Copyright 1955 by Frank Launder and Sidney Gilliat Productions. U.S. release through Associated Artists: 5 January 1955. New York opening at the Plaza: 22 December 1954. U.K. release through British Lion: 15 November 1954. London trade show: 2 September 1954. London premiere at the Gaumont Haymarket: 1 October 1954. Australian release through London Films/Universal-International: 5 May 1955. 8,190 feet. 91 minutes. SYNOPSIS: Crooked bookies try to waylay a famous racehorse, but their plot is foiled by the alert gambling girls of St Trinian's. NOTES: One of the U.K. box-office's top ten successes of 1954, the film did less well in Australia (not even placing in the top thirty for 1955).COMMENT: This is the first of four films inspired by the anarchic cartoons of Ronald Searle. The others: Blue Murder at St Trinian's (1957), The Pure Hell of St Trinian's (1960), The Great St Trinian's Train Robbery (1966). All were produced by Frank Launder and Sidney Gilliat. Like all the others, this first attempt is something of a disappointment to those of us who relish the macabre humor and anti-Establishment content of the cartoons. In fact the film nowhere comes near the malicious wit and fiendish humor devised by Searle. All the same, on its more elemental and routine level of bucket-on-the-head slapstick, it does produce its fair quota of diverting moments. (Odd to see Ronald Searle and his wife giving their imprimatur to the proceedings by appearing on camera as a couple of irate parents). The players, fortunately, are first rate, taking their cue from Alastair Sim who produces a delightfully fruity performance in his dual role. Other favorites who distinguish themselves here are Joyce Grenfell, Hermione Baddeley and the wonderfully lop-sided George Cole (invariably accompanied by a deliciously amusing musical motif from Malcolm Arnold's orchestra).

"The Belles of St. Trinian's" was the first of 4 comedies to feature a rather notorious school for Girls where the pupils had overtaken the school and the teachers were always outsmarted. Alastair Sim is cast as both the headmistress Miss Fritton and her dishonest brother. As with most of his films, he steals the show. However, the supporting cast are brilliant, particularly George Cole and Joyce Grenfell. The latter is a police officer who goes undercover as a teacher, so as to discover what those dastardly pupils are planning next. From the opening scene, it is clear that the establishment ceased to be a school many years earlier! The laughs are plentiful and I rate this film as the best one by a long way. Released in 1954, "The Belles of St. Trinian's" was a huge commercial success and rightly so.

About as hilarious as 50s British comedy can get, THE BELLES OF ST TRINIAN'S has almost a gag a minute... and at 91 minutes makes for a terrific time. Other films I equally recommend of the same period are THE TITFIELD THUNDERBOLT and THE GREEN MAN. In fact any film with Alistair Sim or Terry Thomas, George Cole, Richard Wattis or Joyce Grenfell or any combination is a delight. in ST TRINIAN'S we get a double dose of Sims playing two roles with that hilarious disdain he constantly lets ripple across his face. Joyce Grenfell as Ruby Gates (oh dear! that name!) plays her 'jolly hockey sticks' constable-incognito to hilarious perfection. Possibly the best laughs come from George Cole as Flash Harry (who comes out of a bush when whistled at) and various visits to classrooms by Ms Fritton (Sims) reacting to explosions ('Oh poor Betty!") or science lab gin production ("just send a few bottles of that up to my room"'). Every part of the film is funny from the characters, their costumes the antics and the setting. There were sequels but the first three are the best: including this one, BLUE MURDER AT ST TRINIAN'S and later in color THE GREAT ST TRINIAN'S TRAIN ROBBERY.

For those of you unfamiliar with Alisdair Sims, he is of course THE definitive Scrooge of all them Christmas Carol movies. (Me? I guess I'm REALLY bad.. I haven't actually seen the darn thing). I guess those who HAVE seen Christmas Carol and so used to his character might find The Bells of St. Trinians rather surprising. You see, in this movie, Sims has two roles. One, he plays a heavy better, and in the other, he's in drag as a headmistress for a private girl's school! So once you get that through your thick skull, this movie offers plenty of delights. The plot is deals with the way the school tries to make some desperately needed money through a horse race. It's actually a little more complicated for the small kids to handle, but I think they would be preoccupied with their antics, and with the horses to really notice. The adults too might get tripped over all the thick accents being thrown around as well. But again, the story is reasonably light, the action crazy and frenetic, for one to really notice. PS, the kids all look like they come from the Eloise school of cuteness.