Battle of the Sexes [VHS]

Yet again a peerless performance from Peter Sellers (A true comic genius if ever there was one), his Mr Martin is the archetypal, abstemious, little grey man, a mere cog in the machinery of commerce; however, Martin has a spine of steel, and a devious mind to match.
Martin's nemesis is an efficiency expert who has foisted herself, Svengali like, upon his impressionable boss, the almost Trilby-ish Robert McPherson (Robert Morley)- hmm, this sounds almost too familiar. Not just an efficiency expert but - an American, and a woman to boot (Shock, Horror, take to the hills boys). Constance Cummings is brilliant as the loud, brash, bumptious, Machiavellian harpie Angela Barrows - 'You dig?'. Thus, ordered calm turns into frenetic chaos. I recognised many colleagues, past and present, in the bumbling buffoonery that is the 'House of McPherson'.
However, for me, the real fun starts when the fear-crazed Martin and Mrs Barrows are alone together. I laughed so much I nearly became catatonic - beware the bumbling avenger! Get those palazzo pants duckie - bona (Apologies to Jools and Sand). Come on lads who among us hasn't wanted to put some interfering, smart-arsed haridan in her place? (Oh God! I shall have to have my tongue surgically removed from my cheek after this).
The support roles are played to perfection, not a clunker amongst them, the shopping Californians are hilarious, stereotypes? Yes of course, but such stereotypes.
The subtle puns and sight gags just keep rolling, it's almost too much, almost - but not quite. It may even give you ideas to improve your working environment - now where did I put that carving knife?
The location shots of 'Auld Reekie' are wondrous to behold and evoke memories of a nicer age. The cigarette lighter in the tobacconists would be worth an absolute fortune today especially... Sorry! A sudden attack of 'Antiques Roadshow' itis.
All-in-all another Sellers tour-de-force, based upon a James Thurber short story, and brilliantly directed by Charles Crichton with admirable support from other technical geniuses too numerous to mention (Read the enclosed booklet!). Buy it it'll be worth every penny.The Naked Truth [DVD] [1957]The Wrong Arm Of The Law [DVD] [1962]I'm All Right Jack [DVD] [1959]Heavens Above! [DVD] [1963]

"Round the Horne" 15 [AUDIOBOOK]beyond our ken

STOP PRESS !!
Some may feel that the title is not relevant to the film. However, One of the protagonists is male: 'Martin', the other female: 'Barrows', each holds a position in direct opposition to the other, each vying with the other for victory, hence the title, simple, n'est ce pa?(That's your actual pigeon French there);)

Al.

The Battle of the Sexes is directed by Charles Crichton (The Lavender Hill Mob/ The Titfield Thunderbolt) and it stars Peter Sellers, Robert Morley & Constance Cummings. It's based on the short story The Catbird Seat written by James Thurber, with the script written by Monja Danischewsky.

The grand House of MacPherson in Scotland has been supplying genuine Scottish tweeds for many years. Tho Woven out in the sticks by the professionals, the tweeds are sold out of the Macpherson HQ in Edinburgh. When Old MacPherson (Ernest Thesiger) dies, his son, Young MacPherson (Morley), takes over but is hardly blessed with business acumen. Things start to get dicey when he brings in Angela Barrows (Cummings) as an efficiency expert, an American lady he met on the train. The ageing staff, led by Mr. Martin (Sellers), is horrified as she starts updating the methods of running a business. To their minds a woman is for making the tea and cleaning up, not for doing away with hundreds of years of tradition with new fangled contraptions and ideas. However, Mr. Martin hatches a plan to rid the company of this meddlesome modern tyrant.

Something of an unknown British comedy featuring the great Peter Sellers, The Battle of The Sexes sees him teamed with Crichton to deliver a smart and very funny piece. The film is dealing in cultural clashes and the battle is not just of the sexes, but also a poignant conflict between the advent of time and its impact on business'. Arcane traditionalists versus the forward thinking modern capitalist: or if you like? British custom versus American progress. Both played superbly by Sellers; as the calm and unhurried Mr. Martin; and Cummings as the get up and at em quickly Angela Barrows. Danischewsky's script is very impressive given that the source was very slight, and Crichton has done wonders to not let the film descend into slapstick or out of place screwball. Much like Mr. Martin, the comedy is very sedate, unhurried or forced. There's some farce in there, with one chase sequence in Angela's apartment wonderfully constructed, but the film never gets out of control and it's all the better for it. As the two rivals try to outwit each other, this brings Morley's (great as usual) oblivious Young Mac into play. The result is a three pronged character piece deserving of a bigger audience. 8/10

A lovely piece of late 1950's Black and White comedy, Set in a world that was already outdated and outmoded, Some great insights into the new technology of the age as the old workers are dragged in to the mid twentieth century ..Constance Cummings adds some glamor to the male dominated cast.Robert Morley almost finds romance and Peter sellers tries to protect the dusty world from any breath of fresh air where the only whiff of female persona came from the lovely overall clad cleaning lady in the shape of Patricia Heyes.