School for Scoundrels (1960)

Director:

Robert Hamer
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Writers:

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

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 | London England | Tennis Court | Rivalry

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 (as Monty Landis)
Jeremy Lloyd	...	Dingle
Charles Lamb	...	Carpenter
Anita Sharp-Bolster	...	Maid

Directed by
Robert Hamer
Hal E. Chester		(uncredited)
Cyril Frankel		(uncredited)

Writing credits
Stephen Potter		(novels "Gamesmanship Oneupmanship Lifemanship")
Patricia Moyes		(screenplay) &
Hal E. Chester		(screenplay)

Produced by
Hal E. Chester	....	executive producer
Douglas Rankin	....	associate producer

Original Music by
John Addison

Cinematography by
Erwin Hillier		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Richard Best

Casting by
Robert Lennard

Art Direction by
Terence Verity

Makeup Department
Eric Aylott	....	makeup artist
Polly Young	....	hair stylist

Production Management
L.C. Rudkin	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Basil Rayburn	....	assistant director (as Basil Rabin)

Art Department
Tom Jung	....	poster artist (uncredited)
Tom Jung	....	poster designer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Arthur Bradburn	....	sound recordist
Charles Crafford	....	dubbing editor
A.W. Lumkin	....	recording director
Len Shilton	....	sound recordist

Special Effects by
George Blackwell	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Herbert Smith	....	camera operator
Mike Roberts	....	clapper loader (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Muriel Dickson	....	wardrobe mistress
Ernie Farrer	....	wardrobe master

Music Department
John Addison	....	conductor

Transportation Department
Eddie Frewin	....	driver: generator (uncredited)

Other crew
Frederick Gotfurt	....	scenario editor
Helen Whitson	....	continuity

Production Companies

• Associated British Picture Corporation (ABPC) (presents)
• Guardsman Films (as A Guardsman Films Production)

Distributors

• Continental Distributing (1960) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner-Pathé Distributors (1960) (UK) (theatrical) (released through) (as Warner-Pathe Distributors Limited)
• Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1989) (UK) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2003) (UK) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Sinfonia of London  music played by

Also Known As:

Runtime:

USA:94 min | UK:94 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:S | UK:U | USA:Approved (certificate #19566) | UK:U (video rating) (1989)

Filming Locations:

11 Chandos Street, London, England, UK

Company:

Associated British Picture Corporation (ABPC)

Trivia:

Much of it was shot by Cyril Frankel, as original director Robert Hamer, who was an alcoholic, kept showing up for work drunk.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: In the opening scene Palfrey gets of the train at a station with a prop signboard 'YEOVIL'. There is an was no station called plain Yeovil and the route map which Palfrey passes is for the north west England, far from Yeovil in Somerset.

Quotes:

Raymond Delauney:[translating the French menu in the Camelia Room restaurant for Palfrey] The brains of the calf, the liver of the chicken, the legs of the frog... the hoof of the mountain goat in jelly. Tomatoes...

Movie Connections:

Edited into "Heroes of Comedy: Terry-Thomas (#1.5)" (1995)

A beautifully funny, nostalgic and fabulously-acted comedy of English moeurs.

I cannot remember how many times I have watched this film now - it takes me back to a time of charming English etiquette which, being too young, I never witnessed. The range of social situations through which we are taken in the apprenticeship of 'Lifemanship' are hilarious, and in a gentle and exquisitely-understated way. Ian Carmichael is, of course excellent, but my all-time hero, Terry-Thomas, is on the toppest of forms delivering the "Look's like a Polish stomach pump" and "Oh I say, smashing cricket stroke" lines with his unshakeable aplomb. A nostalgic treasure of a film.