St. Trinian's (franchise): Difference between revisions

Line 8:

|'''Girls Aloud''', ''St. Trinian's'' (2007)}}

''[[St Trinian's]]'' is a film series based on a series of cartoons by Ronald Searle (who also was responsible for the [[Molesworth]] books and ''Dick Deadeye, or Duty Done''). The films are set in a [[Boarding School of Horrors|disreputable girls' school]] where the only rule is that there are no rules. The girls themselves are teen and pre-teen horrors who are not above using their feminine wiles to get away with murder. The teachers? [[Adults Are Useless|They're no use]], instead teaching the girls how to get away with crime in foreign countries and mixing drinks. The headmistress, Miss Fritton, has no interest in maintaining any form of order. And there's a local spiv, Flash Harry, who makes money from whatever schemes the girls cook up (usually).

'''''St. Trinian's''''' is a film series based on a series of cartoons by Ronald Searle (who also was responsible for the [[Molesworth]] books and ''Dick Deadeye, or Duty Done''). The films are set in a [[Boarding School of Horrors|disreputable girls' school]] where the only rule is that there are no rules. The girls themselves are teen and pre-teen horrors who are not above using either their hockey sticks or their feminine wiles to get away with murder. The teachers? [[Adults Are Useless|They're no use]], instead teaching the girls how to get away with crime in foreign countries and mixing drinks. The headmistress, Miss Fritton, has no interest in maintaining any form of order. And there's a local spiv, Flash Harry, who makes money from whatever schemes the girls cook up (usually).

* ''The Belles of St Trinian's'' (1954): The decrepit school is desperately in need of some money, so the headmistress allows the girls to place bets on a horserace. Things get out of hand when the classes place bets on rival horses.

* ''[[The Belles of St. Trinian's]]'' (1954): The decrepit school is desperately in need of some money, so the headmistress allows the girls to place bets on a horserace. Things get out of hand when the classes place bets on rival horses.

* ''Blue Murder at St Trinian's'' (1957): Flash Harry (George Cole here) sets up a marriage agency, resulting in a prince wanting to meet the girls. Problems arise when the jewel-thief father of one of the girls decides to hide out at the school.

* ''[[Blue Murder at St. Trinian's]]'' (1957): Flash Harry (George Cole here) sets up a marriage agency, resulting in a prince wanting to meet the girls. Problems arise when the jewel-thief father of one of the girls decides to hide out at the school.

* ''The Pure Hell of St Trinian's'' (1960): The girls are kidnapped and forced to defend themselves against the sons of an Arabian Emir, who want them as their wives.

* ''[[The Pure Hell of St. Trinian's]]'' (1960): The girls are kidnapped and forced to defend themselves against the sons of an Arabian Emir, who want them as their wives.

* ''The Great St. Trinian's Train Robbery'' (1966): The school takes over a mansion in which thieves have hidden money.

* ''[[The Great St. Trinian's Train Robbery]]'' (1966): The school takes over a mansion in which thieves have hidden money.

The series was briefly revived in 1980 with ''The Wildcats of St Trinian's''. In this movie, Joe Melia replaced George Cole as Flash Harry, and the film was not a success.

The series was briefly revived in 1980 with ''[[The Wildcats of St Trinian's]]''. In this movie, Joe Melia replaced George Cole as Flash Harry, and the film was not a success.

The franchise would have to wait 27 more years before a new film came out, this time simply called ''St. Trinian's'' (''St. Trinian's School for (Bad) Girls'' in DVD release). In this one, the school is threatened with foreclosure by the bank, Headmistress Miss Fritton's brother (who wishes to build on the old ground) and the ultra-conservative Minister of Education. Faced with threats from all sides, the girls decide to pull off the biggest heist ever concocted by a bunch of teenagers. This one features [[Colin Firth]] as the Minister of Education, and thus avoids the [[Celebrity Paradox]] by making jokes about ''Another Country'', ''[[Pride and Prejudice]]'' and ''[[Girl with a Pearl Earring]]''. It's also notable for having Colin Firth and Rupert Everett perform "Love is in the Air" over the end credits. There was also a poorly-received (though not bad) sequel, ''St Trinian's 2: The Legend of Fritton's Gold'', in 2009 (featuring former ''[[Doctor Who]]'' star David Tennant as the villain). A third film is planned, but [[Development Hell|has yet to materialize.]]

The franchise would have to wait 27 more years before a new film came out, this time simply called ''[[St. Trinian's]]'' (''St. Trinian's School for (Bad) Girls'' in DVD release). In this one, the school is threatened with foreclosure by the bank, Headmistress Miss Fritton's brother (who wishes to build on the old ground) and the ultra-conservative Minister of Education. Faced with threats from all sides, the girls decide to pull off the biggest heist ever concocted by a bunch of teenagers. This one features [[Colin Firth]] as the Minister of Education, and thus avoids the [[Celebrity Paradox]] by making jokes about ''Another Country'', ''[[Pride and Prejudice]]'' and ''[[Girl with a Pearl Earring]]''. It's also notable for having Colin Firth and Rupert Everett perform "Love is in the Air" over the end credits. There was also a poorly-received (though not bad) sequel, ''[[St. Trinian's 2: The Legend of Fritton's Gold]]'', in 2009 (featuring former ''[[Doctor Who]]'' star David Tennant as the villain). A third film is planned, but [[Development Hell|has yet to materialize.]]

One notable thing about the films is the fact that the Headmistress, Miss Fritton, is played by a man (Alistair Sim in the original; Rupert Everett in the 2007 reboot) who [[Acting for Two|also plays]] [[Half-Identical Twins|her brother]]. The only constant, however, is Flash Harry (played by [[Russell Brand]] in the 2007 film).