Frank Launder (director)
Studiocanal (studio)
Cert U (certificate)
90 min (length)
28 April 2014 (released)
08 May 2014
This 1954 comedy about the fictional and riotous St. Trinian’s School for young Ladies is a timeless classic that has spawned sequels and remakes alike. Much loved Scottish character actor Alastair Sim stars in a dual role, playing school headmistress Millicent Fritton and her brother Clarence.
When the new term at St. Trinian’s School opens, the local residents as well as the local law enforcement are none too pleased… and that is a huge understatement! Headmistress Miss Fritton’s (Alastair Sim) unorthodox methods of education only result in the young ladies creating more havoc than proud achievements. For liberal Miss Fritton firmly believes that letting the students run riot will get positive results, though naturally the opposite is the case. The students, forever eager to please, make an extra effort to create chaos and mayhem in every classroom and during every lecture. Not content with spreading terror inside the school walls, the mayhem extends to wherever the girls descend upon.
As if this doesn’t spell trouble enough, the school is furthermore in debt, and the teachers haven’t received wages for months. However, St. Trinian’s has such a bad reputation that no other school is willing to offer them a new post. Miss Fritton’s brother Clarence makes life even more complicated when he blackmails her into admitting his daughter Arabella.
Meanwhile, Superintendent Kemp Bird goes to see the Ministry of Education official in an effort to bring the scandalous goings-on at St. Trinian’s to an end once and for all. But the official in charge, Mr. Bassett, shrieks at the mere mention of the school… and for good reason: in the past he sent two investigators to the notorious school but neither of them returned. Desperate situations call for desperate measures, and so Superintendent Kemp sends his girlfriend, Sergeant Ruby Gates, undercover as the schools new games mistress. What she discovers in the process is truly shocking! Apart from all sorts of dodgy dealings and the girl’s enthusiasm for sports bets, the school’s chemistry laboratory functions as a gin distillery, with former employee Flash Harry (George Cole) handling the bootleg sale of ‘St. Trinian’s Gin’.
However, light appears at the end of the tunnel in the shape of Fatima, the daughter of the westernised Sultan of Makyad (Eric Pohlmann). Not only does he send Fatima to St. Trinian’s upon recommendation of his English secretary, but after the girl’s arrival Miss Fritton is quick to ‘take care’ of Fatima’s one hundred pounds pocket money! What’s more, when the Sultan’s racehorse is entered for the upcoming Cheltenham Gold Cup race, the students of St. Trinian’s see this as another opportunity to indulge in a bit of sports bets… indeed, Miss Fritton bets the school’s remaining funds on the horse… Greater trouble beckons still when the recently expelled Arabella Fritton has kidnap on her mind.
The 60th Anniversary release of The Belles Of St. Trinian’s is available fully restored on DVD, Blu-ray & Est, with brand new Extras including various interview with some of the former ‘Girls of St. Trinian’s’.