Blue Murder at St Trinian's
Encyclopedia
Blue Murder at St Trinian's (1957) is British comedy
film
set in the fiction
al St Trinian's School
. Directed by Frank Launder
and written by him and Sidney Gilliat
, it was the second of the series of five films and stars Terry-Thomas
, George Cole, Joyce Grenfell
, Lionel Jeffries
and Richard Wattis
.
"Flash Harry
" has set up a marriage agency for the Sixth Form and an Italian Prince is interested in meeting the girls. Meanwhile, the father of one of the Sixth Formers is involved in a diamond theft and recklessly decides to hide out at the school.
Cheating in an academic competition so that they can win a 'goodwill' trip overseas to pave the way for the Sixth Form girls to meet the Prince, the girls force the diamond thief to reluctantly masquerade as their headmistress so that he can accompany them on their trip as their 'chaperone'.
Chaos reigns as the St. Trinian's girls run amok in Europe, leaving a string of victims in their wake as they win by underhanded means at hockey
in France and at water polo
in Italy.
"
Joyce Grenfell
... Police
woman Sergeant Ruby Gates
Terry-Thomas
... Captain Romney Carlton-Ricketts
Lloyd Lamble
... Superintendent
Kemp-Bird
Terry Scott
... Police Sergeant
Lionel Jeffries
... Joe Mangan
Thorley Walters
... Major Whitehart
Cyril Chamberlain
... Army Captain
Alastair Sim
... Miss Fritton
Guido Lorraine
... Prince Bruno
Sixth Form
Lisa Gastoni
... Myrna Mangan
Rosalind Knight
... Annabel
Dilys Laye
... Bridget Strong
Sabrina
... Virginia
Ministry of Education
Richard Wattis
... Manton Bassett
Eric Barker
... Culpepper-Brown
Peter Jones
... Prestwick
A leading model at the time, Sabrina got high billing, appearing in all the posters and publicity stills in school uniform, but she actually had a non-speaking part in which she was only required to lounge in bed reading a book while men hovered around her. She is described as the "school swot
", the only pupil to go to bed on time and where she reads the works of Dostoyevsky.
Thorley Walters was to re-appear in The Pure Hell of St Trinian's
, effectively replacing Richard Wattis as Culpepper-Brown's nerve-racked assistant. He was also to play the part of Culpepper-Brown himself in The Wildcats of St Trinian's
in 1980.
It was Rosalind Knight's first credited film role. She too would later appear in The Wildcats film, this time as a teacher.
British comedy
British comedy, in film, radio and television, is known for its consistently quirky characters, plots and settings, and has produced some of the most famous and memorable comic actors and characters in the last fifty years.-Film comedy:...
film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
set in the fiction
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
al St Trinian's School
St Trinian's School
St Trinian's is a fictional girls' boarding school, the creation of English cartoonist Ronald Searle, that later became the subject of a popular series of comedy films....
. Directed by Frank Launder
Frank Launder
Frank Launder was an English writer, director and producer, who made more than 40 films, many of them in collaboration with Sidney Gilliat....
and written by him and Sidney Gilliat
Sidney Gilliat
Sidney Gilliat was an English film director, producer and writer.He was born in the district of Edgeley in Stockport, Cheshire. In the 1930s he worked as a scriptwriter, most notably with Frank Launder on The Lady Vanishes for Alfred Hitchcock, and its sequel Night Train to Munich , directed by...
, it was the second of the series of five films and stars Terry-Thomas
Terry-Thomas
Thomas Terry Hoar Stevens was a distinctive English comic actor, known as Terry-Thomas. He was famous for his portrayal of disreputable members of the upper classes, especially cads and toffs, with the trademark gap in his front teeth, cigarette holder, smoking jacket, and catch-phrases such as...
, George Cole, Joyce Grenfell
Joyce Grenfell
Joyce Irene Grenfell, OBE was an English actress, comedienne, diseuse and singer-songwriter.-Early life:...
, Lionel Jeffries
Lionel Jeffries
Lionel Charles Jeffries was an English actor, screenwriter and film director.-Early life and career:Jeffries attended the Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Wimborne Minster, Dorset. In 1945, he received a commission in the Oxford and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry...
and Richard Wattis
Richard Wattis
Richard Cameron Wattis , was an English character actor.He attended King Edward's School, Birmingham and Bromsgrove School, after which he worked for the family electrical engineering firm before becoming a professional actor. After his debut with Croydon Repertory Theatre he made many stage...
.
Plot
SpivSpiv
In the United Kingdom, a spiv is a particular type of petty criminal, who deals in stolen or black market goods of questionable authenticity, especially a slickly-dressed man offering goods at bargain prices...
"Flash Harry
Flash Harry (St Trinian's)
Henry Cuthbert Edwards aka Flash Harry is a fictional character from the St. Trinian's series of films who first appears in the 1954 The Belles of St Trinian's. The term refers to "an ostentatious, loudly-dressed, and usually ill-mannered man", who may also be a spiv...
" has set up a marriage agency for the Sixth Form and an Italian Prince is interested in meeting the girls. Meanwhile, the father of one of the Sixth Formers is involved in a diamond theft and recklessly decides to hide out at the school.
Cheating in an academic competition so that they can win a 'goodwill' trip overseas to pave the way for the Sixth Form girls to meet the Prince, the girls force the diamond thief to reluctantly masquerade as their headmistress so that he can accompany them on their trip as their 'chaperone'.
Chaos reigns as the St. Trinian's girls run amok in Europe, leaving a string of victims in their wake as they win by underhanded means at hockey
Field hockey
Field Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
in France and at water polo
Water polo
Water polo is a team water sport. The playing team consists of six field players and one goalkeeper. The winner of the game is the team that scores more goals. Game play involves swimming, treading water , players passing the ball while being defended by opponents, and scoring by throwing into a...
in Italy.
Cast
George Cole ... "Flash HarryFlash Harry (St Trinian's)
Henry Cuthbert Edwards aka Flash Harry is a fictional character from the St. Trinian's series of films who first appears in the 1954 The Belles of St Trinian's. The term refers to "an ostentatious, loudly-dressed, and usually ill-mannered man", who may also be a spiv...
"
Joyce Grenfell
Joyce Grenfell
Joyce Irene Grenfell, OBE was an English actress, comedienne, diseuse and singer-songwriter.-Early life:...
... Police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
woman Sergeant Ruby Gates
Terry-Thomas
Terry-Thomas
Thomas Terry Hoar Stevens was a distinctive English comic actor, known as Terry-Thomas. He was famous for his portrayal of disreputable members of the upper classes, especially cads and toffs, with the trademark gap in his front teeth, cigarette holder, smoking jacket, and catch-phrases such as...
... Captain Romney Carlton-Ricketts
Lloyd Lamble
Lloyd Lamble
Lloyd Nelson Lamble was an Australian actor who worked in theatre, television, radio and film. He lived and worked two-thirds of his life in the United Kingdom .- Personal life :...
... Superintendent
Superintendent (police)
Superintendent , often shortened to "super", is a rank in British police services and in most English-speaking Commonwealth nations. In many Commonwealth countries the full version is superintendent of police...
Kemp-Bird
Terry Scott
Terry Scott
Owen John "Terry" Scott was an English actor and comedian who appeared in seven Carry On films. He also appeared in BBC1's popular domestic sitcom Terry and June with June Whitfield...
... Police Sergeant
Lionel Jeffries
Lionel Jeffries
Lionel Charles Jeffries was an English actor, screenwriter and film director.-Early life and career:Jeffries attended the Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Wimborne Minster, Dorset. In 1945, he received a commission in the Oxford and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry...
... Joe Mangan
Thorley Walters
Thorley Walters
Thorley Walters was an English character actor.He is probably best remembered for his comedy film roles such as in Two-Way Stretch and Carlton-Browne of the FO...
... Major Whitehart
Cyril Chamberlain
Cyril Chamberlain
Cyril Chamberlain was an English film and television actor. He appeared in a number of the early Carry On, Doctor in the House and St. Trinian's films....
... Army Captain
Alastair Sim
Alastair Sim
Alastair George Bell Sim, CBE was a Scottish character actor who appeared in a string of classic British films. He is best remembered in the role of Ebenezer Scrooge in the 1951 film Scrooge, and for his portrayal of Miss Fritton, the headmistress in two St. Trinian's films...
... Miss Fritton
Guido Lorraine
Guido Lorraine
Guido Lorraine was a Polish-born actor, musician and singer, known primarily for his roles in war films. He was also sometimes known by the stage name Guy Borucki. Lorraine appeared in twenty-eight films during his career, as well as many theater productions.Lorraine was born Gwidon Borucki in...
... Prince Bruno
Sixth Form
Lisa Gastoni
Lisa Gastoni
Lisa Gastoni is an Italian film actress. She has appeared in 60 films since 1954. She also co-starred as Giulia, Ricco Poccari's girlfriend in the Sapphire Films TV series The Four Just Men for ITV.-Selected filmography:* Doctor in the House * The Baby and the Battleship * Three Men...
... Myrna Mangan
Rosalind Knight
Rosalind Knight
Rosalind Knight is an English actress. She was the daughter of actor Esmond Knight and his first wife, Frances Clare and the stepdaughter of actress Nora Swinburne....
... Annabel
Dilys Laye
Dilys Laye
Dilys Laye was an English actress and screenwriter, best known for comedy roles. She died of cancer aged 74.- Early life :...
... Bridget Strong
Sabrina
Sabrina (actress)
Norma Ann Sykes , better known as Sabrina, was a 1950s English glamour model who progressed to a minor movie career. Her main claim to fame was her hourglass figure of prodigious breasts coupled with a tiny 17" waist...
... Virginia
Ministry of Education
Richard Wattis
Richard Wattis
Richard Cameron Wattis , was an English character actor.He attended King Edward's School, Birmingham and Bromsgrove School, after which he worked for the family electrical engineering firm before becoming a professional actor. After his debut with Croydon Repertory Theatre he made many stage...
... Manton Bassett
Eric Barker
Eric Barker
Eric Leslie Barker born in Thornton Heath, Surrey, was an English comedy actor. He is most remembered for his roles in the popular British Carry On films.-Career:...
... Culpepper-Brown
Peter Jones
Peter Jones (actor)
Peter Jones was an English actor, screenwriter and broadcaster.-Early life and career:Jones was born in Wem, Shropshire and he was educated at the Wem Grammar School and Ellesmere College. He made his first appearance as an actor in Wolverhampton at the age of 16 and then appeared in repertory...
... Prestwick
Production
As Miss Fritton, Sim only gets to appear in a couple of scenes.A leading model at the time, Sabrina got high billing, appearing in all the posters and publicity stills in school uniform, but she actually had a non-speaking part in which she was only required to lounge in bed reading a book while men hovered around her. She is described as the "school swot
Swotvac
Swotvac, or sometimes stuvac refers to a period preceding examinations in high schools, higher education institutions, and military colleges, chiefly in Commonwealth countries.-Etymology:...
", the only pupil to go to bed on time and where she reads the works of Dostoyevsky.
Thorley Walters was to re-appear in The Pure Hell of St Trinian's
The Pure Hell of St Trinian's
The Pure Hell of St Trinian's was a 1960 British comedy film set in the fictional St Trinian's School. Directed by Frank Launder and written by him and Sidney Gilliat, it was the third in a series of five films.-Plot:...
, effectively replacing Richard Wattis as Culpepper-Brown's nerve-racked assistant. He was also to play the part of Culpepper-Brown himself in The Wildcats of St Trinian's
The Wildcats of St Trinian's
The Wildcats of St. Trinian's is the fifth British comedy film set in the fictional St Trinian's School, released in 1980.It poked fun at the British trade union movement which had been responsible for the recent wave of strikes that culminated in the Winter of Discontent.The film was not a...
in 1980.
It was Rosalind Knight's first credited film role. She too would later appear in The Wildcats film, this time as a teacher.