Mr. Miller ist kein Killer

In order to get her out of their hair, her US employers send powerful businesswoman out to Scotland on some vague mission to investigate export potential. On the way she meets businessman Robert MacPherson who asks for her help to improve the efficiency of his late father's company. The mere suggestion that a woman would be brought into the male dominated company causes panic within the stuffy departments of the company – especially since the sole woman employee only makes tea for the men. Things only get worse when she starts updating the company, suggesting centralised tweed production in a factory, changing filing systems and carrying out time & motion studies. Happily employee Mr Martin is on hand to try and outwit her modernising ways.

In this comedy the plot could easily just involve a man coming into a company because the battle is less one of male versus female and more a matter of old school versus new school where, much I'm Alright Jack, Sellers leads the defence against such action. Looking at it this way the film is much more interesting because it keeps it relevant (nobody likes change) whereas the idea of working for a female boss is no longer the crazy modern idea that it may have once been. The film uses this story reasonably well and produced a few chuckles from me while managing to maintain a consistent amusing tone. The lack of really sharp jokes or big laughs is a bit of a problem though, and it would have been better if the commentary had been sharper and some of the comic sequences had had more laughs but the overall tone is quite nice.

The main reason it is quite funny is the subtle playing of Sellers who is gently amusing and sets the tone well for the material; perhaps not one of his most famous creations but he is enjoyable nonetheless. He is well supported by Morley, who plays the blundering boss with enthusiasm and adds to the comedy. Cummings is quite good and brings out well the manipulative nature of some women – turning on femininity and tears when it suits them; she does this well without being cruel to her sex I thought. The support is mainly good and includes a brief appearance from Donald Pleasence but really the film belongs to Sellers in his quiet role along with Morley and Cummings.

Overall this is not a great film mainly because it lacks a sharp intelligent edge that it could have had and not replacing that with enough broad laughs to do the job. The cast really help and the material is good enough to be roundly amusing and it is worth a look because it is a pleasing little film even if it isn't anything that special or memorable.

...as the quiet, devoted worker at the House of McPherson, a Scottish firm that's made tweed the same way forever. All that may change when the owner dies, and his son Robert Morley, returns from the US to run things, bringing with him Constance Cummings, an accomplished consultant. Morley is enamored of Cummings, and relishes all the changes she suggests (radical things like a real filing system, or opening the windows..) but when she suggests that the hand woven fabric can be factory-made more efficiently, mild mannered Sellers tries to sabotage her work, and then realizes the only solution is to be rid of her - permanently.

His murder attempt is perfectly timed comedy, and Sellers at his best. Expect sexism throughout this, based on a James Thurber story and it was 1960 after alll. Films of the 50's and early 60's often strike me as cringe-worthy when it comes to portrayal of women during that bridge period in film history when women are still not liberated but are now treated as overt sex objects. Overall, this is all about Sellers, but Cummings and Morley are in top form as well. There are clever well written characters with a slight eye-roll ending, but still recommended.

Mr. Martin is a clerk at a Scottish Tweed weaving company.Then one day a creature called woman starts talking about all these changes they should make in the company.He has a little problem with that.The Battle of the Sexes (1959) is directed by Charles Crichton.It's based on the short story The Catbird Seat by the great humorist James Thurber from 1942.Peter Sellers is quite excellent as Mr. Martin.He obviously wasn't an old man when he did this film, but he certainly seems that way.He's nailed the gestures and all perfectly.Robert Morley is terrific as Robert Macpherson.Constance Cummings does brilliant work as Angela Barrows.Donald Pleasence is great as Irwin Hoffman.This is a pretty funny comedy, although it's not the best Peter Sellers starred in.The funniest sequence must be when he goes out to kill the lady.For Peter Sellers fans this is one not to be missed.

British comedy where mild-mannered character played by Sellers is moved to murder when the company he's given his life to is taken over by brash American woman. Due to make-up, Sellers looks the same age as when he played all those Pink Panther movies in the 70's. Cute ending, too.

When this story inspired by a Thurber story begins, the elderly owner of a Tweed manufacturing company in Edinburgh is on death's door. And, after he passes, his foolish son, Robert Macpherson (Robert Morley) takes over the practically destroys the company. This is because he's met an obnoxious know-it-all woman (Constance Cummings) and she is intent on shaking things up at the company...even though things seem to be working just fine. But Robert is blind to how destructive and costly the changes are....as well as he plans to fire most of the employees and mechanize. But his trusted employee, Mr. Martin (Peter Sellers), clearly sees the damage this woman is doing....and he plans to take care of her himself...for the good of the company.

I had a laugh watching this film, as I can see what many Brits see when they see Americans playing Brits....clumsy accents and overdoing it a bit when it came to British actors pretending to be Americans (in particular, Ms. Cummings and Donald Pleasence). This doesn't really harm the film...but it is funny seeing how Americans are portrayed. I am not sure if some 21st century viewers will laugh at Cummings' character, however, as she could be interpreted (possibly) as an anti-feminist character....a lady who wants to take over the male-dominated industry. I didn't take it this way...more that this particular woman was obnoxious and awful!

Overall, this is a cute little comedy and one of Peter Sellers' most forgotten roles. He's lovely as the 60-something employee and plays him with great subtlety (he is no Dr. Strangelove!). Cute and enjoyable...and well worth seeing.