Movie Overview: School for Sex (1969)
Directed and written by Pete Walker, School for Sex is a British sex comedy that satirizes upper-class schemes and gender dynamics. The story follows Lord Giles Wingate, a disgraced aristocrat who opens a “finishing school” to train young women in the art of seduction and gold-digging. His goal? To earn a cut of their romantic conquests.
The school recruits its first batch of students from Holloway Prison, and soon wealthy parents begin enrolling their daughters, unaware of the school’s true purpose. The plot thickens with nosy neighbors, police raids, and a judge who ends up intrigued by the business model himself.
Cast Highlights
- Derek Aylward as Giles Wingate
- Rose Alba as Duchess of Burwash
- Nosher Powell as Hector
- Françoise Pascal as Sally Reagan
- Bob Andrews, Vic Wise, Hugh Latimer, Amber Dean Smith, Cathy Howard, and Sylvia Barlow round out the ensemble.
The cast features a mix of British character actors and rising starlets of the late ’60s, with Pascal later becoming a cult favorite in British cinema.
Suitability for Teens
School for Sex is not suitable for teens. It was one of the earliest British sexploitation films, featuring topless scenes, nudity, and adult themes centered around manipulation and seduction. The film carries an 18+ rating and was marketed for mature audiences.
While it’s relatively tame by today’s standards, its humor and content are geared toward adults and may be considered outdated or inappropriate for younger viewers.
Reception & Legacy
Much financially successful at the time of its performance (it played two years on Broadway and huge crowds attended performances in France), it was not universally successful in critical terms. Even director Pete Walker later described it to be his worst film, and he regretted that he had written his own script on it.
Nevertheless, School for Sex is a milestone in the history of British cinema as the representative of sex comedy genre, which gave way to more explicit films in the 1970s.
Movies to Compare with
British Sex Comedies of the 1960s–70s
These films share School for Sex’s cheeky humor, risqué themes, and satirical take on British society:
- Confessions of a Window Cleaner (1974) – A classic of the British sex comedy genre, following a young man’s amorous adventures.
- Carry On Girls (1973) – Part of the Carry On series, known for innuendo and slapstick.
- Percy (1971) – A bizarre comedy about the world’s first penis transplant.
- The Virgin and the Whore (1971) – Another Pete Walker film with similar themes.
Sexploitation & Erotic Satire
These films blend erotic content with social commentary or absurd humor:
- Flesh Gordon (1974) – A campy sci-fi parody with adult themes.
- The Cheerleaders (1973) – American sexploitation with a high school twist.
- The Stud (1978) – Based on Jackie Collins’ novel, starring Joan Collins in a tale of nightclub excess.
Modern Comparisons (Sex Comedy & Satire)
While more polished, these films echo School for Sex’s themes of seduction, manipulation, and social farce:
- American Pie (1999) – Teen sex comedy with a pact to lose virginity before prom.
- The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005) – A humorous look at adult sexual inexperience.
- Sex Tape (2014) – A couple’s attempt to spice up their marriage goes viral.
- Don Jon (2013) – Explores porn addiction and romantic expectations.
Satirical & Psychological Erotica
For a more cerebral or stylized comparison:
- Eyes Wide Shut (1999) – Kubrick’s exploration of desire and secrecy.
- Blue Is the Warmest Color (2013) – A deeply emotional and explicit love story.
- Y Tu Mamá También (2001) – A coming-of-age road trip with sexual undertones.