This film is a lighthearted and lovely British romp into comic book musical comedy. It reflects perfectly the attitude and behaviour of English children of the post war 50's. John Mills plays the main character, Mr. Dingle, a history and music teacher at Angel Hill School, whose ambition is for children to love and understand music. This is his best ever acting role; the passion and feeling that he puts into it makes Dingle appear as a normal yet special human being. He is ably supported by Cecil Parker (Mr. Frome)his well meaning but non-understanding headmaster. Jeremy Spenser, Dorothy Bromley and a very young Richard O'Sullivan take leading roles as Dingle's "Angels". The good feeling that I had when I first saw this film, in about 1957, has remained for more than forty years. Thank you Sir John and all concerned. I only wish that my teachers had been like Dingle.

It's Great to be Young, (1956) is a narrative of a co-educational school and its pupils excepting their rights. Look further into the sub-text to find it is more about an evolving education system. Moreover it is a comment on the grammar school system. In this era, as is the case nowadays, the grammar school system was designed for more academically able pupils. In other words, a school for the children of the middle class who can avoid paying the education fees of expensive private schools at the expense of the tax payer.

In this film it is notable that the boys are asked questions by the teachers on the subjects of history, Latin and music, whilst overlooking the girls on such questions. Instead girls are encouraged to pursue romance and domestic duties, such as knitting.

Overlapping this dark side of the British education system is the upbeat, energetic, effervescent feel to it, with great performances, good acting and a fine cast of players, including the great Sir John Mills, and a very young Richard O'Sullivan.

It is in many respects a time-piece of traditional school teachers, and education, with corporal punishment and conservative attitudes verses the post-modern jazz, the pre-rock 'n' roll era.

A film that is upbeat, if a tad cheesy, with its dark comments on the British education system.

I saw this when I was a kid of maybe 10 or 11. It was my favourite film for many years after. It is, of course, very dated now but the performances are still great. Particularly memorable in this fifties curiosity is Richard O'Sullivan whose comic timing, even as a child was terrific - he made the movie for me. Carol Shelley whom I saw in The Odd Couple many years later was a particular crush of mine. John Mills is the central figure in this movie as a teacher obsessed with music who comes up against the authoritarian figure of Cecil Parker, the newly-appointed head of Angel Hill school. It is a snapshot of fifties school life in a typical middle-class organisation and it was quite like the grammar school which I attended (though it was not quite as much fun where I was).