The Belles of St. Trinian's main backdrop
The Belles of St. Trinian's main poster

The Belles of St. Trinian's

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6.3/10 • 53

1954-09-281h 31m

Comedy

Would you send your daughter to St. Trinian's?

The unruly schoolgirls of St Trinian's are more interested in men and mischief than homework and hockey. But greater trouble than ever beckons when the arrival at the school of Princess Fatima of Makyad coincides with the return of recently expelled Arabella Fritton, who has the kidnap of a prize racehorse on her mind. The first film in the classic comedy series.

Directors
Frank Launder
Characters
Ronald Searle
Editors
Thelma Connell

Top Billed Cast

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  1. Alastair Sim

    Alastair Sim

    Millicent Fritton / Clarence Fritton

  2. Joyce Grenfell

    Joyce Grenfell

    P.W. Sgt. Ruby Gates

  3. George Cole

    George Cole

    Flash Harry

  4. Hermione Baddeley

    Hermione Baddeley

    Miss Drownder

  5. Betty Ann Davies

    Betty Ann Davies

    Miss Waters

  6. Renée Houston

    Renée Houston

    Miss Brimmer

  7. Beryl Reid

    Beryl Reid

    Miss Wilson

  8. Irene Handl

    Irene Handl

    Miss Gale

  9. Mary Merrall

    Mary Merrall

    Miss Buckland

Reviews2

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John Chard Avatar

John Chard

Jul 26, 2014

8/10

St. Trinian’s School For Young Ladies. The Belles of St. Trinian’s is directed by Frank Launder and co-written by Launder, Sidney Gilliat and Val Valentine. It stars Alastair Sim, Joyce Grenfell, George Cole, Hermione Baddeley and Betty Ann Davis. Music is by Malcolm Arnold and cinematography by Stanley Pavey. Inspired by the cartoon drawings of Ronald Searle, The Belles of St. Trinian’s is the first part of a franchise that still thrives even today. With 7 films currently under the Trinian’s banner, the roguish behaviour of the girls and their manner of dress sense passed into pop culture and is still going strong today. Either for sexual titillation (the St Trinian’s look has always been popular at fancy dress parties) or as a tag for unruly girls in British schools, it’s hard to believe that Searle envisaged the ever lasting appeal of his creations. Unfortunately the films are a mixed bunch, with a couple of them just plain bad. This however is not a problem with The Belles, the best of the bunch by some margin. The Barchester Bedlam. Pic is fronted by Sim in a dual role of brother and sister. The art of drag has been tarnished over the years by some of the more stuffy members of the human race, but in the right hands it often works so well, as evidence by the wonderful Sim here. The plot involves a gambling sting at the big horserace on the horizon, with Flash Harry (Cole) aided and abetted by the terrors of St. Trinian’s. It’s all very chaotic and horsey, both in the equine sense and in horseplay terms. Grenfell is the policewoman who goes under cover as a teacher in the school, where the staff roster is populated by British stars of the future like Beryl Reid, Joan Sims and Irene Handl. The girls, of various stages of their schooling, smoke, toke, drink and take every opportunity to cause mischief. Their reputation precedes them, as the train that carries them inward bound for the new term approaches, the town citizens start to board the place up, even the chickens run off into hibernation! This is the on going joke that works right to the film’s conclusion, sadly it would run out of steam by the time The Great St Trinian’s Train Robbery pulled into the station in 1966. But Belles is great fun, very British of course and very clever. From Sim being dry as the Sahara and Grenfell’s Duracell Bunny performance, to those rascal girls, the school is open for frolics and energised bedlam. Enjoy. 8/10

Media

  • The Belles of St. Trinian's poster
  • The Belles of St. Trinian's poster
  • The Belles of St. Trinian's poster
  • The Belles of St. Trinian's poster
  • The Belles of St. Trinian's poster

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Status
Released
Original Language
English
Budget
--
Revenue
--
Keywords
racehorsegirls' boarding schoolbased on comicschoolgirlfield hockeygirls' school