School for Scoundrels
Directed by Robert Hamer
Written by Patricia Moyes and Hal E. Chester from novels by Stephen Potter
1960/UK
Associated British Picture Corporation/Guardsman Films
First viewing/Amazon Instant
[box] Mr. Potter: Just remember, if you’re not one up on the other fellow, then he’s one up on you.[/box]
Britain’s top comic actors are gathered for a tale of one-upsmanship and delicious revenge.
Henry Palfrey (Ian Carmichael) is a good looking captain of industry but he just hasn’t figured out how the world works. Even his clerk bosses him around. He meets the beautiful April by chance and they hit it off immediately. His old college “chum” Raymond Delauney (Terry-Thomas) crawls out of the woodwork to humiliate him at every opportunity and steal her away.
Cleary, drastic action is necessary. Henry decides to sign up for the School of Lifemanship run by Mr. S. Potter (Alistair Sim). Henry becomes a star pupil and puts Potter’s principles into practice at the first opportunity. But will Henry’s basic decency let him down in the end? With Dennis Price as an unscrupulous car salesman.
With Sim and Terry-Thomas in the credits this was a must watch for me. It’s an intriguing premise and an amusing film. Recommended for all fans of dry British wit and a bit of silliness.
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