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Comedy

School for Scoundrels (1960): Cast & Plot

School for Scoundrels (1960) movie poster

School for Scoundrels is a 1960 comedy directed by Robert Hamer, starring Ian Carmichael as Henry Palfrey, Terry-Thomas and Alastair Sim. It runs 1 hour 34 minutes.

School for Scoundrels (1960) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 34m (94 min)
Director
Robert Hamer
Genre
Comedy
Original language
English
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is School for Scoundrels About?

The premise of School for Scoundrels without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

Henry Palfrey, a downtrodden office worker, is belittled by his self‑important boss, ignored by restaurant waiters, conned by a shady used‑car salesman, and constantly outmaneuvered by the unscrupulous Raymond Delauney, who is pursuing April, the woman Henry loves. Desperate, Henry enrolls in the eccentric College of Lifemanship, a school that teaches bold, unconventional confidence tricks, hoping to outwit his rivals and win April’s heart.

School for Scoundrels Themes & Keywords

· 20 tags
  • london england
  • romantic rivalry
  • lifemanship
  • clothesmanship
  • partymanship
  • doctormanship
  • accountancymanship
  • breaking the fourth wall
  • sale
  • salesmanship
  • sportsmanship
  • tennis
+8 more
  • one upmanship
  • young
  • man
  • sports car
  • tennis club
  • intimidation
  • tennis court
  • car salesman
Cast & crew

School for Scoundrels Cast & Characters

Ian Carmichael leads the cast as Henry Palfrey, with Terry-Thomas as Raymond Delauney and Alastair Sim as Mr S. Potter. Directed by Robert Hamer; 20 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in School for Scoundrels

· 16 more
Plot

School for Scoundrels Plot Summary

What happens in School for Scoundrels from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Henry Palfrey, Ian Carmichael, is the head of a traditional family firm in London who travels to Yeovil to enroll in the College of Lifemanship, drawn by a promise that social advantage can be mastered through practiced technique. Upon arrival, he meets the principal, Mr S. Potter, a man who lives by the creed of always being one up on your opponents and who quickly narrows in on Palfrey’s motives. Potter suspects that Palfrey’s decision to sign up is sparked by a woman, and he asks Palfrey to tell his story from before the course began.

Full summary

The whole story of School for Scoundrels, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Videos

School for Scoundrels Trailers & Videos

The trailer of School for Scoundrels.

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

How Well Do You Know School for Scoundrels?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

What is the name of the protagonist who enrolls in the College of Lifemanship?

Cars

Cars in School for Scoundrels

34 cars on screen, including the 1954 Aston Martin DB3S and the 1928 Bentley 4½ Litre.

All 34 cars
  • 1954 Aston Martin DB3S in School for Scoundrels 1954 Aston Martin DB3S Main role
  • 1928 Bentley 4½ Litre in School for Scoundrels 1928 Bentley 4½ Litre Main role
  • 1958 Austin-Healey 100/6 in School for Scoundrels 1958 Austin-Healey 100/6 Important role
  • 1950 AEC Regent III in School for Scoundrels 1950 AEC Regent III Minor role

Seen School for Scoundrels?

FAQ

School for Scoundrels FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date

Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of School for Scoundrels, each answered in a sentence.

How long is School for Scoundrels?

School for Scoundrels runs 1 hour 34 minutes (94 minutes).

When was School for Scoundrels released?

School for Scoundrels was released on March 24, 1960.

Who directed School for Scoundrels?

School for Scoundrels was directed by Robert Hamer.

More films by Robert Hamer

Who is in the cast of School for Scoundrels?

School for Scoundrels stars Ian Carmichael as Henry Palfrey, Terry-Thomas as Raymond Delauney and Alastair Sim as Mr S. Potter, among 20 credited actors.

Does School for Scoundrels have a post-credit scene?

No. School for Scoundrels has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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