Les belles de Saint-Trinian

the first and probably the best of the three original St. Trinian's films. What with Alastir Sim and Joyce Grenfell, this film will definitely make you laugh. however, I personally think what makes the film what it is is Flash Harry, the local cockney spiv played expertly well by George Cole. The interaction between Cole, Sim and Grenfell is magic. Flash Harry is a fantastic character and can't but make you laugh. A classic, classic film.

The Belles of St. Trinian's was the first of the St. Trinian's film series, based on the popular cartoons by Ronald Searle, which followed the exploits of the tearaway students and scurrilous staff at a notorious all-girls boarding school.

The audience for these films can be divided into two main groups: Young kids, for whom the St.Trinian's girls' rebellious behaviour provides a source of wish fulfilment; and middle-aged men, who watch for the more shapely, older students, with their short skirts, stockings, suspenders, and oh-so-tight gym shorts. I used to be in the first category; now I'm in the second.

The plot is predictable comic book high jinks, the naughty fourth formers trying to win a bundle by betting on Arab Boy in the Gold Cup, the horse belonging to the wealthy Sultan of Makyad (Eric Pohlmann), father of new student Princess Fatima (Lorna Henderson). Meanwhile, the sixth formers attempt to steal the horse so that another nag will win the race, making a nice bundle for Clarence Fritton (Alistair Sims), brother of headmistress Millicent (who has bet the school's last few hundred pounds on Arab Boy!).

In the tradition of the great British pantomime, The Belles of St. Trinian's features a man in drag as a principle character (Sims also plays Millicent), lots of slapstick, and just a bit of sauciness. This formula has made the series a much-loved institution in the UK, the series rebooted in 2007, and the sexy schoolgirl uniform still a popular choice for fancy-dress parties and hen-nights.

The cast all look as though they're having a great time joining in on the mayhem, and the fun is infectious. Also serving to make this film hugely entertaining are Joyce Grenfell as undercover cop P.W. Sgt. Ruby Gates, George Cole as shifty spiv 'Flash' Harry (whose appearance is accompanied by his own jaunty theme music), and several familiar faces amongst the supporting players: Joan Sims, Irene Handl, and Beryl Reid as teachers, Sid James as Clarence's pal Benny, Hammer horror regular Michael Ripper as stable lad Albert, and Shirley Eaton and Barbara Windsor as students (but good luck in spotting them).

7.5/10, rounded up to 8 for tragic Brit bombshell Belinda Lee as sexy sixth form girl Amanda. Phwoar!

This comic classic of English school girl antics is and was one of the great art house classics. Then the art house disappeared with the arrival of videos. And so did the audience for this movie. The loss is not to the art houses or to this great film. The loss is to those who will never have a real opportunity to view this memorable laugh filled cinematic masterpiece. But I am preaching to the converted aren't I. Who else would search for this flick?

The St Trinian's film series, in which a rowdy crowd of girls, their drunken and appalling teachers, and their 'refined' headmistress (played by a man, natch), remain high in any league table of Britain's comedy moments.

In a cast headed by the superb Alistair Sim (Miss Fritton, the headmistress; and her brother, race shark Clarence) we also find Joyce Grenfell as a policewoman joining the staff undercover (and no one was better than Grenfell at this jolly hockey kind of stuff), Beryl Reid as a mannish, drunken chemistry teacher, Hermoine Baddeley and Irene Handl as memorably unsuitable members of staff, George Cole as 'flash' Harry, an odd-job man who deals with the export of the St Trinian's bathtub gin and places racing bets for the girls, and the incomparable Richard Wattis as a harassed Ministry of Education inspector.

The girls themselves include some memorable turns - Vivienne Martin as chain-smoking Bella, Belinda Lee as horny Amanda, also Barbara Windsor and Carol White are somewhere in there.

The plot revolves around a race horse, Arab Boy, who ends up in the fourth-former's dormitory; a side plot involves missing Ministers of Education, who have become part of the staff as 'the Lotus Eaters'.

Probably the funniest of the series, this film is fast-paced, furious, with some violent 'old girls', some wonderful set-pieces, and a nice script from Launder and Gilliat.

I first saw this film in the late fifties or early sixties on tv. If I recall correctly there were a few other films in the story of the St. Trinian's Belles. I don't remember the others quite well, but the first one is without question one of the funniest films out of Britain I have ever seen. For that matter, out of anywhere. The sight gags are fast and furious, the dialogue is to die for and almost all the characters are brilliantly drawn and just plain funny. Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves immensely. I highly recommend this movie to anyone who appreciates good old fashioned comedy (not rated R) and I think even children will love it. This is one of those movies (and its sequels) that I would pay almost anything to own. Enjoy it if you ever get a chance to see it.