The Belles of St. Trinian's (1954)

The Belles of St. Trinian's (1954) (Blu-Ray) (*)

~~$20.99~~ $14.97

Language Selections:
English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 )
French ( Subtitles )

Product Origin/Format:
France ( Blu-Ray/Region B )

Running Time:
91 min

Aspect Ratio:
Fullscreen

Special Features:
Cast/Crew Interview(s)
Featurette
Interactive Menu
Scene Access
Remastered

Movie filmed in 1954 and produced in:
United Kingdom ( Great Britain, Ireland )

Directed By:
Frank Launder

Written By:
Sidney Gilliat
Frank Launder

Actors:
Alastair Sim ..... Millicent Fritton/Clarence Fritton
Joyce Grenfell ..... Policewoman Ruby Gates
George Cole ..... 'Flash' Harry
Hermione Baddeley ..... Miss Drownder
Betty Ann Davies ..... Miss Waters
Renee Houston ..... Miss Brimmer (as Renée Houston)
Beryl Reid ..... Miss Wilson
Irene Handl ..... Miss Gale
Mary Merrall ..... Miss Buckland
Joan Sims ..... Miss Dawn
Balbina ..... Mademoiselle de St. Emilion
Jane Henderson ..... Miss Holland
Diana Day ..... Jackie
Jill Braidwood ..... Florrie
Annabelle Covey ..... Maudie
Pauline Drewett ..... Celia
Jean Langston ..... Rosie
Lloyd Lamble ..... Superintendent Kemp Bird
Richard Wattis ..... Manton Bassett
Guy Middleton ..... Eric Rowbottom-Smith
Arthur Howard ..... Wilfred Woodley
Michael Ripper ..... Albert Faning
Eric Pohlmann ..... The Sultan of Makyad
Sid James ..... Benny (as Sidney James)
Martin Walker ..... Hankinson
Noel Hood ..... Bilston School Mistress (as Noël Hood)
Vivienne Martin ..... Arabella
Elizabeth Griffiths ..... Gladys
Andree Melly ..... Lucretia (as Andrée Melly)
Belinda Lee ..... Amanda
Michael Kelly ..... Bill
Tommy Duggan ..... Joe
Paul Connell ..... Sam
Lorna Henderson ..... Fatima
Vivien Wood ..... Miss Anderson (as Vivienne Wood)
Cara Stevens ..... Sultan's Secretary
Jerry Verno ..... Alf - the Bookmaker
Jack Doyle ..... Assistant Trainer
Windsor Cottage ..... The Horse

Synopsis:

A new term opens at 'St Trinian's School for Young Ladies', striking terror into the local residents and even the police. The school is heavily in debt and the teachers haven't been paid for months, but they stay on as no other school would touch them. The headmistress attempts to relieve an Arab sultan's daughter of her one hundred pounds 'pocket money' in order to 'invest' it and clear the school's debts. The police plant an undercover officer as a games mistress, who is appalled by what she finds; including gin manufacture in the chemistry laboratory. The girls became embroiled in a plot with the Arab princess and her father's racehorse to gamble on the upcoming "Gold Cup" horse race. The Fourth Formers want the horse to win, but the Sixth Formers want to keep it from racing so that another racehorse can win. The headmistress bets on the horse to save her beloved school. The situation pits the Sixth Form and Fourth Form against each other in a mêlée involving former pupils. The horse wins and the headmistress gets the school out of debt, reclaiming the sports trophies, which had been pawned. The girls also seduce the Ministry of Education inspectors sent to investigate the school.

Belles of St. Trinian's was the first of several British comedies inspired by the fear-inspiring girl's school created by cartoonist Ronald Searle. The girls of St. Trinian's aim their deviltry at a gang of crooks who plan to steal a famous race horse. Alastair Sim wraps up the proceedings with his dual portrayal of the school's severe headmistress (!) and her bookmaking twin brother. Also worth watching is veteran supporting player George Cole, who makes a tidy profit on the alcoholic beverages produced in the girls' science lab, and toothy Joyce Grenfell as a diligent lady constable. Like most of the subsequent 'St. Trinian's' farces, Belles of St. Trinian's was a joint effort of the producer/director/writer team of Frank Launder and Sidney Gilliat.

The arrival of Sultan's daughter Princess Fatima at England's famous and prestigious 'School for Young Ladies' precipitates even more chaos than usual. Her father's horse Arab Boy is due to run at the nearby Gold Cup so Clarence Fitton, bookie brother of headmistress Millicent, ensures his own daughter is on hand to report progress. At the same time Barchester police have planted sergeant Ruby Gates as a teacher, and the Ministry of Education are sending a third inspector down after the previous two disappeared without trace.

This product was added to our catalog on Sunday 21 June, 2020.