Summary:

St Trinian's is once again facing dire financial crisis.

Unorthodox headmistress Camilla Fritton (Rupert Everett who also plays her brother, Carnaby Fritton) has her hands full dealing with the new Education Minister Geoffrey Thwaites' (Colin Firth) tireless advances and his mission to transform her chaotic establishment into a 'respectable' ladies college - so the responsibility for saving the school falls to the anarchic pupils.

March 2007:

Emily Watson, Colin Firth, Rupert Everett and comedian Russell Brand are set to star in "St. Trinian's," Ealing Studios' new version of the classic British comedy franchise that spawned several popular movies in the 1950s and 1960s.

Ealing topper Barnaby Thompson, will make his helming debut, co-directing with his regular collaborator, Oliver Parker.

Thompson and Parker will also share the producing credit.

"St. Trinian's," originally inspired by books and cartoons by Ronald Searle, centers on the madcap adventures of a group of unruly girls who attend the eponymous boarding school

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

Watson will play the central teacher character (played in the original pics by Joyce Grenfell), while Everett will play the double cross-dressing role of the headmistress and her unscrupulous brother (originally Alistair Sim). Brand will play Flash Harry, the local small-time crook who helps the girls get into scrapes. Firth will play Geoffrey Thwaites.

Cast also includes Caterina Murino ("Casino Royale"), Jodie Whittaker ("Venus"), Talulah Riley and Tamsin Egerton; Richard E. Grant and Stephen Fry do cameos.

Production is due to begin March 26, having delayed a week following the U.K. government's March 2 tax clampdown, which sunk part of the financing from Ingenious Film Partners.

Entertainment Film Distributors is co-financing the film and taking U.K. rights, and Thompson is in the final stages of securing the remaining coin. Ealing's own sales arm is handling foreign sales.

"The Belles of St. Trinian's" started the franchise in 1954, followed by "Blue Murder at St. Trinian's" in 1957, "The Pure Hell of St. Trinian's" in 1960 and the "The Great St. Trinian's Train Robbery" in 1966. The series was revived in 1980 with "The Wildcats of St. Trinian's." The latest movie is not a remake of any previous "St. Trinian's" adventure but an attempt to create a 21st century version of the franchise.

This is North Scotland, 20 January 2008

He's gone from playing education minister Geoffrey Thwaites in the raucous comedy St Trinian's, to being executive producer on a documentary about a man on death row, but it seems Colin Firth enjoys the variety.

Speaking at the Sundance Film Festival - where he is premiering documentary film In Prison My Whole Life, about a man on death row - the star revealed he has no problem with mixing it up. "It's the most natural thing in the world," he chuckled.

"To get out of my spandex suit, interview Snoop Dog (for In Prison My Whole Life), go back, get into my spandex suit again, do St Trinian's and be humped by a small nylon dog, then off to do a little piece of work with Michael Winterbottom (upcoming film Genova) and then back to death row!"

But although he's enjoyed the experience, it seems the Bridget Jones star might do something less serious next time round.

"I'd like to do something probably a little safer and cosier really," he admitted. "This is all a bit scary for somebody from Chiswick!"

With thanks to Colin Firth MySpace

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