Watch Fun At St Fanny's

Fun At St Fanny's from 1955 is a British comedy film directed by Maurice Elvey and starring Fred Emney, Cardew Robinson, and Miriam Karlin. The movie is set in a fictional boarding school called St Fanny's, which is facing financial difficulties and is in danger of being closed down. The school's headmaster, Mr. Wakefield (played by Emney), hires two incompetent staff members, Mr. Chippendale (played by Robinson) and Miss Poppy (played by Karlin), in the hopes of attracting more students and saving the school.

The movie opens with Mr. Wakefield meeting with the school's board of governors to discuss the school's financial situation. They inform him that the school is in debt and that they are considering closing it down. Mr. Wakefield pleads with them to give him more time to find a solution, promising to do everything in his power to save the school. He then decides to hire Mr. Chippendale and Miss Poppy, both of whom are woefully unqualified for their respective positions.

Mr. Chippendale, who is meant to teach sports, is more interested in reading novels and drinking tea than coaching the school's sports teams. Miss Poppy, who is meant to teach music, can't play a single note and instead resorts to teaching the children to dance the Charleston. Despite their incompetence, the students quickly warm up to them thanks to their goofy antics and childlike enthusiasm.

However, things take a turn for the worse when a group of swindlers arrive at the school posing as inspectors from the Ministry of Education. They trick Mr. Wakefield into giving them access to the school's finances and proceed to steal all the money. The school is left in an even worse financial state than before, and Mr. Wakefield is forced to ask the students' parents for help.

The parents, who are all wealthy and influential members of society, arrive at the school for a fundraising fete. Chaos ensues as Mr. Chippendale and Miss Poppy attempt to entertain the guests with their various talents, including Mr. Chippendale's disastrous sports matches and Miss Poppy's off-key singing. In the end, however, the fete is a success and the school is saved.

Fun At St Fanny's is a lighthearted comedy that is charming in its simplicity. The film's cast delivers solid performances, with Emney, Robinson, and Karlin standing out in particular. Their chemistry is infectious and their comedic timing is spot-on, making even the most absurd situations funny.

The movie's plot is straightforward, but it works well with the film's overall tone. The stakes feel low, and the movie never takes itself too seriously. The humor is gentle and innocent, with no crude jokes or overtly offensive material. For this reason, the movie is suitable for all audiences, including families with young children.

One of the noteworthy aspects of the movie is its portrayal of boarding schools in 1950s Britain. St Fanny's is depicted as a classic British boarding school, complete with uniforms, prefects, and dormitories. The movie is a nostalgic look back at a time when such schools were more common than they are today, and when they were seen as gateways to success.

Overall, Fun At St Fanny's is a delightful comedy that is sure to bring a smile to viewers' faces. Its endearing characters, harmless humor, and nostalgic setting make it a classic example of British comedy. While it may not be a groundbreaking film, it is an enjoyable one that is well worth watching.

Fun At St Fanny's is a 2020 comedy with a runtime of 1 hour and 20 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 4.9.