A Headmistress steals from her own school. As a young girl Colleen McCabe asks a priest in confessional "What is sin?" Thirty years later she is found out for practising it. An ex-nun,she leaves the convent because she becomes disillusioned with spiritual matters and goes into teaching, being appointed headmistress of the John Rigby School in London. Along with a small coterie of chosen staff members to act as her spies,she misappropriates half a million pounds from school funds which she spends on luxury goods and a trip on the Orient Express. Meanwhile the school suffers,having to use ancient text books and pupils as cleaners. She is tried,although admitted to hospital for depression on the trial day, and sentenced to five years in jail, later reduced to four. The film alternates dramatized scenes of Colleen's misbehaviour with interviews with those who knew her.
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🔍 Search on JustWatch →The Thieving Headmistress is a solid entry rated 7.0/10. Not a masterpiece, but quality work that won't leave you disappointed.
A high rating speaks for itself — this film found its audience and didn't let them down. Trust the collective taste.
A 2006 film from an era before CGI overload, with real performances that still hit hard. Best for: viewers looking to try something new without being too demanding.
— MovieFinder Editorial
Pauline Quirke
Colleen McCabe
Denis Lawson
Father Plunkett
Peter Cellier
Father O'Malley
Mary Roscoe
Maureen Stapley
Richard Hope
Auditor Andy Pert
David Holt
Mr. Huckerby
Hannah Walters
Ms. Wallis
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