SCHOOL FOR SCOUNDRELS

UK, 1960, 90 minutes, Black and white.
Ian Carmichael, Terry -Thomas, Alastair Sim, Janette Scott, Dennis Price, Edward Chapman, John Le Mesurier, Irene Handl, Hattie Jacques.
Directed by Robert Hamer.

School for Scoundrels is based on a popular series of books about business and one-upmanship by Stephen Potter. The film focuses on a wealthy but rather inept young man played by Ian Carmichael in his usual fashion. He has a bounder friend, Terry -Thomas, who beats him at everything, including tennis and drawing away his girlfriend. He enrols in a school to learn how to win in one-upmanship. The school is run by Alastair Sim, doing a variation on his Belles of St Trinians, The Happiest Days of Your Life headmaster. A group of character actors has a series of guest roles, including Dennis Price as an oily and dodgy car salesman. Direction is by Robert Hamer, director of a number of Ealing Studios comedies.

1. An entertaining British comedy? Of the 50s? Now?

2. Black and white photography, the fashionable settings, restaurants, business? The school? Musical score?

3. The British cast, audience familiarity with their styles? Their capacity for comedy?

4. The title, the film based on a series of books about one-upmanship? The school and Mr Potter, his ways of teaching, his aims and objectives? Turning people into scoundrels - for one-upmanship against scoundrels?

5. Ian Carmichael as Henry, the young man, all the gifts in the world, wealth, position? His hurrying into work, the bus clash with April? Attracted, going out with her? His meeting with Raymond, Raymond taking over, the table in the restaurant after the maitre d' refusing them entry? Raymond leaving him with the bill? The car, tennis prowess? His being able to dominate Henry? Henry and his decision to go to the school? The course, the various lessons, his ability to learn, the comedy? Mr Potter and his instructions? His special liking for Henry? Sending him out, Henry going back to the office and dominating Mr Gloatbridge, pretending that there were errors in his accounts? His domination of Raymond, driving him around the block, getting him exasperated, late, April upset with him? Beating him at tennis? Meals? Mr Potter watching, congratulating him, conferring the degree? Henry's love for April, proposal, the compromising position, Raymond catching them, his using the techniques? His confession, April's reconciliation? His not wanting to be a winner by one-upmanship?

6. Mr Potter, his manner, aims and objectives, the school, the courses, the supervision? Urging Henry on, at the office, at tennis, the conferring of the degree? Henry turning against him at the end and wanting to be honest?

7. Raymond, the bounder, Terry-Thomas's style? Restaurants, cars, tennis? When he was being browbeaten by Henry in the car, tennis? His going to the school?

8. April, crashing into Henry, the outings, her being fascinated by Raymond? Her attraction towards Henry, the tennis match? The compromising position? Her response to Henry's honesty?

9. The gallery of characters: the dodgy brothers and their selling of the car, Henry and his taking it without much consideration, April laughing at it, its collapsing? His ingenious idea of getting his own back on the brothers, their buying it back and its collapsing? The maitre d' and his snobbishness at the hotel? Hattie Jacques and her instruction in the course? Irene Handl as the landlady? Edward Chapman bewildered as Mr Gloatbridge?

A popular type of British comedy of the 50s?