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. Directed by Frank Launder, it was released in 1980.[1][2]
| The Wildcats of St. Trinian's | |
|---|---|
 DVD cover | |
| Directed by | Frank Launder |
| Produced by | E.M. Smedley-Aston |
| Written by | Frank Launder Ronald Searle |
| Starring | Sheila Hancock Michael Hordern Joe Melia Thorley Walters Rodney Bewes Maureen Lipman Julia McKenzie Rosalind Knight Ambrosine Phillpotts Rose Hill Deborah Norton |
| Music by | James Kenelm Clarke |
| Cinematography | Ernest Steward |
| Edited by | Antony Gibbs |
Production company | Wildcat Film Productions |
| Distributed by | Enterprise |
Release date |
|
Running time | 91 min. |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
The film pokes 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 critical or commercial success.[3] It has yet to be released on DVD except in the US.
Plot
The girls of St. Trinian's hatch yet another fiendish plot—a trade union for British schoolgirls. Their friend and mentor, Flash Harry, suggests a plan which involves kidnapping girls from other rather more respectable colleges and substituting their own "agents". Thus begins a hilarious, often bloody, battle of wits as the girls meet resistance not only from Olga Vandermeer, their Headmistress, but from the Minister of Education, a private detective, and an oil sheikh. Despite all his desperate efforts to foil the conspiracy, the Minister has to face a growing realisation that the girls' demands will have to be met—for him this will mean a very great and very personal sacrifice.
Cast
- Sheila Hancock as Olga Vandemeer
- Michael Hordern as Sir Charles Hackforth
- Joe Melia as Flash Harry
- Thorley Walters as Hugo Culpepper Brown
- Rodney Bewes as Peregrine Butters
- Deborah Norton as Miss Brenner
- Maureen Lipman as Miss Katy Higgs
- Julia McKenzie as Miss Dolly Dormancott
- Ambrosine Phillpotts as Mrs Mowbray
- Rose Hill as Miss Martingale
- Diana King as Miss Mactavish
- Luan Peters as Miss Poppy Adams
- Barbara Hicks as Miss Coke
- Rosalind Knight as Miss Walsh
- Patsy Smart as Miss Warmold
- Bernadette O'Farrell as Miss Carfax
- Sandra Payne as Miss Taylor
- Hilda Braid as Miss Summers
- Ballard Berkeley as Humphrey Wills
- Frances Ruffelle as Angela Hall / Princess Roxanne
- Danielle Corgan as Eva Potts
- Lisa Vanderpump as Ursula
- Debbie Linden as Mavis
- Veronica Quilligan as Lizzie
- Miranda Hunnisett as Jennie
- Eileen Fletcher as Harriet
- Sarah-Jane Varley as Janet
- Theresa Ratcliff as Maggie
- Sandra Hall as Frieda
- Suzanna Hamilton as Matilda
Production
It had been ten years since the previous St Trinians film. "I didn't want to do another St Trinians unless it could top the previous one," said Launder during filming. "I think this one does."[4] Sidney Gilliat was a production consultant.
Reception
Derek Malcolm of The Guardian called it "one of the worst films I've ever seen... Please don't do anything like it again. Ever."[5]
Launder wanted to follow the film with an adaptation of the books by Norman Thelwell about a pony school. He almost made it in Norway in the late 1970s and in 1979 planned on making it in Britain the following year.[4] However no movie resulted.
References
- 'Radio Times' film review
- WILDCATS OF ST. TRINIAN'S, The Monthly Film Bulletin; London Vol. 47, Iss. 552, (Jan 1, 1980): 97.
- Obituary: Frank Launder The Independent 24 Feb 1997: 16.
- The terrible Trinians again The Guardian 1 Oct 1979: 15.
- Being funny is no laughing matter Malcolm, Derek. The Guardian 18 Dec 1980: 9.