I could spin you a line about how I wanted to compare this to the recent sequel/reboots, but it wouldn't be true; basically, I was looking for something with a runtime of no longer than 95 minutes to fill the tight slot between my return from work and the finals week edition of The Great British Menu. The Belles of St. Trinian's is what was found, and so The Belles of St. Trinian's was what I watched.
My general impression is that the modern incarnation did the original full justice, pretty much. Both the films I've seen are strong ensemble pieces that manage to pack an improbable amount of plot into a pleasingly short package, and both feature a cast that mixes safe hands (Alistair Sim as headmistress Millicent Fritton) with future talent - in the case of Belles, this includes a 16-year-old Barbara Windsor as well as marking an early appearance for Joan Sims.
Raucous but never crude, the story of the Belles centres around a horse racing scam, with the younger girls and the daughter of an Arab Sheikh going up against Fritton's brother and his frequently-expelled daughter. Inevitably, there's also a subplot about funds running out and trying to save the school, whilst the ever-delightful Joyce Grenfell gets involved as an undercover police officer posing as a gym mistress.
It's sweet, it's funny and utterly goodhearted, with Sim the undisputed star - the only wrong note comes in the form of the brownface worn by Fatima, the Sultan's daughter. Is this excusable? Probably not, but there's plenty else here to love. I look forward to catching up on the others in the series as soon as my time's my own again.
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