The Belles of St Trinian's
| The Belles of St Trinian's | |
|---|---|
DVD cover
|
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| Directed by | Frank Launder |
| Produced by | Frank Launder Sidney Gilliat |
| Written by | Frank Launder Sidney Gilliat Val Valentine |
| Starring |
Alastair Sim Joyce Grenfell George Cole Hermione Baddeley Betty Ann Davies |
| Music by | Malcolm Arnold |
| Cinematography | Stanley Pavey |
| Edited by | Thelma Connell |
| Distributed by |
British Lion Films London Films |
|
Release date
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28 September 1954 |
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Running time
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86 min. |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
The Belles of St Trinian's is a comedy film set in the fictional St Trinian's School, released in 1954. It and its sequels were inspired by British cartoonist Ronald Searle. Directed by Frank Launder and written by him and Sidney Gilliat, it was the first of a series of five. Alastair Sim stars in a dual role as the headmistress Miss Millicent Fritton and her twin brother Clarence Fritton.
The Sultan of Makyad (Eric Pohlmann) wants to send his daughter Fatima to a school in England, and asks her governess Miss Anderson to recommend one: she recommends St. Trinian's in Barchester County. This suits the Sultan perfectly: as his racehorses are trained there, he will be able to visit Fatima and his horses at the same time.
At St. Trinian's, Miss Holland the accountant explains to Headmistress Millicent Fritton (Alastair Sim) that they need cash, not checks. Then Fritton's twin brother, bookmaker Clarence (Alastair Sim), arrives with his previously expelled Sixth Form daughter Arabella (Vivienne Martin). He gets his sister to re-enroll her so she can befriend Fatima and get information on Arab Boy, the Sultan's horse that will run in the upcoming Cheltenham Gold Cup against Blue Prince, the horse he and his associates have backed. Assistant Headmistress/Physics Mistress Buckland (Mary Merrall) enters the office to introduce Fatima and two other new girls to Fritton, and Fatima meets Arabella. Fritton explains St. Trinian’s to the new girls: "At most schools, girls are sent out quite unprepared for a merciless world but, when our girls leave here, it is the merciless world which has to be prepared." Fritton takes the new girls to meet the staff: Miss Brimmer (Renée Houston) Arts and Handicrafts Mistress; Miss Wilson (Beryl Reid) Maths Mistress; Mlle. de St. Emilion (Balbina Gutierrez) French Mistress; Miss Drownder (Hermione Baddeley) Geography Mistress; Miss Gale (Irene Handl) English Literature Mistress; Miss Waters (Betty Ann Davies) the Scripture and Needle Work Mistress; and Miss Dawn (Joan Sims).
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