode 8. October 28, 1995.
Sepinwall, Alan; Seitz, Matt Zoller (September 2016). TV (The Book): Two Experts Pick the Greatest American Shows of All Time (1st ed.). New York, NY: Grand Central Publishing. p. 372. ISBN 9781455588190.
"1993 Artios Awards". Casting Society of America. October 19, 1993. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
"The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
"The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom'". Los Angeles Times. September 3, 1995.
"Nominees/Winners". IMDb. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
Herbert, Steven (January 17, 1994). "HBO the Big CableACE Award Winner: Television: Its taking of 34 of 88 trophies far outdistances Showtime's second place with 10". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
"46th DGA Awards". Directors Guild of America Awards. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
"The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom". Golden Globe Awards. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
"WGA Awards 1993". IMDb. Retrieved January 20, 2022.

External links

v t e Films directed by Michael Ritchie
Downhill Racer (1969) Prime Cut (1972) The Candidate (1972) Smile (1975) The Bad News Bears (1976) Semi-Tough (1977) An Almost Perfect Affair (1979) The Island (1980) Divine Madness (1980) Student Bodies (1981) The Survivors (1983) Fletch (1985) Wildcats (1986) The Golden Child (1986) The Couch Trip (1988) Fletch Lives (1989) Diggstown (1992) The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom (1993) Cops & Robbersons (1994) The Scout (1994) A Simple Wish (1997) The Fantasticks (2000)

Films directed by Michael Ritchie

Downhill Racer (1969)
Prime Cut (1972)
The Candidate (1972)
Smile (1975)
The Bad News Bears (1976)
Semi-Tough (1977)
An Almost Perfect Affair (1979)
The Island (1980)
Divine Madness (1980)
Student Bodies (1981)
The Survivors (1983)
Fletch (1985)
Wildcats (1986)
The Golden Child (1986)
The Couch Trip (1988)
Fletch Lives (1989)
Diggstown (1992)
The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom (1993)
Cops & Robbersons (1994)
The Scout (1994)
A Simple Wish (1997)
The Fantasticks (2000)

v t e Works by Jane Anderson
Directed	The Baby Dance (1998) If These Walls Could Talk 2 (2000) When Billie Beat Bobby (2001) Normal (2003) The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio (2005)
Written only	The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom (1993) It Could Happen to You (1994) How to Make an American Quilt (1995) Olive Kitteridge (2014) Packed in a Trunk: The Lost Art of Edith Lake Wilkinson (2015) The Wife (2017)

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