Terry-Thomas Collection DVD (1959)

Terry-Thomas Collection

1959

Overall rating: 3.5 out of 5

from 723 members

Collection of six films featuring British comedy actor Terry-Thomas. In 'School for Scoundrels' (1960), Henry Palfrey (Ian Carmichael) is one of life's losers. Despised and disregarded at work, his prospective girlfriend April (Janette Scott) is whisked from under his nose by charming bounder Raymond Delauney (Terry-Thomas). In desperation, Henry enrols at Stephen Potter's (Alastair Sim) College of Lifemanship, where he gradually learns how to get one up on the other fellow. In 'Private's Progress' (1956), upper-class twit Windrush (Ian Carmichael) causes military mayhem when he joins up in the army. An inept soldier, he unwittingly becomes involved in his high-ranking uncle's (Dennis Price) scam to appropriate some rather valuable spoils of war - a haul of German jewels. 'Make Mine Mink' (1960) is based on the stage play by Peter Coke. When Dame Beatrice Appleby (Athene Seyler) receives a fur coat from her ex-jailbird maid Lily (Billie Whitelaw) she can't help but suspect that it was stolen. In order to set things right she gathers together a team of local misfits, headed by the eccentric Major Rayne (Terry-Thomas), and draws up plans for a reverse-heist which will secretly put the mink back into the hands of its rightful owners. However, when the gang set out on their mission, they soon begin thinking that their talents could be put to other uses. In 'Too Many Crooks' (1958), Fingers (George Cole) and his gang of crooks seem to be having a run of bad luck, as they keep botching one job after another. When they try to rob the wealthy philanderer Billy Gordon (Terry-Thomas) they manage to get things wrong once again and end up kidnapping his wife Lucy (Brenda Da Banzie) instead. Unfortunately, Billy is overjoyed to have his wife gone and makes no effort to pay the ransom, which makes Lucy mad and absolutely determined to have her revenge. In 'The Naked Truth' (1958), Nigel Dennis (Dennis Price) is an unscrupulous tabloid publisher who is making himself rich by approaching celebrated personages with scandalous stories and offering not to print them for a certain fee. But some of his targets have had enough of this and are drawing up plans to do away with the rotten fellow. Terry-Thomas plays the aristocratic Lord Mayley, while Shirley Eaton plays model Melissa Right, and Peter Sellers is TV star Sonny McGregor. The Boulting Brothers comedy 'Brothers in Law' (1957) stars a host of British stars. Roger Thursby (Ian Carmichael) is an overly keen, newly-qualified barrister who rubs his fellow barristers up the wrong way. When he is thrown in at the deep-end, with a particularly hot-tempered judge (Miles Malleson) and tricky case, Thursby learns how to prove himself not only to the judge and fellow barristers but also to the public gallery.

Terry-Thomas Collection details

Format:	PG DVD
Starring:	Terry-Thomas, Irene Handl, Francesca Annis, John Le Mesurier, Peter Sellers, Alastair Sim, William Hartnell, George Cole, John Le Mesurier, hattie Jacques, Dennis Price
Directors:	John Boulting, Mari, Robert Asher, Robert Hamer
Genre:	Comedy - British, General
Studio:	ELEVATION

DVD 6 discs

Name	Discs
School for Scoundrels	U Disc 1
Private's Progress	U Disc 2
Make Mine Mink	U Disc 3
Too Many Crooks	U Disc 4
The Naked Truth	U Disc 5
Brothers In Law	U Disc 6

DVD Information

Run time:	9 hours 7 minutes
Rental release:	Currently unavailable
Main languages:	English

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Most helpful review Terry-Thomas Collection

the best of classic British comedy

By Matt Noble from UK , 29 Sep 2007

[Highly rated reviewer]

Henry Palfrey (Ian Carmichael), a loser in love and seemingly in life, takes the train to Yeovil to enrol in the College of Lifemanship, run by Mr Potter (Alastair Sim). Arriving late, Palfrey is forced to wait outside while Potter delivers his speech to the new students, which offers his philosophy in a nutshell: if you're not one up, you're one down. Palfrey takes a number of classes at the College in order to learn 'ploys', to ensure that one is always one up on one's opponent.

Thoroughly good fun.
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Too Many Crooks

By a customer , 06 Feb 2013

I saw this film from the early 6os film because it was on my priority list for Jan 2013 and thought it was in the best tradition of British Comedy thrillers of that era. Tt is accurate, fast-moving and ,most importantly, cheering and hilarious. Altogether refreshing after rather unfunny comic films of the modern era
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What's to say?

By Lelboy (269 reviews) from East London , 27 Sep 2010

This is a film from a period when Britain produced the goods. No CGI, no violence, and no gratuitous sex or violence - although those characteristics do have a place in some films. One to sit down and watch in peace and quiet, accommpanied by a cup of coffee(or tea)) and a few biscuits. Heaven....
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British B&W

By Nelly5 (31 reviews) from London , 19 Mar 2010

Typical old Black & White film. Would recommend if you like the old B&W, especially on a cold wet Sunday afternoon in front of the fire.
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Not enough of the books

By a customer from Lewes , 08 Sep 2009

Amusing in parts. Terry-Thomas is good, but if you are expecting anything much from Potter's original books you will be disappointed (apart from the tennis match). The books are very acute satire: the film is far too gentle.
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Revenge of the nurd...

By Custardbanjo (30 reviews) from Lincoln , 17 Aug 2009

Absolute classic British B/W comedy. All the actors are at their best in their most stereotypical style. You cant call yourself a British movie fan if you haven't seen this.
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