Oh I say, School for Scoundrels is surely the ultimate films for cads and caddish wannabees. Forget the battle of the sexes or the classes which was a popular theme in British films of the 1960s. This is about winners and losers.
Ian Carmichael is Henry Palfrey who wants to woo the delectable April Smith a girl he has bumped into but is made to look foolish by his chum Raymond Delauney (Terry Thomas) who is out to steal her.
Palfrey also is not having much luck at his firm and his attempt to buy a sports car goes wrong as well. He joins the Lifemanship school where the headmaster played by Alistair Sim soon sorts him out in the ways of gamesmanship and oneupmanship.
Ian Carmichael plays the weak willed Palfrey really well but soon after his time at school he is transformed as the cad on the make. He plays a blinder as you really are on his side with him when he gets his revenge on the garage that sold him the duff car. Then he plays the return game of tennis with Thomas.
Terry Thomas, well what can you say. It's the trademark Thomas performance. The moment he claps eyes on April he turns lecherous and uses his weasel charms to get his way.
Of course as the table turn you see Thomas getting frustrated, exasperated and even more bad tempered.
Alistair Sim again gives another vintage performance as the wily headmaster of the school teaching Palfrey valuable life lessons.
The film has cameos from British character actors of the 1950s, 60s and 70s. Irene Handle, Dennis Price, Hattie Jacques, Hugh Paddick, Peter Jones, John Le Mesurier.
The film is a vintage delight. Light and frothy enough with some genteel laughs and held together by Ian Carmichael. It gives space to Terry Thomas and Alistair Sim to shine.
Ian Carmichael is Henry Palfrey who wants to woo the delectable April Smith a girl he has bumped into but is made to look foolish by his chum Raymond Delauney (Terry Thomas) who is out to steal her.
Palfrey also is not having much luck at his firm and his attempt to buy a sports car goes wrong as well. He joins the Lifemanship school where the headmaster played by Alistair Sim soon sorts him out in the ways of gamesmanship and oneupmanship.
Ian Carmichael plays the weak willed Palfrey really well but soon after his time at school he is transformed as the cad on the make. He plays a blinder as you really are on his side with him when he gets his revenge on the garage that sold him the duff car. Then he plays the return game of tennis with Thomas.
Terry Thomas, well what can you say. It's the trademark Thomas performance. The moment he claps eyes on April he turns lecherous and uses his weasel charms to get his way.
Of course as the table turn you see Thomas getting frustrated, exasperated and even more bad tempered.
Alistair Sim again gives another vintage performance as the wily headmaster of the school teaching Palfrey valuable life lessons.
The film has cameos from British character actors of the 1950s, 60s and 70s. Irene Handle, Dennis Price, Hattie Jacques, Hugh Paddick, Peter Jones, John Le Mesurier.
The film is a vintage delight. Light and frothy enough with some genteel laughs and held together by Ian Carmichael. It gives space to Terry Thomas and Alistair Sim to shine.