Toi et moi

The title of the film comes from a story told in drawings - The War Between Men and Women - whose author was the famous American humorist, James Thurber (1894-1961). Thurber's most famous work is the short story "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" which was made into a movie starring Danny Kaye in 1947. A new version of "Mitty" is in production.

The character of Peter Wilson played by Jack Lemmon in this film suffers from failing eyesight which also plagued Thurber and contributed to his unique drawing style. This film was probably inspired by William Windom's portrayal of a Thurber-like character in a TV series broadcast in 1969 called My World and Welcome To It which is a title of one of Thurber's books. Windom went on to do a one-man stage performance of Thurber's works including some animation of some of Thurber's drawings. At the end of The War Between Men and Women we see one of these animations, an anti-war piece by Thurber called "The Last Flower".

A few weeks ago, I accidentally stumbled into the beginning-after the credits-of this movie while flipping channels. Since it was late, I didn't bother to watch the rest of it so when I found it in the listings again a few days later, I immediately time recorded it on the DVR. I'm very glad I did as I was enthralled by Jack Lemmnon's performance as a cartoonist who's going blind and, despite his cynical attitude concerning women and children, meets a lady (Barbara Harris) with three kids that he falls for as her temper matches his to a T! There's also her ex-husband (Jason Robards) to deal with whenever he comes to visit. Of the offspring, the most charismatic is the middle one played by Lisa Gerritsen-perhaps best known as Phyllis' daughter on both "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and the spin off "Phyllis"-who has a speech impediment. As Lemmon's character is based on real life cartoonist James Thurber, we see drawings and animation by Playhouse Pictures that is directly inspired by his work including a perfect rendering of his picture tale called "The Last Flower". To me, The War Between Men and Women is both hilarious and very dramatically touching so on that note, this movie is highly recommended.

This movie is based on Thurber's book and his life, it's funny but very touching, like James Thurber himself. Of course Thurber's absurdest humor is not everyone's cup of tea, and much of this movie was over the audiences head. As usual the almost forgotten Barbra Harris is perfect, funny pretty and just a bit mad. When this movie came out there was a TV show on at the same time based on the same work. It was called "My World & Welcome to It" Lisa Gerritsen played the daughter in both . What seems to annoy many people who see this movie is the use of Thurbers cartoons. And I admit it took me a while to finally get the humor in his cartoon strips. so, although this may only be a film for Thurber fans , it is an excellent one.

Peter Wilson is a cartoonist who doesn't want to admit he is going blind. So he memorizes the eye chart, and when his eye doctor uses a different chart, he accuses the doctor of being unethical. In the lobby after his eyes have been dilated and he is wearing dark glasses, he trips over Terry. Later, he and Terry meet when Peter has broken his glasses and almost gets run over trying to cross the street. Terry takes Peter home and he meets her children. Possible romance?

Peter's work goes downhill after he gets interested in Terry. The proof: his book gets taken out of the front window at the bookstore where Terry works and replaced with her ex-husband's book of war photography. Still, the relationship progresses, and most of the rest of the movie has funny moments involving Terry's children and pregnant dog, and the return of Terry's ex. Toward the end the movie takes a serious turn, but that's okay because the characters are so likeable they don't have to be funny all the time.

Peter's drawings come to life several times in the movie, including in the opening credits. There are several really good scenes where the drawings are animated, including one where Peter and Terry's ex have gotten too friendly for Terry to be comfortable with the situation and the two men have had too much to drink. A 'real' war breaks out. There is also a great scene with Terry's middle child Linda, where Peter's drawings have taken on a different meaning. Several fantasy scenes are quite funny, including one where Peter's sloppy apartment looks perfect for a change (then reality comes back and it's more like Oscar Madison's place; a real ironic twist considering Lemmon is the neat one in 'The Odd Couple').

This isn't one of Lemmon's best movies, but it's not bad. And Lisa Gerritsen is quite good. I don't recall her having a speech impediment, but it seems to be an important part of her character, and she does it really well.

This movie may have children in it, but younger children maybe shouldn't see some of the more risque material. It's quite tame compared to today's movies.

Jack Lemmon is a misanthropic cartoonist who hates women, dogs, children and is going blind. He's just published a book called THE WAR BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN, and is enduring the inevitable cocktail party where people tell him that they don't understand his jokes and he can't draw. There he meets Barbara Harris, a divorced woman with several children, and they fall awkwardly into love.

I first encountered James Thurber in the late 1960s and was largely enchanted. I think his misanthropy was one of dissatisfaction with people's inability to be forthright and strong and competent, and the fact that he couldn't draw a woman crouching on a staircase.... or the bookcase it became. A key figure in the New Yorker magazine, his talent was that of the second rank. A couple of stories survive, a couple of cartoons, but his misanthropy, masquerading as misogyny, does not play well anymore.

So this is a bewildered romance, between the Thurber Man and the Thurber Woman, and it's a mildly depressing comedy, with the high point Jack Lemmon wandering through a gallery of giant drawings, while he narrates his book to Lisa Gerritsen. I think it captures Thurber's works well, given the quality of the adult cast, which includes Jason Robards and Herb Edelman.