The Battle of the Sexes is a 1959 British black and white comedy film starring Peter Sellers, Robert Morley, and Constance Cummings, and directed by Charles Crichton. Based on the short story "The Catbird Seat" by James Thurber,[3] it was adapted by Monja Danischewsky. A timid accountant in a Scottish Tweed weaving company cleverly bests a brash modern American efficiency expert whose ideas threaten his way of life.
| The Battle of the Sexes | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Charles Crichton |
| Written by | Monja Danischewsky |
| Based on | The Catbird Seat by James Thurber |
| Produced by | Monja Danischewsky |
| Starring | Peter Sellers Robert Morley Constance Cummings |
| Narrated by | Sam Wanamaker |
| Cinematography | Freddie Francis |
| Edited by | Seth Holt |
| Music by | Stanley Black |
Production company | Prometheus Film Productions Ltd. |
| Distributed by | Bryanston Films |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 80 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Budget | £133,060[1][2] |
Plot
editMr Martin, the accountant for a Scottish Tweed weaving company, is in Edinburgh buying whisky and cigarettes on the Royal Mile. He is called to the death-bed of the owner, old MacPherson, at Moray Place. MacPherson offers him a whisky but Martin declines, so MacPherson drinks for the two and promptly dies.
The new owner of the Tweed company, young MacPherson, is enamoured of a zealous American woman, Angela Barrows, who is an efficiency expert and wants to turn her hand to revolutionising the very traditional company. She insists on visiting "the factory" on the Hebrides islands, only to discover that the work is done by old couples, on crofts where they spin the wool.
She plans to replace the 700 weavers, dotted across the islands, with a single large factory. While being driven through the city, she also says the company should change to synthetic fibres, causing the chauffeur to drive into the back of a brewer's dray.
Mr. Martin watches a Sherlock Holmes film at the cinema and is inspired to kill Mrs. Barrows. As he is a non-smoker and a non-drinker, he decides he can mislead any future investigation by smoking and drinking at the scene of the planned crime. He buys a half-bottle of whisky and a packet of cigarettes. However, in her flat, after a series of botched attempts, his conscience gets the better of him and he cannot kill her.
He tries to remove all evidence when young MacPherson suddenly appears but manages to avoid detection. Back in the office, MacPherson interrogates Martin and finds his denial more plausible than Mrs. Barrows' claims. She cannot take any more, accuses them all of being mad, and leaves for good. Thus Mr. Martin wins his "battle of the sexes". Later, seeing her crying at the station, he is moved to buy her a flower.
Cast
edit- Peter Sellers as Mr. Martin
- Robert Morley as Robert MacPherson
- Constance Cummings as Angela Barrows
- Jameson Clark as Andrew Darling
- Ernest Thesiger as Old Macpherson
- Donald Pleasence as Irwin Hoffman
- Moultrie Kelsall as Graham
- Alex Mackenzie as Robertson
- Roddy McMillan as Macleod
- Michael Goodliffe as Detective (on film in cinema)
- Noel Howlett as Mr. White
- Abe Barker as Mr Meekie
- William Mervyn as Detective's friend (on film in cinema)
- Patricia Hayes as Jeannie Macdougall
- Fred Griffiths as railway porter
- Glyn Houston as railway porter
Production
editFilm rights to the story were owned by Hecht Hill Lancaster. Billy Wilder was signed to direct.[4] Then Charles Crichton was brought out from London to direct the film but it didn't proceed. Eventually they sold the rights.
It was the first film made by the newly-formed Bryanston Films, who approved it on 13 May 1959.[5] Crichton liked the script, felt Robert Morley was "slightly miscast... but I think it was about the best performance Peter Sellers ever gave in his life."[6]
Reception
editBox office
editThe film was a minor box office hit earning Bryanston a profit of £10,894.[7] Kine Weekly called it a "money maker" at the British box office.[8]
Critical
editOn its 1960 release, the film was very warmly reviewed by The New York Times, with critic A. H. Weiler calling it a "gentle, tongue-in-cheek ribbing that cleaves to the spirit, if not entirely to the letter of Thurber's lampoon."[3]
Stanley Kauffmann of The New Republic wrote- The Battle of the Sexes, transfers James Thurber's story The Catbird Seat to Scotland and spins it out to unjustified length. There is only one long joke in the picture, full of predictable padding.[9]
References
edit- ^ Petrie, Duncan James (2017). "Bryanston Films : An Experiment in Cooperative Independent Production and Distribution" (PDF). Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television: 7. ISSN 1465-3451.
- ^ Chapman, J. (2022). The Money Behind the Screen: A History of British Film Finance, 1945-1985. Edinburgh University Press p 359
- ^ a b Weiler, A.H. (19 April 1960). "Screen: Thurber Tale: Battle of the Sexes' Is British Import". The New York Times.
- ^ Notes From Coast Special to The New York Times. 4 June 1957: 38.
- ^ Petrie p 5
- ^ "Charles Crichton Interview" (PDF). British Entertainment History Project. 14 December 1988. p. 23.
- ^ Petrie p 8
- ^ Billings, Josh (15 December 1960). "It's Britain 1, 2, 3 again in the 1960 box office stakes". Kine Weekly. p. 9.
- ^ "Stanley Kauffmann on films". The New Republic. 30 May 1960.