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By Anna RobertsApril 16, 2008
St Trinian’s (12)
Entertainment in Video, £19.99
Stars - Rupert Everett, Colin Firth, Jodie Whittaker, Russell Brand, Mischa Barton & Stephen Fry
Just after Christmas, the pupils of St Trinian’s, the original anarchic boarding school for posh schoolgirls, were back to teach us a lesson in comedy.
The original St Trinian’s started as a series of cartoons before being made into a long-running series of comic novels, which spawned a long-running Ealing Studios film series back in 1950s and 60s.
Clearly movie moguls decided St Trinian’s was a veritable cash cow just waiting to be milked. So it came as little surprise that it was brought out of retirement.
Starring Gemma Arterton as Kelly, Rupert Everett as Miss Fritton and Carnaby Fritton and Colin Firth as Geoffrey Thwaites, the new film is a St Trinian’s for the 21st century.
However, St Trinian’s hasn’t abandoned its roots: the girls are as rebellious and anarchic as ever.
But if you were expecting them to be playing hockey on the Nintendo Wii rather than on the pitch, you would be disappointed.
The gist of the film is that St Trinian’s is facing financial pressures and could close. Meanwhile, new girl Annabelle (Talulah Riley) feels she’s not fitted in at all.
However, after a makeover courtesy of cool Kelly and co. Annabelle begins to love St Trinian’s – more than any other school she has been to.
So, plotting with the rest of the girls, she hatches a plan to win a general knowledge contest and secure shedloads of much-needed cash, saving St Trinian’s in the process.
A motley crew of characters helps out Annabelle and friends. Model Lily Cole – who in real-life studies at Cambridge – stars as geeky Polly, whose technological know-how helps the girls.
Girls Aloud – all five of ’em – perform in the school, starring as pupils. Meanwhile ex-scholar and former head girl JJ is none other than OC starlet Mischa Barton.
Russell Brand also appears and is one of the film’s biggest selling points. He gets entirely into his role as Flash Harry, performing it with excitement and enthusiasm.
Even Colin Firth is a good sport. As the prim man sent to close down the school – who used to date and still adores Everett’s Camilla – he sends himself up delightfully.
The scene where he spoofs his famous wet shirt/sexy Mr Darcy scene from Pride and Prejudice – by falling in the school’s pond – is fabulous.
However, the real star of the show is Everett in drag. His camp depiction of Camilla is superb and he embraces her femininity wholeheartedly.
St Trinian’s is a film with an edge. One for schoolgirls and maybe even older teens, it is funny and enjoyable.
However, one cannot help thinking perhaps more could have been made of it.
What did you think of St. Trinian's?
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