Alastair Sim is an accomplished, iconic British actor who gained immense popularity on the stage and screen until his death in 1976. Sim was probably best known stateside for his portrayal of Scrooge in the 1951 adaptation of A Christmas Carol, which remains a mainstay of the holiday season for many to this day. Sim was a brilliant dramatic performer, but he is probably most well-known for his series of nuanced comedic performances on film. The good folks at Film Movement Classics have brought together four of his most popular works from the StudioCanal archives in the newly restored Alastair Sim’s School for Laughter: 4 Classic Comedies collection. Read on to discover what hilarious gems are in store for you.

The Belles of St. Trinian’s (1954)

The schoolgirls of St. Trinian’s are more interested in racing forms than books as they try to get-rich-quick. They are abetted by the headmistress’ brother. In this classic comedy which spawned several sequels, both the headmistress and her brother are played by Alastair Sim. Based on the cartoons of Ronald Searle.

The concept of performing in dual male and female roles is one that has become something of a cliché, but Sim nonetheless delivers big laughs in the role of the headmistress of these wild girls. Sim is a master of comedic timing, and it turns out that acting against himself provides just as strong of a scene partner as any other film. This fast-paced tale is a real blast as you see these enterprising young ladies break bad and indulging in utter mayhem at times. There are some very questionable un-PC depictions of Arabian stereotypes that hamper the film somewhat, but it is a small portion of an otherwise hilarious film. The plot is a highly unbelievable farce, but the tone of the film allows you to totally give yourself over to the frenetic storytelling. The young ladies at the core of the film have a natural comedic presence that makes this film work. This madcap comedic romp is easy to fall in love with.

School for Scoundrels (1960)

Based on the Stephen Potter books One Upmanship and Lifemanship, Henry Palfrey (Ian Carmichael) tries hard to impress but always loses out to the rotter Delauney. Then he discovers the Lifeman college run by ‘Professor’ Potter (Alastair Sim) and discovers the secrets of success. But has he the courage to put all his lessons into effect? From the director of Kind Hearts and Coronets.

Sim trades in his headmistress gown for a professor’s suit in this clever series of comedic escapades. He makes a big impression as the master of how to get the most out of life, but ultimately plays a smaller role than you would wish. Carmichael is the perfect straight man to the sly Sim and deliciously oily Terry-Thomas, who is more than happy to steal your girl right in front of you as Delauney. Janette Scott is utterly transfixing as the young lady, April, who serves as the objection of affection. The film follows a pretty easy narrative of Palfrey recalling all the things that went awry during his courtship of April and subsequently approaches these scenarios again armed with his new teachings. It is ultimately a kind-hearted tale that provides some solid laughs backed by some brilliant comedic performances from the main players, as well as the ensemble.

Laughter in Paradise (1951)

Famed practical joker Henry Russell leaves 50,000 pounds to each of his four surviving relatives. But his will has one last joke – they each have to undertake a task completely out of character within a month. As each sets out on their objective they find that quite apart from the promised riches, they are unexpectedly getting a lot out of the challenge. All except caddish Simon Russell, that is. Released in 1951, Laughter In Paradise was Britain’s top-grossing film. Watch carefully and see a young Audrey Hepburn in a bit part as a cigarette girl.

This entry in the set proves to be the funniest and most well-rounded of the lot. The conceit of the film opens up so many comedic opportunities that the cast tackles with gusto. This also happens to be the film where Sim is given the most to do, as his character hilariously tries to get himself imprisoned for a minor crime to consistent failure. The level of comedic brilliance in some of the sequences here is an unabashed delight. Guy Middleton plays the role of Simon Russell with a lived-in believability that adds an extra layer of humor to the proceedings. A good ladies man does not want to be pinned down, so watching him try to finesse his way through loopholes while ultimately getting what he deserves is fantastic. The film is not lacking in heart either, as Fay Compton’s Agnes experiences a touching evolution from being snobbish to sympathetic to those around her. George Cole embodies the timid Herbert Russell in a nuanced manner that provides laughter that sneaks up on you. The film is expertly paced and does not waste any screen time getting to the humor of each situation. It was immensely satisfying discovering the British gem that never would have come across my radar otherwise.

Hue and Cry (1947)

Teenager Joe Kirby, fantasizing he’s on the track of criminals, finds to his astonishment that it has all come true. He has walked straight into the story of his comic book. Very soon he convinces himself and his adventurous cronies the comic is being used as a means of communication between a master criminal and his gang of thieves. The first of the Ealing comedies.

This film serves as a bit of an outlier from the other three. This film features the least amount of screen time for Sim, by far, and plays more as a lighthearted thriller than a comedy. That’s not to say that the film is not enjoyable. On the contrary, it does provide a nice change of pace within the set as you watch these children come face to face with real danger. This film serves as a fascinating portrayal of post-World War London, complete with bombed out buildings. Sim is fine, if not a bit forgettable, in his brief role, but this picture belongs to the kids. None of them seem out of their depth acting-wise or especially grating. The central mystery is unraveled in a compelling manner, and the concluding showdown will have you holding your breath. The kids are shown in serious peril in regular intervals, so you never know what tragedy might unexpectedly befall one of them. Hue and Cry may not fit perfectly in this comedy set, but it is a fun movie that deserves your attention.

Video Quality

These four Alastair Sim comedies come to Blu-Ray newly restored courtesy of StudioCanal and released by Film Movement Classics in an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in each of their original aspect ratio. This is the first time the US has been able to purchase these new presentations domestically, with only three of the four available previously abroad. The restorations are really something to marvel at, as they take some really rough looking prints and cleans them up substantially. There are still minor nicks, and the occasional instance of more noticeable damage, but the films appears very natural and filmic. There is some noticeable softness to some of the shots that likely stems from the quality of the source material. The most consistently impressive of the four films would be School for Scoundrels, while the most damage-prone would probably be Laughter in Paradise, which still looks quite lovely. Film grain is present without being too intrusive, which allows details not to be scrubbed away. Textures on clothing and within the production design are now way more apparent than ever before. The contrast in the black-and-white photography is stellar. While sequences at night are rare throughout these films, black levels are sufficiently deep for the source material. Overall, Film Movement Classics should be applauded for giving us such a great presentation.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray set presents these four films with LPCM 2.0 mono tracks that largely sound pretty wonderful. As with the video portion, Laughter in Paradise probably struggles the most overall when compared to the other three releases, but it still delivers a strong presentation. Dialogue is crystal clear and easily distinguishable throughout the set. This films employ some sound effects in the mix that thankfully do not get muddled. The sounds in the upper registers can play a bit bright at times, and the track sometimes appears to be a bit boxy. The scores are rendered well within the mix with no obvious instances of age-related wear or damage. Fans should be beyond pleased with the sound quality of these four films. The only major fault with this set is the lack of subtitles for any of the films.

Special Features

A multi-page booklet including an essay by author Ronald Bergan is included in the set. In the essay, Bergan gives some additional background on the life of Sim along with further information about each film in the context of Sim’s career. It is a fascinating essay that is very much worth a read.

The Belles of St. Trinian’s

• Interview with Geoff Brown: A nearly-nineteen minute discussion with the film historian in which he gives some background on the British film industry, the development of the film from the original comics, Sim’s dual performance and more. He can be a bit dry, but is full of details.
• Interview with Melanie Williams: A thirteen-minute discussion with the Senior Lecturer in Film Studies at UEA in which she discusses the popularity of the St. Trinian’s cartoons, the bucking of female stereotypes, the reputation of the film and its sequels and more.
• Interview with Merlith McKendrick: A five-minute discussion with Alastair Sim’s daughter in which she lovingly discusses Sim as a father, the experience of witnessing his fame, his love of theatre and more. This is a heartwarming addition to the set.
• Interview with Steve Chibnall: A twelve-minute discussion with the Professor of British Cinema at De Monfort University in which he discusses the series in greater depth, the creator’s frustration with Sim, some of the actresses in the film and more.
• The Girls of St. Trinian’s: A seventeen-minute featurette that catches up with some of the now-elderly women who play young women in the film. The ladies discuss how they were cast in the film, their experiences working on the film, their impression of Alastair Sim, their favorite moments from the film and more.

School for Scoundrels

• School for Scoundrels Trailer: A two-and-a-half-minute trailer that reveals a lot of the gags from the film, but still does a good job of selling it.
• Interview with Peter Bradshaw: A fourteen-minute discussion with the film critic from The Guardian in which he offers up some background information on the film, analyzes some comedic choices within the narrative, highlights bits of the acting, discusses the change in directors and more. Bradshaw knows his stuff and is a delight to listen to.
• Interview with Graham McCann: An eleven-minute discussion with Terry-Thomas’ biographer in which he gives a very detailed history of the talented actor around the time of this film, including other projects with Sim.
• Interview with Chris Potter: A twelve-minute discussion with Stephen Potter’s grandson in which he sweetly discusses his grandfather’s work and how it was adapted into School for Scoundrels. It is always nice to get additional context about a creative from their own flesh and blood.

Laughter in Paradise

There are no special features included on this disc.

Hue and Cry

• Interview with Steve Chibnall: A six-minute discussion with the Professor of British Cinema at De Monfort University in which he delves into the production of the film from its place among the Ealing comedies to the creative title sequence and more.
• Location Featurette: A nine-minute guided tour with film historian Richard Dacre in which he takes the viewer around various locations featured in the film to give proper context and history to the area.

Final Thoughts

Alastair Sim is not a name that gets thrown around as often as other comedic luminaries, but his contributions to cinema are immeasurable. This four film collection offers up a wonderful assortment of his comedic works that showcases his immense talent. Each film has a distinct personality that is easy to fall in love with. Film Movement Classics has offered up a technically wonderful set with a strong A/V presentation and some fascinating special features. Any fans of British comedy should consider this an essential piece of your collection. Recommended

Alastair Sim’s School for Laughter: 4 Classic Comedies is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Film Movement Classics has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.

Dillon Gonzales

Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.