The tongue-in-cheek self-help books gave tips on how to gain the psychological advantage over everyone else because otherwise, as Alastair Sim‘s version of Stephen Potter puts it in the film, “if you’re not one-up, you’re one-down”.

Henry Palfrey, played by Ian Carmichael, has fallen for a girl and is tired of being undermined by cads, maître D’s, work colleagues, and dodgy car salesmen, so attends The College of Lifemanship.

Under the tutelage of Potter and other teachers, including Hattie Jacques, Palfrey learns the skills needed to impress the object of his affections and thwart those who would abuse his previously gentle nature.

A charming and delightful film that ostensibly centres around Ian Carmichael’s character, but the rakish cad called Raymond Delauney, attempts to steal the girl, the tennis match and the film.

Played by the irrepressible comedian with his distinctive gap-toothed smile, British film icon Terry-Thomas is on top form as the gentleman-bounder, smitten by Palfrey’s date and keen to humiliate the competition.