Classic Cads

Classic fare from 1960, this refreshingly cynical comedy has a fine turn from Ian Carmichael as Henry Palfrey, an accountant with an inferiority complex whose nemesis Terry-Thomas as Raymond Delauney is the urbane eloquent mans man / ladies man that Henry wants to be. The answer to his desire is The School of Lifemanship in Yeovil, where he undertakes training under the tutelage of Alastair Sim as Mr. S. Potter. All this for the love of a woman. There are great moments of comedy in this darkly humoured movie.

There is a great turn from John Le Mesurier as The condescending Head Waiter of a posher than posh restaurant, but the great cameo comes from Dennis Price and Peter Jones as Dunstan and Dudley Dorchester two dodgy car salesmen who there are echoes of in Monty Python and Minder.

The tennis match ("Hard Cheese") is one of the many moments when Terry Thomas flexes his caddish muscles.

See it if you want to grin and guffaw...But avoid the remake with Billy Bob Thornton like the Black Death!