School For Scoundrels

2898. SCHOOL FOR SCOUNDRELS (1959-England). With IAN CARMICHAEL, TERRY-THQMAS, JANETTE SCOTT, ALASTAIR SIM, DENNIS PRICE. This witty and thoroughly entertaining farce is aptly subtitled “How To Win Wilhout Actually Cheating.” It is the story of Henry Palfrey, a self-described failure. Henry is a bona-fide wimp, the type of poor soul who fades into the wallpaper at parties. He has just met April Smith, the girl of his dreams. However, he quite rightly senses that he is in danger of losing her to the more aggressive and self-assured Raymond Delauney (played in his own peerless style by Terry-Thomas). Henry is not only desperate to capture April’s heart but is weary of going through life being pushed around and ignored. So he enrolls in the “College Of Lifemanship,” where he hopes to transform his personality. The headmaster (a perfectly cast Alastair Sim) promptly informs him that “the world is divided into winners and losers. In a word, the one-up and the one-down. Lifemanship is the science of being one-up on your opponent at all times, making them feel less desirable and less worthy.” Who are your opponents? Everybody in the world who is not youl At the college, Henry takes courses in “Gamesmanship” and “Woo-Manship.” He proves to be an apt student, learning his lessons well and even receiving personalized tutoring from the headmaster. Then he gets to put his classroom learning into real-life practice, with surprising and hilarious results. Anyone who has ever owned a British car is in for a special treat…and you deserve one! You will be cheering for Henry as he attempts to one-up the caddish Delauney. The finale is especially clever and revealing. We won’t be giving too much away if we say that it involves that most dreaded of emotionÑsincerity! Recommended. Letter boxed. 90 minutes. Comedy