Two high-spirited young students at St. Francis Academy (a Catholic boarding school for girls) keep things hopping for the challenged Mother Superior (Rosalind Russell) and her staff of bewildered Sisters.
Red-headed young devil Mary Clancy (Hayley Mills) has “scathingly brilliant ideas” when it comes to hell-raising. She is followed into wickedness by her best friend Rachel Devery (June Harding).
The story spans three years and follows the girls and their many pranks, including setting off fire alarms, smoking cigars in the basement and putting detergent in the nuns’ sugar bowls, causing soap bubbles to fill the refectory.
As the girls mature, they gain a greater respect for their teachers and the commitment and devotion required to be a nun, leading one of them to make a life-changing decision.
Blanche Hanalis adapted the script from Jane Trahey’s novel Life With Mother Superior.
Producer William Frye, composer Jerry Goldsmith and photographer Lionel Linden were about the only men allowed to work on this Women Only film, directed by actress Ida Lupino.
Also involved in the fun with the nuns was ex-stripper Gypsy Rose Lee as a dance instructor.
Mary Clancy
Hayley Mills
Rachel Devery
June Harding
Mother Superior
Rosalind Russell
Sister Celestine
Binnie Barnes
Sister Constance
Camilla Sparv
Sister Clarissa
Mary Wickes
Sister Liguori
Marge Redmond
Sister Rose Marie
Dolores Sutton
Sister Barbara
Margalo Gillmore
Sister Elizabeth
Portia Nelson
Sister Ursula
Marjorie Eaton
Sister Margaret
Barbara Bell Wright
Sister Prudence
Judith Lowry
Marvel-Ann
Barbara Hunter
Valerie
Bernadette Withers
Charlotte
Vicky Albright
Sheila
Patty Ann Gerrity
Kate
Vicki Draves
Sandy
Wendy Winkelman
Ginnie-Lou
Jewel Jaffe
Priscilla
Gail Liddle
Ruth
Michael-Marie
Gladys
Betty Jane Royale
Helen
Ronne Troup
Brigette
Catherine Wyles
Mrs Phipps
Gypsy Rose Lee
Mr Gottschalk
Jim Boles
Uncle George
Kent Smith
Mr Devery
Pat McCaffrie
Mr Grisson
Harry Harvey
Mrs Eldridge
Mary Young
Director
Ida Lupino