Main Cast: Alastair Sim, Joyce Grenfell, George Cole, Hermione Baddeley, Betty Ann Davies
Release Year: 1953
Country: UK
Run Time: 86 minutes
Plot
Belles of St. Trinian's was the first of several British comedies inspired by the fear-inspiring girl's school created by cartoonist Ronald Searle. The girls of St. Trinian's aim their deviltry at a gang of crooks who plan to steal a famous race horse. Alastair Sim wraps up the proceedings with his dual portrayal of the school's severe headmistress (!) and her bookmaking twin brother. Also worth watching is veteran supporting player George Cole, who makes a tidy profit on the alcoholic beverages produced in the girls' science lab, and toothy Joyce Grenfell as a diligent lady constable. Like most of the subsequent "St. Trinian's" farces, Belles of St. Trinian's was a joint effort of the producer/director/writer team of Frank Launder and Sidney Gilliat. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
Ronald Searle's cartoons featuring the devilish girls of St. Trinian's School have some of the same ghoulish humor that marked the best work of American cartoonist Charles Addams. The Belles of St. Trinian's fudges that sense of ghoulishness somewhat, both by concentrating more on the characters played by Alastair Sim and by seeming afraid to go far enough in displaying the blackness of the girls' hearts. As a result, the film is less satisfying and less distinctive than it should have been. Having said that, however, it is still a very amusing and diverting afternoon's entertainment. And while focusing on Sim robs the film of some of its impact, it does allow the audience to be entertained by one of the British cinema's most delightful character actors. Sim's headmistress is a wonderful comic creation; she is sly, crafty and selfish but would be genuinely appalled were she ever to think such adjectives were being applied to her. There's an innocence to her which is appealing, and contrasts neatly with the oiliness of her brother (also played by Sim). While the screenplay doesn't provide Sim with first rate material, he makes the absolute most of what he is given. He is ably supported by the dependable Joyce Grenfell, and the rest of the large cast fills their parts most capably. Belles was followed by a number of sequels. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
The opening scenes of the girls returning to school were filmed on location at Alton Convent in Hampshire.
Richard Wattis appeared as Manton Bassett, a civil servant in the Ministry of Education, Lloyd Lamble as Superintendent Kemp-Bird (the reluctant fiancé of Ruby Gates), and Sid James as Benny, one of Clarence Fritton's racing associates.
The schoolgirls battle against the Ministry of Education, and against the school mistresses (the teachers) and the local police force, as well as amongst each other.
St. Trinian's school students became embroiled in a plot with the daughter of an Arab sheik and the sheik's racehorse, trying to gamble on the outcome of the upcoming "Gold Cup" horse race. The Fourth Formers want the sheik's racehorse to win. However, the Sixth Formers want to keep the sheik's racehorse from racing, so that another racehorse can win instead. The headmistress of the school also places a bet on the sheik's racehorse to win, to save her beloved school.
The opposing aims of the two Forms pit the Sixth Form and Fourth Form pupils against each other in a pitched battle, with a general mêlée also involving former pupils.
The sheik's racehorse wins and the headmistress is able to get the school out of debt and reclaim the school's pawned sports trophies with her winnings.
Hurrah for St Trinian's (1948) · The Female Approach (1950) · Back to the Slaughterhouse (1952) · The Terror of St Trinian's (1952) · Souls in Torment (1953) · The Curse of St. Trinian's (1993) · The Terror of St Trinian's & other drawings (2000) · St. Trinian's: The cartoons (2007)
