Belles of St Trinian’s, The (1954)

This rollicking British comedy – filmed at Shepperton Studios – is based on Ronald Searle’s cartoons of the terrifying St Trinian’s School for Girls, populated by cigarette-smoking, whisky-drinking, horse-playing, murderously-disposed schoolgirls.

The school has a doctrine of free expression and constantly borders on bankruptcy, and scholarly activities are not exactly obtrusive. Gin is distilled in the chemistry class, the school trophies are pawned, and visiting inspectors from the Ministry are trapped by the scrumptious French mistress Mademoiselle de St. Emilion (Balbina), who runs a permanent “French lunch” for them.

Bookie Clarence (Alastair Sim) is the brother of Miss Millicent Fritton (also Alastair Sim), the school’s headmistress.

Clarence sneaks his expelled daughter, Arabella (Vivienne Martin), into the school as a student to pick up insider racing information from Princess Fatima (Lorna Henderson) – the daughter of the Sultan of Makyad, a wealthy racehorse owner.

The sultan’s horse, ‘Arab Boy’, is due to run in the Gold Cup and is backed heavily by the fourth form girls and Miss Fritton (using school funds) in the hope of winning a fortune.

Cockney spiv Flash Harry (George Cole) is on hand to make a profit from the girl’s booze manufacturing while ditzy policewoman Ruby Gates (Joyce Grenfell) attempts to keep a watch on all the proceedings by joining the school staff as games mistress.

The racehorse is kidnapped by the sixth form but rescued in time to win the race and save St Trinian’s from bankruptcy.

A first-rate supporting cast includes Beryl Reid as the school maths mistress, Monica Wilson, and Hermione Baddeley as the geography mistress, Miss Drownder, whose teachings seem limited to the best years for the best French wines.

The biggest laugh is provided by a “no holds barred” hockey match.

Clarence Fritton
Alastair Sim
Miss Millicent Fritton
Alastair Sim
Policewoman Sgt Ruby Gates
Joyce Grenfell
Flash Harry
George Cole
Miss Drownder
Hermione Baddeley
Miss Waters
Betty Ann Davies
Miss Brimmer
Renee Houston
Miss Monica Wilson
Beryl Reid
Mlle de St. Emilion
Balbina
Miss Gale
Irene Handl
Miss Buckland
Mary Merrall
Miss Dawn
Joan Sims
Benny
Sid James
Eric Rowbottom Smith
Guy Middleton
Wilfred Woodley
Arthur Howard
Albert Fanning
Michael Ripper
Jackie
Diana Day
Florrie
Jill Braidwood
Maudie
Annabelle Covey
Celia
Pauline Drewett
Rosie
Jean Langston
Arabella
Vivienne Martin
Gladys
Elizabeth Griffiths
Lucretia
Andrée Melly
Amanda
Belinda Lee
Sultan
Eric Pohlmann
Princess Fatima
Lorna Henderson
Alf
Jerry Verno
Superintendent Kemp Bird
Lloyd Lamble

Director
Frank Launder