Seduced by Madness: The Diane Borchardt Story

As Diana Borchardt, a sociopath and schoolteacher who tires of her husband and wants out; this is a very interesting study of what some people are capable of.

Peter Coyote is sympathetic as the victim, Ruben Borchardt; as she calls him "Rube the boob"; she is an emasculating, narcissistic woman, (not schizophrenic as a previous review intimates).

The fact that this was based on a true story makes this all the more relevant, here was a well-liked teacher, popular with the students, capable of unbelievable manipulation, malice and murder.

The murder of Ruben is carried out by several students, who believe Borchardt is being physically abused by her husband (She was not, but concocted this story to acquire life insurance benefits). Tobey McGuire in particular is rather sympathetic as Ruben Borchardt's young son.

Borchardt apparently even visited her in-laws for Easter, knowing that their son was just brutally murdered, to cover up her role in the homicide. The students were pawns, part of her intent to control.

Indeed, no one even benefited from Ruben's death. The house was tied up in debt, and Diana Borchardt never paid the students what she had promised. She thereby perpetuated the psychological theory that there are some sociopaths who subconsciously want to be apprehended for their crimes. 8/10.

Ann-Margret deserves an academy award for her performance as a manic step-mother who is concerned only with her own needs and desires. Her mood swings from normalcy to manic anger, her manipulation of her teen-age accomplices, her horrible treatment of her husband, and her favoritism for her own daughter over her two step-children...all very realistic portrayals of a manic woman obsessed with having everything her way. It was hard to watch this movie during the scenes leading up to Ruben Borchardt's murder, but they were enlightening. This movie is a must see for anyone who has known a manic person like Diane Borchardt. The post-murder investigation by the two relentless detectives was heartening, all the way up to the convictions of those involved. The classic scene comes at the end when Diane Borchardt is being processed for prison: her only concern is that her husband had a chance to "repent" before he died.

Kudos to the writers and actors who made this movie so realistic!

I was a sophomore in the Jefferson High School where this happened and even played on the tennis team for the school with Doug. I was also on the school's swim team with Chuck and had the opportunity to meet his dad many times and swim meets and at a swimming party one weekend. I was also in study hall which Mrs. B was an aide, and I remember she moved Josh to the front row that year to sit right next to her desk. She was always so nice to him. It is very sad to see what happened and everything is pretty much true, just like the user above commented on. I remember sitting in class on lock down when they came in to arrest her.

Granted Jefferson isn't the Los Angeles-type city it is shown as in the movie - 'tis merely an average small town in Wisconsin, and the Borchardt house looks nothing like it does in real-life, the movie is still a pretty good dramatic representation of what really happened, although many things have been changed. The reason I had trouble with this real-life drama, is that I lived in Fort Atkinson at the time of this murder mystery (which is Jefferson's neighboring city). Jefferson is not covered in gang symbols or palm trees, etc. etc. But the acting was well-done (Alanna Ubach gives a knockout performance as Shannon). Having seen Peter Coyote for the first time in this movie he will always remain Ruben Borchardt in my mind (of course, he was also in E.T., but I had only seen that movie when I was a youngster). Diane Borchardt was a lucky woman - while she is very unattractive bitch, Ann-Margret portrays her in this movie.

Basically the movie goes like this: Ruben Borchardt is (somewhat reluctantly) murdered by three teens, Josh, Doug and Michael, by orders of his wife (their teacher) Diane Borchardt. The rest of the movie is one big flashback that explains how Diane manipulated her students into thinking Ruben abused her (when in truth it was vice versa). One by one, Doug and his friends get pulled into the mix. Ruben's motherless children from his first marriage are forced to see their father go into a depression, while their step-sister is treated as a queen. One obvious change from the real-life events, is the relationship between Ruben and his blooming love for Ruth. But whatever. The story stays pretty true to life, and events used the real sign for "Mrs. B's shop"...(It's so weird, because I remember driving past her shop all the time!)

Knowing my cousin associated with the three teenagers, and his wife had Mrs. Borchardt as a teacher, and I went to school with relatives of the Borchardts, it makes the movie all the more real to me, but as a movie, most will just find it pure entertainment with great acting, even though it is inaccurate in certain areas.

By the way - yes they really did arrest her while she was at school.

Ann-Margaret really got a chance to strut her stuff as an actress in this riveting TV movie about a seductive temptress/schoolteacher who convinces three or her students to murder her husband by claiming he was abusive to her when actually she was the abusive one. Ann-Margaret completely loses herself in this complex and unsympathetic character whose true story is the stuff that movies of the week are made of and Ann-Margaret pulls it off beautifully and effortlessly makes Diane the woman you love to hate. Peter Coyote, an actor who has often been overshadowed by the actresses he has worked with, manages to hold his own as Diane's victimized husband, a devoted husband and father who is completely powerless over this madwoman whose universe he is unable to escape from in time. Writer Buck Henry told a similar story in less time and to greater effect in TO DIE FOR, a theatrical film which featured an amazing performance by Nicole Kidman, but Ann-Margret did Emmy worthy work as the twisted and terrible Diane Borchardt.