Spikeopath The fourth part of the St. Trinian's themed films is the first to be shot in colour, and also the point where someone should have realised that this series had run out of steam. Based on Ronald Searle's demonic schoolgirls, this outing cribs off of the topical Great Train Robbery of the 60s, retains George Cole as a reassuring presence, while adding Dora Bryan and Frankie Howerd for some acting solidification.It's not a bad film as such, in fact the last quarter, where a whole host of train shenanigans come into play, is great fun, it's just that it feels tired, less risky, like the makers were hedging their bets to get a box office winner (which came to fruition). Fast framing is a bit of a cheat, Howerd is wasted - or sleepwalking through the film? But Bryan is on hand for a bit of quality while the girls are all boisterous and minxy.Enjoyable enough for those so inclined, even if it's utterly forgettable come the final credits. 6/10

GusF The fourth, last and weakest of the original "St. Trinian's" films, it never really takes off. It is an attempt to modernise the series which is not terribly successful. As the title would suggest, it was inspired by the Great Train Robbery in 1963, which is kind of interesting but the idea is not used well. There is some nice light satire of Labour's policies and sex scandals with the Minister for Schools Sir Horace's affair with the new headmistress Amber Spottiswood but there are no belly laughs unlike in the first three films. The train robbery plot is a parody of the Bond films but it falls flat. The attempt to modernise the films mean that it has dated far worse than the first three films, though that wouldn't be a problem if it was a better than average film. The main problem with the storyline is that focuses far too much on the adults and far too little on the students, even less than in "The Pure Hell of St. Trinians".It has a great cast including Frankie Howerd, George Cole, Richard Wattis (who was absent from the previous film), Raymond Huntley, Dora Bryan, Michael Ripper, George Benson and Colin Gordon. However, Cole is wasted in a smaller role than in the first three films and the absence of Joyce Grenfell and Lloyd Lamble is very noticeable. On the bright side, Michael Ripper - the only actor besides Cole to appear in all four films - has his biggest role in the series and he also has the best line in the film: "That headmistress is his concubine!"

crossbow0106 The premise doesn't seem bad, that the school is relocated due to the fires and a group of thieves want to recover money hidden in the place where the new school is. However, it doesn't feel like a St. Trinian's film to me. Its the only one in color and of the characters from the other films only Harry is still there. There is no more Sargeant Gates, which would have helped. The movie goes along at a decent pace and Frankie Howerd is, of course, a good comic actor, but the film is watchable only because its part of the series not because it is such a great stand alone film. See it if you want to complete your watching of the original St. Trinian's films, but otherwise it is not essential viewing.

terryhall2 I remember seeing this in the cinema when it first came out. It is a lame version of the St TRINIANS films as were released in the fifties, but it had Frankie Howerd and Dora Bryan, among my favourites. The sad thing is they just don't make these sort of films any more,. True, ribald,funny British films. Just like Will Hay, the Carry On Films and Maragret Rutherford films: no politically correct nonsense, no fears of misinterpretation of paedophilia, no forced representation of different cultural groups, just good old British fun like a good dollop of treacle pudding with custard. People just took more responsibility for stuff back then without complaining about every damn thing!. That's why I like this film - that and of an England we are sadly losing! The film itself does get very boring when they are racing up and down the tracks but it is well done and I can recognise some of the places.