School for Scoundrels (1960)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Director:

Robert Hamer

Writers:

Stephen Potter (novels)
Patricia Moyes (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

April 1960 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Learn to gain weight by LOSING scruples!

Plot:

Based on the Stephen Potter "One Upmanship" and "Lifemanship" books, Henry Palfrey tries hard to impress but always loses out to the rotter Delauney...

Plot Keywords:

College | Restaurant | Tutor | London | Tennis Court

Cast

Ian Carmichael	...	Henry Palfrey
Terry-Thomas	...	Raymond Delauney
Alastair Sim	...	Mr. S. Potter
Janette Scott	...	April Smith
Dennis Price	...	Dunstan
Peter Jones	...	Dudley
Edward Chapman	...	Gloatbridge
John Le Mesurier	...	Head Waiter
Irene Handl	...	Mrs. Stringer
Kynaston Reeves	...	General
Hattie Jacques	...	1st Instructress
Hugh Paddick	...	Instructor
Barbara Roscoe	...	2nd Instructress
Gerald Campion	...	Proudfoot
Monte Landis	...	Fleetsnod

Also Known As:

School for Scoundrels or How to Win Without Actually Cheating! (UK) (long title)

Runtime:

USA:94 min | UK:94 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (certificate #19566) | Australia:G | Finland:S | UK:U

Filming Locations:

Associated British Elstree Studios, Shenley Road, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

Associated British Picture Corporation (ABPC)

Trivia:

The used car salesmen Dunstan and Dudley (Dennis Price and Peter Jones) were based on characters from the BBC radio comedy series "In All Directions" broadcast during the 1950s. The radio characters were known as Morry and Dud and were played by Peter Ustinov and Peter Jones who also wrote the scripts together with scriptwriters Frank Muir and Denis Norden. Their catch phrase "run for it!" was reprised in the film.

Goofs:

Factual errors: When Palfrey beats Delauney at tennis, the shadows are wrong. At several points the shadows are behind both players.

Quotes:

[last line. Mr S. Potter to the camera]
Mr. S. Potter: I do apologize ladies and gentlemen, events do seem to have taken a most unfortunate turn. This sort of calamity we cannot always guard against, even amongst our best students. You see once, once sincerity rears its ugly head, well lifemanship is powerless...
[an orchestra starts to play]
Mr. S. Potter: stop that music... orchestra!... orchestra... stop that infernal din. Please, no, I... look at me, I must get back to Yeovil.

Movie Connections:

Remade as School for Scoundrels (2006)

Classic bit of wicked humour!

When Henry Palfrey meets the lovely young April Smith he thinks he has things good. However a meeting with them and Raymond Delauney sees Palfrey made to look a fool by the caddish Delauney. To counter his wishy washy ways, Palfrey joins the `Lifemanship' school of Mr Potter. Here he learns all the ploys of a cad. Upon completion of the course he sets his sight on Delauney – but can he avoid becoming that which he hates?

Terry Thomas is famous for his lecherous wretch and here he not only plays it to perfection, but also gets out played at his own game. The plot here is in three acts. Firstly the caddish Delauney outplays Palfrey. Second act Palfrey attends the school and finally Palfrey returns to his life a changed man. All three acts play out very well for different reasons, only the end of act 3 drags a little bit but ends well. The gentle comedy of the time runs through it – it is a very English film in its own way. I enjoyed the vast majority of it.

Ian Carmichael appears a weak choice for the lead but his transformation from coward to cad is well played and he was actually very good. Thomas is well cast although this is what he is famous for I suppose. Sim is pretty good but given too little to do and there are some nice little cameos from Hattie Jacques and (even better) John Le Mesurier.

Overall this is very slight but it is also very enjoyable. It isn't hilarious but it is a very enjoyable film with a good sense of wicked humour running through the film.