Episode 196 - School For Scoundrels (1960)

Episode 196 - School For Scoundrels (1960) "Hard cheese old boy!" School for Scoundrels is one of those wonderfully sharp British comedies that takes something faintly ridiculous and plays it with a completely straight face, which of course makes it even funnier. Released in 1960, it follows Henry Palfrey, a polite, mild-mannered man who seems to be permanently stuck on the losing side of life. He is decent, respectable and reasonably successful on paper, yet somehow he always ends up second best, especially when faced with people who have more confidence, more nerve and rather fewer scruples. Chief among those people is Raymond Delauney, a sleek, smug and maddeningly self-assured rival who seems able to outmanoeuvre Henry at every turn. Whether it is in romance, social situations or the small but humiliating battles of everyday life, Delauney has the infuriating knack of always coming out on top. Henry, increasingly fed up with being the one left floundering, is drawn into the orbit of the mysterious Mr Potter and his remarkable College of Lifemanship, where the art of being "one-up" is treated with all the seriousness of a military campaign. From there, the film becomes a deliciously observed contest of manners, manipulation and social gamesmanship. What makes it so enjoyable is the way it turns ordinary middle-class anxieties into something almost heroic. A lunch, a conversation, a game of tennis or the purchase of a second-hand car suddenly become matters of strategy and survival. The humour is dry, knowing and beautifully played, with Ian Carmichael bringing warmth and sympathy to Henry's struggles, while Terry-Thomas is gloriously unbearable as the perfectly polished cad. Witty, elegant and just a little wicked, School for Scoundrels remains a classic British comedy because it understands an eternal truth: in a world full of bounders, bluffers and social bullies, good manners alone may not be enough. Coming soon...our next episode:

You can listen to Episode 196 - School For Scoundrels (1960) online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Episode 196 - School For Scoundrels (1960) is an episode from Reel Britannia by Scott.

This episode is 01:18:10 long.

This episode was published on Apr 29, 2026.

Yes. Use the heart button on the episode page to add it to your favorite episodes list.

Yes. This page shows related episodes from Reel Britannia when more episodes are available from the podcast feed.