Product Details

• Actors: Robert Morley, Peter Sellers
• Directors: Charles Crichton
• Format: PAL, Full Screen
• Language: English
• Region: Region 2 (Read more about DVD formats.)
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: G (General Audience)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 8386132302
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #430,545 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

THE BATTLE OF THE SEXES is a witty black comedy from Ealing comedy director Charles Crichton. The House of MacPherson has been supplying Scottish tweeds for years--its weavers make the tweed in their homes on the Scottish islands, and the staff sells it in the company's Edinburgh premises. When Old MacPherson (Ernest Thesiger) dies, his son, Young MacPherson (Robert Morley), takes over and brings in an efficiency expert. That's bad enough, but worse, the expert is a woman and, even worse than that, she is an American woman. Horrors. The staff, led by Mr. Martin (Peter Sellers), is aghast. The expert Angela Barrows (Constance Cummings) begins to organise, to streamline, and to make plans to update the company's manufacturing methods. Young MacPherson is entranced--seduced by the idea of becoming famous for his soon-to-be-implemented revolutionary manufacturing methods. However, the ever-deferential Mr. Martin discovers unexpected levels of cunning as he pits his wits against the brash American. THE BATTLE OF THE SEXES is crisply directed by Charles Crichton, with a witty script by Monja Danischewsky, based on a James Thurber story. And Peter Sellers gives a fine performance as the shy, inhibited Mr. Martin, who turns out to be an extraordinary schemer.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 60's British Comedy with Peter Sellers, June 5, 2008

By 

NYC VIDEOPHILE "Ed" (NYC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Battle of the Sexes (1960) [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Lesser known British Comedy film from the earlier days of comedic great Peter Sellers.
Here Peter Sellers re-teams with "The Lavender Hill Mob" director Charles Crichton to deliver another biting comedy and examination of culture clashes. Peter Sellers plays a meek accountant in a firm that produces Scottish Kilts. When the ole time owner kicks the bucket, his son inherits control. However, the son comes with his new partner, an American woman! Mrs. Barrows played by Constance Cummings. She has some very different ideas about how to run a business. The old stogie accounting department will never be the same. Sellers, the head of the accounting department has been given the task to acquaint her with the firm. She is rather taken aback by its many arcane ways of doing business and insists on immediate changes. Changes, that the accountant views as a grave threat to his existence.

This classic British comedy is based on the short story "The Catbird Seat" by author James Thurber. Interestingly enough the British horror director and cinematographer Freddie Francis was the director of photography on this 1959 film. Freddie Francis went on to direct some infamous 60's and 70's horror films like Torture Garden, Hysteria, and Girly. He won the OSCAR for his cinematography on the film GLORY (1990) and achieved wide acclaim and nominations for his work on the 1993 CAPE FEAR remake.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Longing for it on DVD here., March 17, 2010

By 

Vincent Reda (Voorheesville, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Battle Of The Sexes [PAL, Region 2, Import] (DVD)

Gentle, hilarious, cultural satire of high order, brilliantly handled, one of my all-time favorite films, and to my mind Peter Sellers' shining hour -- and I can't buy it in America!

Please, make a DVD of this film that accommodates U.S. players.