The boys and girls of the Upper Sixth at Angel Hill Grammar School are practising hard for the National Festival of School Orchestras. Their popular young music-loving house master Mr Dingle (John Mills), encourages them.
The new headmaster, Mr Frome (Cecil Parker), however, disapproves and threatens to close down the school band.
A ban is placed on purchasing new instruments, but the kids hit back by secretly acquiring their instruments on hire purchase, while Dingle plays honky tonk piano in the local pub to raise money to meet the payments. When Frome finds out, he fires the teacher.
The youngsters immediately go on strike and, led by head boy Nicky (Jeremy Spenser), barricade themselves in the gymnasium.
In the end, Mr Dingle is reinstated and the kids get their instruments.
It’s a lighthearted and exuberant British romp in glorious Technicolor – delightfully old-fashioned, but great fun to watch.
The school scenes were filmed at the Royal Masonic School in Bushey, Hertfordshire, which has since been converted into luxury apartments.
Mr Dingle
John Mills Headmaster Frome
Cecil Parker Routledge
John Salew Mrs Castle
Elizabeth Kentish Miss Morrow
Mona Washbourne Miss Wyvern
Mary Merrall Paterson, Sports Master
Derek Blomfield Nicky
Jeremy Spenser Paulette
Dorothy Bromiley Ginger
Brian Smith Browning
Wilfred Downing Morris
Robert Dickens Crowther
Dawson France Peggy
Carole Shelley Lawson
Richard O’Sullivan Mr Morris
Eddie Byrne School Inspector
Russell Waters
Director
Cyril Frankel
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The school scenes were filmed at the Royal Masonic School in Bushey, Hertfordshire, which has since been converted into luxury apartments.
Mrs Castle
Paterson, Sports Master
