St. Trinian's (2007)

St Trinian's, a school for "young ladies" with its anarchic doctrine of free expression, brings together a motley crew of ungovernable girls who, using their wit and ingenuity, save the school from bankruptcy.

Directors:

Oliver Parker, Barnaby Thompson

Writers:

Piers Ashworth (screenplay), Jamie Minoprio (additional material),

Stars:

Talulah Riley, Rupert Everett, Jodie Whittaker

5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Talulah Riley	...	Annabelle Fritton
Rupert Everett	...	Camilla Fritton / Carnaby Fritton
Jodie Whittaker	...	Beverly
Gemma Arterton	...	Kelly
Kathryn Drysdale	...	Taylor
Juno Temple	...	Celia
Antonia Bernath	...	Chloe
Amara Karan	...	Peaches
Tamsin Egerton	...	Chelsea
Lily Cole	...	Polly
Paloma Faith	...	Andrea
Holly Mackie	...	Tara
Cloe Mackie	...	Tania
Esme Thompson	...	1st Year Bookie
Bel Parker	...	Aerial Girl

Storyline

St Trinians proudly continues to represent the unacceptable face of British education. When the new Minister of Education announces he will personally sort the place out he doesn't realise either the enormity of the task or that the headmistress is an old flame. The school is anyway threatened with closure by their bank; with the staff clearly a waste of space the girls realise the responsibility to save the day falls on them. Perhaps a painting popularised by Scarlett Johansson might be the way out?

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Plot Keywords:

school | st trinian's | field hockey | vermeer painting | party | 

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Taglines:

School Can Be A Riot.

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Genres:

Comedy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements, drug and alcohol content, sexual material and language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 December 2007 (UK)

Also Known As:

Kick Ass Girls 1

Filming Locations:

Ealing Studios, Ealing, London, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$13,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£1,832,594 (UK) (21 December 2007)

Gross:

£12,042,854 (UK) (8 February 2008)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Ealing Studios, Entertainment Film Distributors, Fragile Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min 100 min (European Film Market)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

There is many references to Pride and Prejudice. For example: Fritton's dog is Mr D'Arcy, one of the girls mentions Colin Firth, Colin Firth dripping in water after falling into the unused fountain and Stephen Fry asking the question "Which book was originally titled "First Impressions" (A: Pride and Prejudice).

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Goofs

When Kelly suggests stealing the painting when the girls are brainstorming with Flash, the 'Posh Tottie' girls react by signing 'Oh my God'. However, the girl on the left makes the 'Oh' sign with her hand too early, and tries to hide her grin.

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Quotes

Tania: [takes out a pack of Cigarettes]
Kelly: Tania what are you doing? You're ten! And you're carrying high-explosives!
Tania: It's not what you think Kel!
[puts Cigarettes up her nose]
Tara: It's for the smell!
Tania, Tara: We saw it on CSI!

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Crazy Credits

In the end credits, there is a credit which reads "MISS EVERETT'S COSTUMES BY..."

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Connections

References Sin City (2005)

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Soundtracks

"Love Is In The Air"
Written by Harry Vanda, George Redburn Young
EMI Music Publishing, Ltd.
Performed by Colin Firth, Rupert Everett

User Reviews

A worthy Re-invention of a classic Comedy series

St. Trinian's is probably never going to top anyone's list of greatest films of the 21st Century but there's no denying it is funny. It could so easily have been terrible, but it isn't, thanks to a witty and clever script that pays tribute to Ronald Searle's original cartoons as well as to the classic "Belles of St Trinian's" Writers Piers Ashworth and Nick Moorcroft have successfully reinvented St. Trinian's for the 21st century, avoiding the obvious pitfalls – the school could so easily have been turned into a combination brothel and crack den – instead creating a world in which the girls can run wild. A world in which it seems no-one bats an eyelid at ten year old girls playing with explosives, but God forbid they should ever take up smoking.

Rupert Everett is in fine form as the headmistress Camilla Frinton though admittedly he's no Alistair Simm (then again who is?) and Colin Firth is a more than capable straight man, quite happy to take pot shots at his own career. More surprisingly Russell Brand makes a very effective Flash Harry, While distinctly different to the original in both appearance and manner to George Cole, there his something indefinable about his performance, he could almost be the grandson of the original Flash.

However where this film really succeeds is in the girls themselves. Talulah Riley is the heart and sole of the film as Annabelle Fritton, slowly blossoming from shy awkward daddy's girl into red-blooded St Trinian, and Gemma Arterton as head girl Kelly commands the screen in every scene she's in. Between them Riley and Arterton steal the move from under the noses of the more experienced Everett & Firth.

But it's not just them, a combination of astute casting and good writing ensures that all the students come across as characters in their own right from twin terrors Cloe and Holly Mackie through to the 'Posh Totty', brilliantly underplayed by Tamsin Egerton, Amara Karan and Antonia Bernath.

In years to come this film will be remembered not for the sight of Rupert Everett in drag but for giving screen time to so many of the next generation of starlets.