| The Belles of St Trinian's | |
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DVD cover |
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| Directed by | Frank Launder |
| Produced by | Frank Launder Sidney Gilliat |
| Written by | Frank Launder Sidney Gilliat Val Valentine |
| Starring | Alastair Sim Joyce Grenfell George Cole Hermione Baddeley Betty Ann Davies |
| Music by | Malcolm Arnold |
| Cinematography | Stanley Pavey |
| Editing by | Thelma Connell |
| Distributed by | British Lion Films London Films |
| Release date(s) | 28 September 1954 |
| Running time | 86 min. |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
The Belles of St Trinian's is a comedy film set in the fictional St Trinian's School, released in 1954. It and its sequels were inspired by British cartoonist Ronald Searle. Directed by Frank Launder and written by him and Sidney Gilliat, it was the first of a series of five. Alastair Sim stars in a dual role.
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A new term opens at St Trinian's School for Young Ladies, striking terror into the local residents and police. Headmistress Millicent Fritton (Alastair Sim) has an unorthodox teaching philosophy, letting her students run wild.
The school is heavily in debt. The teachers have not been paid for months, but they stay on, as no other school would touch them. To add to her woes, Miss Fritton is blackmailed by her brother Clarence (also played by Sim) into admitting his daughter, Arabella. There is but one ray of hope: the wealthy, westernized Sultan of Makyad (Eric Pohlmann) has decided to send one of his daughters, Fatima, to the school at the recommendation of his English secretary. Miss Fritton quickly takes charge of the girl's one hundred pounds pocket money.
Appalled by the thought of another term of mayhem, Police Superintendent Kemp Bird (Lloyd Lamble) goes to see Ministry of Education official Manton Bassett (Richard Wattis), but he wants nothing to do with the school. Sometime in the past, Bassett sent his best inspector to investigate; when he did not return, Bassett despatched another, only to have the same thing happen. Bird decides to plant an undercover officer, his girlfriend Sergeant Ruby Gates (Joyce Grenfell), as the school's new games mistress. She uncovers all sorts of illegal and dangerous activities, including a gin still in the chemistry laboratory. Flash Harry (George Cole), a former school employee, handles the sale of the bootleg gin, as well as the girls' sports bets.
When the students discover that the Sultan's racehorse, "Arab Boy", is entered the upcoming Gold Cup race, they use Fatima's influence to watch the horse work out. Impressed by what they see, the Fourth Formers bet on Arab Boy to win. When Miss Fritton learns of it, she also reluctantly bets the school's remaining funds on the horse to save her beloved St. Trinian's.
Her brother, however, has bet a very large sum on another horse. His daughter tells him about Arab Boy's performance, then suggests she and her Sixth Form cohorts kidnap the horse. Clarence resists the idea, but in the end has no choice but to agree. The Fourth Form find out and steal the horse from the thieves, hiding Arab Boy at the school. The situation pits the Sixth and Fourth Forms against each other in a wild mêlée over the horse. Also getting embroiled are the school staff, visiting former pupils and Clarence's men. In the end, the horse makes it to the race just in time and wins, enabling the headmistress to get the school out of debt.
Ronald Searle appeared in a cameo role as a visiting parent. Roger Delgado plays the Sultan's aide. It was also the first film appearance for a 17 year-old Barbara Windsor.
The opening scenes of the girls returning to school were filmed at Alton Convent in Hampshire.
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