School for Scoundrels

I read all the Stephen Potter books and this movie captures their charm and wit perfectly. I especially love how Ian Carmichael, as the fledgling gamesman, gets sweet revenge on the car salesman who dealt him an antique lemon. And just to look at Terry Thomas' twitching moustache and gapped tooth semi-sneer sent me into convulsions. A perfect 10!

This is the ultimate Terry Thomas film. He gets to act out being the most wonderful cad, stealing girls off poor saps arms, driving open top sports cars are a furious pace, and generally getting the chance to utter 'hard cheese old boy'. Carmicheal is excellent, bewildered to begin with and slowly learning the dark arts of Upmanship. I implore all to see this film, as always the golden rule is - if a film as Alistair Sim in it, its got to be worth a look. Currently avialable on a 2 film DVD release, with another UK B&W comedy classic. Buy and enjoy.

Stephen Potter's biography tells that, before this happy film version was made, Cary Grant was keen, with American producer Carl Foreman, to make a film about Potter's brilliant (now sadly out-of-print)Oneupmanship books. The problem that confronted Grand and Foreman was that they couldn't find anyway to make the humour "American". In the end they dropped it and this rather Ealing-esque film was made instead. This film is just great fun and a reminder of what British cinema at its best can offer. Thank goodness Grant and Foreman didn't give it the "American" treatment. Thank heavens also for a sterling case, in which Terry-Thomas particularly stands out. Tennis, anyone?

This fabulous film is available on DVD at last, twinned with another Alaister Sim classic, THE GREEN MAN. But, the star of this film is the dapper TERRY-THOMAS. Every scene he is in is superb. From the suave cad in the first half of the film to the flustered toff in the second, this is one of his finest performances and stands up to repeat viewings due to his expressive faces and masterful comic timing.

I hear there is going to be a Hollywood remake of this film, which will be a huge mistake as there has been no one like T-T since. I recommend anyone who is a fan of British comedy to see this classic or you will forever be crying 'hard cheese'!

I first saw this film about ten years ago and in that time I must have seen it two hundred times.It stands for everything great in British comedy.It tells the story of a young man who always seems to come a cropper in the lifeman stakes.He joins classes for one-upmanship and turns into an arrogant idiot.

Alastair Sim is at his lugrubious best.Terry-Thomas plays the bounder to a tee with some wonderful lines.If I have one gripe it's the casting of Ian Carmichael in the lead role.Leslie Philips would have been much better But that's a personal choice.

Now I'm off to watch it again for the two hundred and first time!