School for Scoundrels
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Movie Reviews of School for Scoundrels
Movie Review: The original and the best--believe it!
Summary: 5 Stars
This brilliant British comedy from 1960 recently suffered the cruel indignity of having its title applied to a crude, Americanized, lobotomized, piece of tripe. Put the remake out with the other trash; this is the only version for anyone who has risen above the rank of teen-aged slacker.
In the 1950s, America was periodically entranced by consecutive series of amusing and light-weight books of English social observations and "philosophy." There was, for example, C. Northcote Parkinson's "Parkinson's Law." Parkinson was a perfectly respectable naval historian who had noticed that as the number of ships in the Royal Navy had decreased after World War II, the number of people to support them, most particularly admirals, had increased. His "Law" was simply that work expanded to fill time and he provided many hilarious examples from contemporary British life to prove it. He followed that book up with a second one that was nearly as successful, called "In-laws and Outlaws." It was about, well, in-laws and outlaws. Someone else produced books on "U" and "Non-U" (upper class and not upper class--very, very British, that.) Perhaps the best-known of the bunch, however was Stephen Potter's "One-Upmanship" which created a new verb (or at least firmly re-established an older one) in the English language: to one-up.
Such was the popularity of the notions in the book, that very little time was lost before some bright spark wrapped a story around them and put them on the screen. The only surprise about the whole enterprise is how very, very skillfully it was done. Besides clever writers, the British film industry in those days boasted of a matchless stable of character actors, high comedians, low comics and farceurs. These were men and women who could put a hilarious polish on anything. In this case, we find Ian Carmichael, the sometime upper class twit and eternal everyman/nobody; the perpetually devious, always eccentric Alistair Sim and that outrageous bounder of bounders, scene-stealing, gap-toothed Terry-Thomas.
The story is a very simple one. A pleasantly likeable human worm, Carmichael, is getting the social stuffing kicked of him by a cad and bounder, Terry-Thomas (and just about everybody else in the world, too.) Realizing that he can't possibly prevail in a fair fight, the worm applies to the school run by Sim, who appears as Professor Potter, the philosopher-king of scoundrels. After a suitable course of instruction, the worm turns. The result, needless to say, generates real laughs. Even a bronze statue would have to smile at Terry-Thomas getting his comeuppance. ("Oh, hard cheese, old man.") And the manner in which an officious office manager is brought heel by Carmichael and Sim is an absolutely delicious little throw-away scene.
This is one of the true gems of the great period of British filmed comedy.
Five stars? Oh, I say, rather!
Movie Review: Hard Cheese, Old Man!
Summary: 5 Stars
One of my all time favorite comedies. I first saw this, upon the recommendation of my late friend Larry Strayer, on late night television way back in my college years.
Ian Carmichael plays the nice boy who always loses, Terry-Thomas plays the sophisticated upper class cad who tries to steal his girl away from him, Alastair Sims plays the worldly professor of the School of Lifesmanship, Janette Scott is the girl they are fighting over, and Dennis Price plays the crooked used car dealer. This is another ensemble of brilliant actors in the era of British comedies.
The story telling in this movie is also superb. Carmichael goes to the School for Scoundrels in despair and emerges self assured and confident. Terry-Thomas is transformed from the gloating winner to the sore loser. Carmichael also turns the table on Dennis Price.
The sub plot over the Carmichael's purchase and return of an overpriced junk car would stand on its own as a short film. Terry-Thomas exclaims on first seeing the car, "...what is that? It looks like a Polish stomach pump."
I bought this new DVD and believe me, its worth it. I had an old VHS version of this movie based on a terrible print. This DVD is based on a very clean print. Highly recommended.
Movie Review: Memorable comedy classic
Summary: 5 Stars
Any film which stars Alistair Sim and Terry Thomas is going to be worth watching. This 1960 film is one of the best British comedies ever made. Ian Carmichael stars as Palfrey, a man who is dominated at work by his chief clerk, despite owning the company and whose attempts to win the heart of April Smith are tharwted by the cad of all cads Raymond Delauney (Terry Thomas).
There are many classic scenes in this film but two or three will stick with you. The Tennis match before Palfrey attends the Lifemanship college is perhaps most famous. Delauney completely humiliates Palfrey shouting "hard cheese" at every opportunity. I also love the scene where Palfrey sells the Swiftmobile back to the dodgy 2nd hand car dealers.
This film takes you back to a different era as well. Dating was a different game and the attitude towards women was well, put politely less modern (show them an undarned sock and they will darn it for you)! Alistair Sim, in only a supporting role is quite brilliant and has the last word as well. I implore you to buy or see this before seeing the 2006 version. You have been warned.
Movie Review: One of the very best British comedies ever made
Summary: 5 Stars
In the 1950s I dated an English girl who introduced me to British comedies. To my pleasant surprise I found that the British have a wonderfully subtle sense of humor and I fell in love with a number of classic British comedies from that period. My favorite was School for Scoundrels in which Alistair Sim (fully equal to Alec Guiness as a comedic genius) is headmaster of a school which teachs "How to win without actually cheating." One of Sim's pupils is a desperate Ian Carmichael (who later went on to television stardom as Lord Peter Whimsey) whose every attempt to win the heart of Janette Scott has been thwarted by classic cad Terry-Thomas. Needless to say Sim's instructions allow Carmichael to vanquish his nemesis and win Scott's affections, though not quite as Sim intends. Please get this superb film and enjoy the various machinations which eventually bring about true love "without actually cheating."Movie Review: In the Dark
Summary: 5 Stars
Much has been written in the reviews about possibly of the best films ever put on screen play and is a remarkable insight into English social standings and one upmanship.
My two lines that stand out to me are "in the dark??????" and have you got a "piece of string" As these were not mentioned in any of the other reviews it was time to add these choice words. To understand more, you have to get the movie :-)
However my favourite all around scene is when the character of Paulfrey comes back to the car garage where he purchased his car and gets the two shyster salesman to buy back the heap of junk they sold him, well this part takes the biscuit as we say in the UK.
I dedicate this review and the film to all those who at one time have been down-trodden or have received the "sticky end of the lolipop" - This ones for you!!!!!!!!