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School for Scoundrels (1959)
Director: Robert Hamer
Movie review
From Time Out Film Guide
Hamer's last film before losing out to alcohol is, ironically, about taking short cuts to success. Based around the sneeringly facile concept of 'one-upmanship' (how to tread on people and make them thank you for it), the film follows the fortunes of upper class twit Carmichael as he struggles for supremacy with waiters, women and Terry-Thomas. The first half, in particular a sequence where used-car salesmen Dudley and Dunstan Dorchester 'the Winsome Welshmen' (Price and Jones) perpetrate a con even Richard Nixon would have been proud of, has its moments of cruel humour; but when, with the benefit of a course in 'lifemanship', Carmichael is reborn as a winner, things become tediously silly.Author: RMy
User reviews of this film
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- eric said...
- Posted on Apr 27 2009 10:28 Ignore the above "review" this is without doubt one of the best comedies of it's time. The role of Delorney is made for Terry Thomas, Alistair Sim as the Principal at Yeovil excels and Jeanette Macdonald is simply gorgeous as the girl Palfrey and Delorney are trying to woo. The tennis match and rematch are pure genius A must see "stop that infernal music!!"
- Report as inappropriate
Cast & crew
Director: Robert Hamer
Producer: Hal E Chester
Cast: Ian Carmichael, Alastair Sim, Terry-Thomas, Janette Scott, Dennis Price, Peter Jones, Edward Chapman, John Le Mesurier full cast
Genre(s): Comedy
Duration: 94 mins
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