Inspired by books by Stephen Potter (Gamesmanship, Lifemanship and Oneupmanship), screenwriters Peter Ustinov et al developed this offbeat training school, headed by professor Alastair Sim, “which teaches its adult pupils how to upstage, over-awe, bruise, crush, obliterate and expunge, with apparently impeccable politeness, the egos of all rivals in the universal rat race....” (Raymond Durgnat, A Mirror for England). “Everybody...either over-acts with relish, or underplays for even greater effect, as Sim surely does.... Although Ian Carmichael is technically the star, it's really Sim's show all the way” (William K. Everson).