School for Scoundrels (1960)

Save your money for something good and enjoyable

Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

Watching it is like watching the spectacle of a class clown at their best: you laugh at their jokes, instigate their defiance, and "ooooh" when they get in trouble.

This is the kind of movie I'd have run a mile from at the time, lumping it together with a host of 'pathetic' British films that thought they were funny and probably were providing you were totally ignorant of Lubitsch, Billy Wilder, Preston Sturges etc. Seen, however, on TV half a century later it's comparatively painless if you're housebound and it's SFS or Mr. Bean. Ian Carmichael takes the lead, as the kind of guy who, after a lifetime of rubbish finally gets a Royal Flush only for a misdeal to be called. His nemesis is Terry Thomas and on offer is Jeanette Scott. At his wits end Carmichael enrols at Stephen Potter's (Alistair Sim) academy where Gamesmanship is the name of the game and - I trust I'm not giving anything away here - graduates with honours and gives Thomas his comeuppance. If this is not too simplistic for you you'll love it.

Stephen Potter wrote a series of humorous "self-help" books at around the turn of the 1950s which purported to teach life's losers how to become winners without actually cheating (although manipulating the rules was perfectly permissible).Some years later those books formed the basis of School For Scoundrels, in which the fictitious Yeovil academy (principal S. Potter, played by Alistair Sim) teaches the easily intimidated Henry Palfrey (Ian Carmichael) how to turn the tables on rotter and cad Raymond Delauney (Terry-Thomas) and win back the lovely April Smith (Janette Scott).The script, by Peter Ustinov, turns the spoof techniques of the book into maguffins driving a coherent narrative. The story, and the developments in it, are pleasing and funny, the performances are all excellent and, notwithstanding the fact that the film is clearly rooted in the 1950s, there is a freshness and timelessness about it.And it is fair to say that it is the beneficiary of a beautifully crisp transfer of the monochrome original to DVD.This film is as enjoyable as any of the Ealing comedies.

I have never seen the American "School for Scoundrels" and assume it's a remake of this wonderful British film. However, if it IS, then there is no reason for the remake, as I was thoroughly captivated by this little film. Of course, in recent years Hollywood has tried remaking some of the classic British comedies of the 1950s and failed miserably. Big casts and expensive gimmicks can't improve on a wonderful Brit-com from this era.The film starts with poor Ian Carmichael. He's a very mousy "nice" sort of person--and a bit of a loser. He seems to always be taken advantage of and is a sad case. When fast-talking Terry-Thomas takes Ian's girlfriend away as well as his self-respect, Ian is desperate to change his life. On a whim, he decides to attend a school that promises to help him learn to stand up for himself and get the most out of life. However, the school (owned by Alistair Sim) really teaches people to manipulate others and use trickery to get what you want. Ian turns out to be a model pupil and is soon using insincerity with the skill of a politician.Soon, Ian tries out his new skills on a used car lot (this is hilarious) as well as to get his girl back--and to give Terry-Thomas his comeuppance. It's all very funny but not in a very obvious way--with a subtle and cute manner that you can't help but like. On top of that, the actors and writers are at their best and the film ends on a funny note. Well worth seeing.

Humilliated in sport,losing his girl to a cad, and always taken advantage of-Henry Palfrey decides enough is enough and enrols himself at the College Of Lifemanship to learn self improvement strategies.School For Scoundrels is inspired by a trio of parody self-help books written by Stephen Potter called Gamesmanship, Lifemanship & Oneupmanship, with the subsequent result being a deftly charming satire backed up with very knowing comedy. Taking the lead role of Henry Palfrey is Ian Carmichael, tho a star of many funny and successful British comedies, Carmichael is not someone I would normally term as a confident leading man, but here he does well and I think that is probably down to having the ebullient Terry-Thomas to feed off. Terry-Thomas is here in full caddish rapscallion mode as Henry's love rival Raymond Delauney, a devilishly funny character who firmly has us begging Henry to get the better of him come the end. Some delightful laughs to be had here, from the duos tennis matches, to Henry's turning of the tables on an unscrupulous car salesmen. School For Scoundrels is never ever less than a funny movie.However the film is far from perfect, Alistair Sim isn't given that much to do as Henry's mentor, Professor Stephen Potter, and this ultimately feels like a wasted opportunity. The direction is also pretty patchy, which when I delved further is sadly understandable. Robert Hamer was the perfect choice to direct because nestling on his CV is the majestic Kind Hearts And Coronets. But Hamer was fired shortly after filming began after lapsing back into alcoholism {he would die three years later}, so the film was completed by Hal Chester and Cyril Frankel.Frayed edges aside tho, School For Soudrels still holds up well today, and when one witnesses the poor standard of the 2006 remake, this 1960 offering is something of a comedic gem to be cherished forever and always.Hard cheese old boy 8/10