School For Scoundrels or How To Win Without
Actually Cheating
(1960/British/Lionsgate)
Picture:
C+ Sound: C+ Extras: D Film: C+
The
original Robert Hamer School For
Scoundrels or How To Win Without Actually Cheating (1960) is a study of
wit, snobbery and class division that pits love against the caste system in sly
ways. A much respected film, it was made
in the same spirit as the Ealing Studio comedies and has Ian Carmichael as a
new student at a stuffy school who finds himself against Terry-Thomas for the
affections of Janette Scott.
Somewhat
predictable and only slightly dated, it is better than most TV sitcoms that
have influenced so many of them today, but is not exactly what we would think
of a model of the BritCom. With that
said, the Patricia Moyes/Hal E. Chester screenplay (based on Stephen Foster’s
book) is literate and the performances have just the right amount of energy to
make this seem younger than its age. A
must-see for film fans, we doubt any remake could come close.
The anamorphically
enhanced image should be 1.66 X 1 throughout, but is only truly so in the
opening and closing credits. Otherwise,
the transfer cheats at 1.78 X 1 throughout.
The black and white is nicely shot by cinematographer Erwin Hillier, who
was on the upswing and would soon lens Operation
Crossbow, The Quiller Memorandum,
The Shoes Of The Fisherman and The Valley Of Gwangi. This could be sharper and clearer, with an HD
upgrade on the way soon we hope. The
Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono is not bad for its age, has good dialogue and a score by
John Addison, known for his comedy scores like A Fine Madness (reviewed elsewhere on this site), then going on to
darker material like Torn Curtain, Sleuth and The Seven-Percent Solution.
There are no extras.
- Nicholas Sheffo
