The Battle of the Sexes

Peter Sellers could do just about anything and this film helped to prove that fact. With some white hair, a moustache, and spectacles, you thoroughly believe his transformation into Mr. Martin, a character at least twenty-five years older than the actor was at the time.

Although the title sounds like a sex romp, that's not the right description of this clever comedy with a somewhat dark theme. But BATTLE OF THE SEXES is about a power struggle between a man and woman. Martin is the faithful manager at the House of MacPherson, a Scottish firm that's been turning out tweed the same way for decades. When the new heir (Robert Morley) takes over, he brings in a domineering efficiency expert (Constance Cummings), an American no less, whose ideas threaten to ruin the company.

Martin is forced to act. While he seems like a quiet and unassuming sort, he actually has a lot of guile and cunning beneath his mild-mannered exterior. First he tries to get her fired, but when that doesn't work he decides that more drastic measures are called for - like murder. Martin comes up with what he believes is the perfect plan, and all he has to do is carry it out.

Do yourself a favor and watch it all unfold. Entertaining from start to finish, hilarious in several places, with a good supporting cast, and a plot that has a couple of surprises in store. Sellers proves yet again that he's a true comic genius. Three cheers for that, and four stars out of five for the film.

...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.

This well-cast adaptation of a classic James Thurber story relocates the action to Edinburgh and offers Peter Sellers one of his best roles as a timid bureaucrat who turns into a man of action when the crusty family firm he works for is threatened by an "efficiency expert" (and a female one at that!). His bumbling attempts to resolve the situation at the climax are a delight whilst co-star Robert Morley is perfect in the sort of role that he was born to play.

There's some fine location work, beautifully shot in black-and-white by Oscar-winning cinematographer Freddie Francis and a late screen appearance by "Doctor Praetorius" himself, the sepulchral Ernest Thesiger.

A delicious mix of dry comments, cultural clashes and devious expressions. Sellers is excellent as the mouse-like Mr Martin shocked to the core by the brash Miss Barrows and driven by his devotion to the family to protect tradition at all costs ! The bumbling uncertainty of the head of the Tweed empire could only be achieved by Morley whose portly figure towers over his frail employees as they await his next disastrous decision. Great examples of new not always being better (or not allowed to be !) form the key of the battle until the final hilarious showdown between the American and Scottish way of thinking. Every second is a film treat - should be on everyone's shelves !