Rent The Belles of St. Trinian's (1954)

Comic Anarchy. - The Belles of St. Trinian's review by Steve

Inspired British comedy loosely based on Ronald Searle's celebrated comic strips set in an anarchic public school for girls. The younger pupils are feral tweenies, marauding in packs and brandishing hockey sticks. The sixth form are smokers and boozers who use sex to procure favours. And the staff room is a last chance saloon for crooks and fugitives.

 The plot is a lively farce about conflicting bets placed on a Sultan's racehorse which is favourite for the Gold Cup. While the comedy has incredible energy, it is surprisingly clever and witty too. It's full of absurd plot twists and droll one liners. And the circus-ragtime soundtrack is perfect. It's not exactly PC, but there are no real victims.

There's a classic cast of comedy stalwarts, led by Alastair Sim in drag as the devious headteacher, with quality schtick from Joyce Grenfell. And George Cole's definitive performance, as Flash Harry, a dodgy wide-boy who acts as the girls' middle man. Belinda Lee makes an impression as a blonde sex bomb, still in school for reasons never explained.

Or because St. Trinian's is a place where normal rules do not apply. Into the fifties climate of sedate conservatism, Launder and Gilliat loosed anarchy in the UK. Figures of authority cower in the path of an unstoppable wave of delinquency, violence and subterfuge. It's difficult to imagine another country producing a film much like this.