Chain to let teachers see Swank film for free

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - AMC Entertainment Inc., the nation's second-largest theater chain, announced this week it will offer free tickets for teachers who want to see the movie

Freedom Writers,

starring Hilary Swank.

The offer is good from today through Thursday for teachers of students in grades kindergarten through 12 who show a valid school identification or paycheck stub.

The Paramount Pictures movie, released three weeks ago, stars Swank as an idealistic English teacher who goes into a Long Beach, Calif., high school and tries to overcome racial intolerance among her students.

AMC and Paramount said the offer was a way to honor teachers.

"We hope this will help express our sincere gratitude and appreciation for all that they do, often with very little 'thanks' in return," the Kansas City-based exhibitor said in a news release.

The movie, showing at 2,286 locations, has earned $26.5 million in box office so far and came in fifth this past weekend, according to Media By Numbers LLC.

AMC last year held a similar promotion for the spelling-bee movie Akeelah and the Bee, handing out around 10,000 free tickets. Laurence Fishburne plays a teacher who uses unconventional methods to help a student win a national spelling competition.