The Belles of St. Trinian’s 
Directed by Frank Launder
Written by Frank Launder, Sidney Gilliat and Frank Valentine inspired by the original drawings of the Girls and Staff of St. Trinian’s by Ronald Searle
1954/UK
London Film Productions/British Lion Film Productions
First viewing/Netflix rental
Arabella: Monica Drew wasn’t expelled when she burnt down the gymnasium.
Miss Fritton: The gymnasium was insured! The sports pavilion was not.
If you are ready for some non-stop mayhem from some cheeky schoolgirls and their equally delinquent teachers, this movie may be right up your alley. Alistair Sim is outstanding in a dual role as Miss Fritton, the headmistress and her twin bookie brother Clarence.
An Arab prince decides to send Fatima, one of his many daughters, abroad for a Western education. St. Trinian’s is considered ideal as it is located near the prince’s prize racehorses.
Fatima arrives at a time when chronic mismanagement and pilferage have caused a squadron of debtors to start breathing down the neck of Miss Fritton, who of course promptly confiscates Fatima’s pocket money to buy groceries. The school has a long history of stymying the Board of Education and the police now plant a mole in the form of Sgt. Ruby Gates (Joyce Grenfell) who is posing as a hockey coach. She is practically apoplectic with horror at the goings the entire time.
A visit from Clarence alerts Miss Fritton to the money to be made from backing the winner in an upcoming horse race. Clarence has a horse in the race and is desperate that Arab Boy, the prince’s horse, not win. Miss Fritton sends out spies who discover that Arab Boy is virtually unbeatable. They gather their money for a large bet. Another subset of girls has its money on Clarence’s horse. Every underhanded trick in the book is played to fix the race as the custody of the horse changes several times.
Racing aside, the story is stuffed to the gills with gags featuring the misdeeds of the motley crew of students and their teacher co-cospirators. With George Cole as Flash Harry, a bookie and fence, and Hermoinie Baddley as one of the teachers.
The comedy is very broad indeed. That’s not usually my favorite but there are so many gags and the comics are such pros that the smiles kept coming.
Montage of stills with theme music
