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 RachelDevery
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
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Mary Clancy
Sister Clarissa
