St. Trinian's Ealing comedy to the screen again

By Stone Martindale Mar 11, 2007, 22:54 GMT

Colin Firth (L) and wife Livia (R) EPA/PAUL BUCK

Actors Colin Firth, Emily Watson, Rupert Everett and Russell Brand are reviving the St Trinian's movie franchise, a remake from Britain's historic Ealing studios.

The stars will be featured in a new comedy about the antics of students at an all-girl's boarding school.

The original St Trinian's films, considered classic Ealing comedies from the 1950s and early 1960s, were adapted from Ronald Searle's books.  From preliminary sketches, St Trinian's became a franchise of comedy films featuring British actors Alastair Sim in drag as the schoolmistress, but also playing her brother, George Cole as Flash Harry, and Joyce Grenfell as Sgt Ruby Gates, a put upon policewoman.

The school became embroiled in a number of shady enterprises, thanks mainly to Flash, and was always threatened with closure by the "Ministry of Schools", a parody of the Ministry of Education. The first four films form a chronological quartet, and were produced by Frank Launder and Sidney Gilliat.

The latest revival is written by Piers Ashworth and Nick Moorcroft.

Watson will take on Joyce Grenfell's teacher character, while Everett will take Sim's ambitious dual roles as the school's headmistress and her brother.

"Casino Royal" Caterina Murino will also appear, also expected to be cast are Jodie Whittaker of "Venus", Talulah Riley, Tamsin Egerton, Richard E. Grant and Stephen Fry in cameo appearances.

Variety reports that production is due to begin March 26, having delayed a week following the U.K. government's March 2 tax clampdown.