Film Review
There's plenty of arson around in the third of the original
St Trinian's film, and a fair
amount of double entendre, but the laughs are few and far between as
the writer-director team of Sidney Gilliat and Frank Launder struggle
to unearth jokes in a now pretty worn out concept. As in the
previous film,
Blue Murder at St. Trinian's
(1957), the presence of Alastair Sim is sorely missed, although Cecil
Parker and Irene Handl are respectable stand-ins. By now, the
focus has shifted away from the demonic schoolgirls towards the
grown-up regulars, Joyce Grenfell, George Cole and Thorley Walters, who
are by this stage looking pretty fed up with having to rehash the same
old material. Grenfell refused to do any more
St Trinian's films after this and
later said that she regretted appearing in the first three.
Comedy legends Sid James and John Le Mesurier get a look in, but both
are pretty well wasted, whilst all that Eric Barker and Thorley Walters
are required to do is to look neurotic and indulge in a spot of ballet
every ten minutes or so (you
can
overdo a repeat gag...). After a promising start at the Old
Bailey,
The Pure Hell of St.
Trinian's rapidly grinds to a halt and is well and truly stuck
in a rut by the midway stage, after which it's every girl for
herself. This is where the series should have ended...
© James Travers 2013
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.
Next Frank Launder film:
The Great St. Trinian's Train Robbery (1966)
Film Synopsis
Having burned down their school, the girls of St Trinian's find
themselves on trial at the Old Bailey. The jury has no difficulty
finding them guilty of arson, but the judge is inclined to clemency
when one of the girls shows him some thigh. Rather than send them
to prison, the judge places them in the custody of Professor Canford, a
seemingly benign academic who is adamant that he can reform the
girls. Canford's real motives soon become apparent when he sends
the sixth formers on a tour of the Greek islands. In fact, the
girls are destined for an Arabian prince...
© James Travers
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.