The late Robert Hamer never managed to top his Ealing masterpiece 'Kind Hearts & Coronets', but came tantalisingly close in 1960 with this witty comedy inspired by Stephen Potter's 'Oneupmanship' books. They were unfilmable as they stood, so top marks to Hal E.Chester and Patricia Moyes for coming up with a workable script. What is oneupmanship? Nothing less than the art of winning without actually cheating, getting one up on your opponent at all times. Who is your opponent? Practically everybody!
'School' centres on everyman 'Henry Palfrey' ( the splendid Ian Carmichael ), who is by his own admission one of life's failures. Waiters ( John Le Mesurier ) insult him, his own staff - particularly 'Gloatbridge' ( Edward Chapman ) - bully him, an old chum - 'Ray Delauney' ( Terry-Thomas ) humiliates him in a tennis club - and when he tries to impress lovely 'April Smith' ( Janette Scott ) by buying a Swiftmobile ( it closely resembles a reupholstered roller skate! ), a pair of unscrupulous car salesmen known for some reason as 'The Winsome Welshmen' ( Peter Jones and Dennis Price ) rip him off. Desperate, Henry enrols at The School Of Lifemanship in Yeovil to learn how to become a success. It is run by 'Mr.S.Potter' ( Alistair Sim )...
Some British comedy films look and feel timeless, and this is one of them. I must have seen it over a hundred times, and it never fails to make me laugh. What a cast! Plus cameos from Hattie Jacques, Hugh Paddick, Gerald Campion, and Jeremy Lloyd. The scene where Henry gets his own back on the shady car dealers is marvellously satisfying. Ditto him getting his revenge on Delauney. As Henry, Ian Carmichael is, as ever, sublime. His naivety gradually giving way to cunning. Terry-Thomas appears in his finest movie role, as the caddish Ray, whose catchphrase is 'hard cheese!'. His mounting stress as Henry turns the tables is hysterical! I can't think of a bad word to say about this film. The final gag at the end - Ray is seen getting off a train to enrol at the School - is the cherry on the cake! In 1976, the B.B.C. brought 'Oneupmanship' to television, starring Richard Briers and Peter Jones.
'School' centres on everyman 'Henry Palfrey' ( the splendid Ian Carmichael ), who is by his own admission one of life's failures. Waiters ( John Le Mesurier ) insult him, his own staff - particularly 'Gloatbridge' ( Edward Chapman ) - bully him, an old chum - 'Ray Delauney' ( Terry-Thomas ) humiliates him in a tennis club - and when he tries to impress lovely 'April Smith' ( Janette Scott ) by buying a Swiftmobile ( it closely resembles a reupholstered roller skate! ), a pair of unscrupulous car salesmen known for some reason as 'The Winsome Welshmen' ( Peter Jones and Dennis Price ) rip him off. Desperate, Henry enrols at The School Of Lifemanship in Yeovil to learn how to become a success. It is run by 'Mr.S.Potter' ( Alistair Sim )...
Some British comedy films look and feel timeless, and this is one of them. I must have seen it over a hundred times, and it never fails to make me laugh. What a cast! Plus cameos from Hattie Jacques, Hugh Paddick, Gerald Campion, and Jeremy Lloyd. The scene where Henry gets his own back on the shady car dealers is marvellously satisfying. Ditto him getting his revenge on Delauney. As Henry, Ian Carmichael is, as ever, sublime. His naivety gradually giving way to cunning. Terry-Thomas appears in his finest movie role, as the caddish Ray, whose catchphrase is 'hard cheese!'. His mounting stress as Henry turns the tables is hysterical! I can't think of a bad word to say about this film. The final gag at the end - Ray is seen getting off a train to enrol at the School - is the cherry on the cake! In 1976, the B.B.C. brought 'Oneupmanship' to television, starring Richard Briers and Peter Jones.