School for Scoundrels

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Robert Hamer directs. Erwin Hillier behind the camera. John Addison scores. Richard Best cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United Kingdom. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

• 166 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
• 2Directed by Robert Hamer, shot by Erwin Hillier. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
• 3Original score by John Addison. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
• 4Editor Richard Best shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
• 5Ian Carmichael and Terry-Thomas and Alastair Sim carry the top of the cast.
• 6Marketing tagline: "Learn to gain weight by LOSING scruples!".
• 7IMDB entry: tt0054279 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
• 8Only 73 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
• 9Classified under 10 themes, including "london, england", "tennis", "competition", "loser".

The technical file

Cinematography

Erwin Hillier

Original score

John Addison

Editing

Richard Best

Makeup / hair

Eric Aylott

Runtime

94 min · 1h 34m

Aspect ratio (typical)

1.37:1 (Academy)

Status

Released

Original language

EN

IMDB

School for Scoundrels (1960) ↗

Also by

Robert Hamer

• 
  Kind Hearts and Coronets

  1949 · ★ 7.6
• 
  Dead of Night

  1945 · ★ 7.2
• 
  His Excellency

  1952 · ★ 7.0
• 
  The Spider and the Fly

  1949 · ★ 6.9
• 
  The Scapegoat

  1959 · ★ 6.8
• 
  The Long Memory

  1953 · ★ 6.7

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

• 

  ▶
  School for Scoundrels (1960) Original Trailer [FHD]

  Trailer

Community reviews

What people are saying

• John Chard2014-09-06
  ★ 9/10

  How To Win Without Actually Cheating! Humilliated in sport,losing his girl to a cad, and always taken advantage of-Henry Palfrey decides enough is enough and enrols himself at the College Of Lifemanship to learn self improvement strategies. School For Scoundrels is inspired by a trio of parody self-help books written by Stephen Potter called Gamesmanship, Lifemanship & Oneupmanship, with the subsequent result being a deftly charming satire backed up with very knowing comedy. Taking the lead role of Henry Palfrey is Ian Carmichael, though a star of many funny and successful British comedies, Carmichael is not someone I would normally term as a confident leading man, but here he does well and I think that is probably down to having the ebullient Terry-Thomas to feed off. Terry-Thomas is here in full caddish rapscallion mode as Henry's love rival Raymond Delauney, a devilishly funny character who firmly has us begging Henry to get the better of him come the end. Some delightful laughs to be had here, from the duos tennis matches, to Henry's turning of the tables on an unscrupulous car salesmen. School For Scoundrels is never ever less than a funny movie. However the film is far from perfect, Alistair Sim isn't given that much to do as Henry's mentor, Professor Stephen Potter, and this ultimately feels like a wasted opportunity. The direction is also pretty patchy, which when I delved further is sadly understandable. Robert Hamer was the perfect choice to direct because nestling on his CV is the majestic Kind Hearts And Coronets. But Hamer was fired shortly after filming began after lapsing back into alcoholism (he would die three years later), so the film was completed by Hal Chester and Cyril Frankel. Frayed edges aside though, School For Soudrels still holds up well today, and when one witnesses the poor standard of the 2006 remake, this 1960 offering is something of a comedic gem to be cherished forever and always. Hard cheese old boy 8/10

  Read full review ↓

Production companies

Who made it

• GU

  Guardsman Films

• 

  Associated British Picture Corporation

  GB

Key crew

• NovelStephen Potter
• Executive ProducerHal E. Chester
• Sound EditorCharles Crafford
• Wardrobe MasterMuriel Dickson
• Special EffectsGeorge Blackwell
• Sound RecordistLen Shilton
• ConductorJohn Addison
• Casting DirectorRobert Lennard
• ContinuityHelen Whitson
• Wardrobe MasterErnie Farrer
• Production ManagerL. C. Rudkin
• EditorRichard Best
• Camera OperatorHerbert Smith
• OtherA. W. Lumkin
• Sound RecordistArthur Bradburn
• Assistant DirectorBasil Rayburn
• Art DirectionTerence Verity
• Script EditorFrederick Gotfurt
• Makeup ArtistEric Aylott
• Associate ProducerDouglas Rankin
• HairstylistPolly Young

Themes & keywords

What it's about, really

• london, england
• tennis
• competition
• loser
• romance
• car salesman
• dirty tricks
• black and white
• self help guru
• cad

Release history · US

When it landed

• Theatrical1960-07-11

Also known as

International titles

• Skola för skojareSE
• School for Scoundrels Or How to Win without Actually CheatingUS