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In School for Scoundrels wimpy Ian Carmichael wants to impress girls and get one over on all-round show-off and cad Terry Thomas (playing gloriously to type). Discovering Alastair Simms' unorthodox school Carmichael happily enrols and learns the quaint tricks of the day for securing the admiration of a fair lady. Ultimately as a star pupil he teaches the Master a thing or two about true love when everything turns out just fine in the end. Appealing to all male sensibilities is the idea of a magical set of simple rules for winning someone's affections. Set in the tweed-rich environment of an English boarding school makes this an even quainter notion. To watch this classic comedy is to cock one's snoot at womanisers everywhere while unavoidably making a mental list of anything that might actually work! The three central performances are brilliantly realised, particularly the role reversal between Carmichael and Thomas. Try playing a tennis match after a viewing without calling "hard cheese". -Paul Tonks
Product Description
Henry Palfrey (Ian Carmichael) is one of life's losers. Despised and disregarded at work, his prospective girlfriend April (Janette Scott) is whisked from under his nose by charming bounder Raymond Delauney (Terry-Thomas). In desperation, Henry enrols at Stephen Potter's (Alastair Sim) College of Lifemanship, where he gradually learns how to get one up on the other fellow.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
60 of 62 people found the following review helpful
By Filmbuff
TOP 1000 REVIEWER
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
A fun portrayal of how to get on in life. What a cast, too! Alastair Sim, Terry Thomas, Ian Carmichael, Hattie Jacques, to name but a few.
When Ian Carmichael literally runs into the girl of his dreams, he is swept off his feet. However, he soon loses her to the eternal "bounder" Terry Thomas, who always seems to have the edge on him! Even down to buying a car ("It looks like a Polish stomach pump"), in order to impress the young lady, poor Henry Palfrey (Ian Carmichael) just doesn't have what it takes. Until, that is, he enrols in the school of Lifemanship, run by none other than Alastair Sim.
As you would expect from such an impressive line-up of stars, this is definitely a film not to be missed. John Le Mesurier even gives a small, but convincing part as the Matre d', whose ears wiggle when he hears the sound of a Pound note being crumpled behind him, to attract his attention!
If you're feeling that life is always dealing you a bad hand, you should seriously consider joining the Shool of Lifemanship; you might enrol for their Interpolated Accountancy class, or even their Wooemanship class! Either way, if you watch this film, you won't be a loser! ("He, who is not one up, is one down!")
A lot of what is portrayed, is very true to life and even more relevant, even in today's bustling, insincere and two-faced society!
When Ian Carmichael literally runs into the girl of his dreams, he is swept off his feet. However, he soon loses her to the eternal "bounder" Terry Thomas, who always seems to have the edge on him! Even down to buying a car ("It looks like a Polish stomach pump"), in order to impress the young lady, poor Henry Palfrey (Ian Carmichael) just doesn't have what it takes. Until, that is, he enrols in the school of Lifemanship, run by none other than Alastair Sim.
As you would expect from such an impressive line-up of stars, this is definitely a film not to be missed. John Le Mesurier even gives a small, but convincing part as the Matre d', whose ears wiggle when he hears the sound of a Pound note being crumpled behind him, to attract his attention!
If you're feeling that life is always dealing you a bad hand, you should seriously consider joining the Shool of Lifemanship; you might enrol for their Interpolated Accountancy class, or even their Wooemanship class! Either way, if you watch this film, you won't be a loser! ("He, who is not one up, is one down!")
A lot of what is portrayed, is very true to life and even more relevant, even in today's bustling, insincere and two-faced society!
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
By Paul Conder
Format:DVD
The Green Man and School For Scoundrels are two of Alaistair Sim's greatest comedy efforts.
In the Green Man we see Sim as an assassin who is chased across England (by a very young George Cole) while attempting to kill his next victim.
In the School for Scoundrels we get a lively comedy starring Ian Carmichael and Terry Thomas. Sim's plays the professor of the school for rougues (ie Stephen Potts) teaching Carmichael how to take revenge on his nemesis by "winning without actually cheating" and to win the girl of his dreams. Based on the Books by the real Stephen Potter (Gamesmanship and Lifemanship) there is a real story and a lot of fun.
"Hard Cheese" for anyone who misses the opportunity to watch this set.
21 of 22 people found the following review helpful
By Paul T Horgan
VINE™ VOICE
Format:VHS Tape
This film is a showcase of British Post-war film making and the stars and production values that made it this way. Sims, Carmichael and Thomas excel in their roles as teacher, pupil and cad in this superb visualisation of Stephen Potter's writings on One-Upmanship. The film itself is stuffed full of stars of the era, Peter Jones, Hattie Jacques and Irene Handl to name but three. There isn't a duff performance from anyone.
Carmichael plays his usual middle-class English male marooned in a sea of indifference, power struggles and self-interest. However he has help this time. Guided by the wit and wisdom of Alastair Sim, he gains strength, confronts and battles his real-life demons to win the girl (played by Janette Scott, real-life daughter of the late Thora Hird).
I never cease to wonder at the ignorance of people who point-blank refuse to watch a movie just because it is shot in black and white. It saddens me that they deny themselves the pleasure of viewing classics like this.
This film is an excellent introduction to the genre of the British post-war film comedy. Buy it, buy it now.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Regirat48
What more can you say about this Classic Film. I love it. I'd not seen it for years. Many Thanks
Published 7 days ago by Regirat
5.0 out of 5 stars
Who can wish for more?
Ian Carmichael as the eternal public school boy awkward with the girls
desperately envious of the effortless ways of Terry Thomas and his roving eye. Read more
desperately envious of the effortless ways of Terry Thomas and his roving eye. Read more
Published 21 days ago by Kerstin Hallert
5.0 out of 5 stars
The best of British
The year 1960, still saw English comedy films portraying middle class and upper class characters, avoiding the ordinary, where possible. Read more
Published 25 days ago by Mr. P. Johnson
5.0 out of 5 stars
Laugh
Great film and I think although made in another time, still for the most part current. As an aside it was nice to see Terry Thomas in full flow. Read more
Published 1 month ago by John
5.0 out of 5 stars
"Hard cheese, old boy!"
What a delightful masterpiece! How can you seriously top the wit, wisdom, and timing of comic geniuses, Sims, Carmichael & Thomas?
Published 2 months ago by chris marriott
5.0 out of 5 stars
Now a fully pledged Scoundrel
You've got to love this film. Maybe use it for inter-company training? LOL
Ian Carmichael and Terry Thomas at their best.
Ian Carmichael and Terry Thomas at their best.
Published 2 months ago by Camper from Berks
5.0 out of 5 stars
They don't get better than this.
This is one of my all time favourite british comedy films. With such a superb cast, how could it be anything but great. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Frank A.
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Film Classic
This must be one of the really funny films ever made. All the characters are so realistic - we've all come across
similar people. As for the two car salesmen!!! Read more
similar people. As for the two car salesmen!!! Read more
Published 5 months ago by tomholland049
5.0 out of 5 stars
What a Right Pair of Cads!
Watching this as part of the Terry-Thomas Collection, reminds us all that if ever there was a dastardly rogue, it was in indeed TT - and like a great vaudevillian double act, with... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Tim Kidner
5.0 out of 5 stars
An English gem
This must be possibly the best english film ever,it has everything in it from dark sarcasm to hilarious comedy,listen carefully to the beautiful diction and wonderfully class... Read more
Published 12 months ago by bob burns
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