Guarding Tess
“A comedy beyond the call of duty.”
Synopsis
Doug is a Secret Service Agent who has just completed his stint in charge protecting Tess Carlisle—the widow of a former U.S. President, and a close personal friend of the current President. He finds that she has requested that he not be rotated but instead return to be her permanent detail. Doug is crushed, and—after returning—wants off her detail as she is very difficult to guard and makes her detail crazy with her whims and demands.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Trailer Guarding Tess
Type: Trailer • Published 2008-12-03
Top Cast
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Shirley MacLaine
Tess Carlisle
Nicolas Cage
Doug Chesnic
Austin Pendleton
Earl
Edward Albert
Barry Carlisle
James Rebhorn
Howard Shaeffer
Richard Griffiths
Frederick
John Roselius
Tom Bahlor
David Graf
Lee Danielson
Don Yesso
Ralph Buoncristiani
James Lally
Joe Spector
Brant von Hoffman
Bob Hutcherson
Harry Lennix
Kenny Young
Susan Blommaert
Kimberly Cannon
Dale Dye
Charles Ivy
James Handy
Neal Carlo
Stephen S. Chen
Jimmy
Katie O'Hara
Barbara
Mark Conway
Caleb Harrison
Release History & Theatrical Window
March 11, 1994
Wide Cinema Exhibition
April 1, 1995
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$20M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$27.1M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
1.35x
+$7.1M net gain
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Hugh Wilson
- Screenplay & Story
- Hugh Wilson, PJ Torokvei
- Original Score
- Michael Convertino
- Original Title
- Guarding Tess
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- Georgian, English
- Runtime
- 1h 36m
- Production Budget
- $20M
- Worldwide Gross
- $27.1M
- Production Studios
- Channel Films, TriStar Pictures
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Hugh Wilson
Hugh Wilson, PJ Torokvei
Michael Convertino
Brian J. Reynolds
Sidney Levin
Nancy Graham Tanen, Ned Tanen
Department Leadership Roster
Nancy Graham Tanen
Producer
Michael Convertino
Original Music Composer
Hugh Wilson
Screenplay
Sidney Levin
Editor
Hugh Wilson
Director
Ned Tanen
Producer
PJ Torokvei
Screenplay
Jery Hewitt
Stunt Coordinator
Sue Gandy
Costume Design
Peter S. Larkin
Production Design
Ann Roth
Costume Design
Brian J. Reynolds
Director of Photography
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
PG-13: Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 6 — Restricted to viewers aged 6 and older.
Suitable only for 12 years and over.
Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Guarding Tess.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Guarding Tess.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Guarding Tess
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Guarding Tess about?
Doug is a Secret Service Agent who has just completed his stint in charge protecting Tess Carlisle—the widow of a former U.S. President, and a close personal friend of the current President. He finds that she has requested that he not be rotated but instead return to be her permanent detail. Doug is crushed, and—after returning—wants off her detail as she is very difficult to guard and makes her detail crazy with her whims and demands.
Who directed Guarding Tess?
Guarding Tess was directed by Hugh Wilson.
Who stars in Guarding Tess?
The principal cast of Guarding Tess includes Shirley MacLaine, Nicolas Cage, Austin Pendleton, Edward Albert, James Rebhorn.
When was Guarding Tess released and how long is it?
Guarding Tess was released in 1994 with a total runtime of 1h 36m.
What was the box office and production budget of Guarding Tess?
Guarding Tess had a reported production budget of $20M and grossed $27.1M at the worldwide box office (1.35 return on budget, classified as a budget recovered).
Who composed the musical score for Guarding Tess?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Guarding Tess was composed by Michael Convertino.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Guarding Tess?
Guarding Tess holds official age classifications: DE: 6 (FSK 6 — Restricted to viewers aged 6 and older.); GB: 12 (Suitable only for 12 years and over.); US: PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.).