The Battle of the Sexes

Battle of the Sexes, The (1928)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

D.W. Griffith film about an older, rich man (Jean Hersholt) who leaves his wife and two kids when he meets a young, beautiful blonde (Phyllis Haver). The man thinks this younger woman loves him but she's actually just a gold digger. Having been accused of not being able to connect with modern crowds, Griffith made this light weight film but the change of direction really didn't help his career any. Movie crowds, while small, enjoyed the film but the critics gave this the worst reviews of his career up to this point. I think time has been fairly kind to the film, which has some wonderful stuff but sadly the story is just way too predictable, even by 1928 standards. The direction is tight throughout and the performances are all very good. Hersholt is terrific as the dumb old man, Haver plays the gold digger perfectly but it's Sally O'Neil who steals the show of the man's daughter. The highlight of the film is a wonderful scene taking place on a dance floor. The film has a strange mix of comedy and drama that really don't mix well but it's nice seeing Griffith doing a film in modern settings.

'The Battle of the Sexes' might be one those lesser seen (and known) films by D.W. Griffith, and it falls far from his greatest Works, but still it's worth to watch. Though it is typical Griffith's morality tale it somehow seems to avoid becoming too preachy like the great master loved to do. The story is simple tale about gold digger who seduces real estate tycoon, and the man abandons his family for younger woman.

Otherwise quite mediocre film, but there was some nice sweeping shots at the beginning of the film, and of course the marvelously directed rooftop scene.

I was very surprised when I watched this film that it was by director D. W. Griffith, as in places the direction looked very modern--much more than I had seen in many of his previous films. In particular, at the beginning, there are some very creative sweeping shots and camera tricks. They are also quite apparent towards the end of the film. Plus, even though this is at heart a morality tale, it seemed so much less histrionic and preachy than other Griffith films I've seen. For 1928, the film was well-done and quite watchable.

Jean Hersholt is a rich industrialist and Phyllis Haver decides when she first sees him that she MUST have him--not out of any love at all, but because she is a "gold digger". Despite his being a rather ordinary looking older man and being happily married, Ms. Haver throws her energies into snagging the guy. This actually leads to a cute scene where she is trying to think up how she will introduce herself to him--it doesn't go at all like she planned, but it does indeed work! And, disappointingly, Hersholt is at heart a dope and he falls for her routine without question. In the meantime, his family doesn't suspect until they accidentally catch him with the bimbo when he is supposed to be working late! Where exactly the movie goes next and all the little details I'll leave for you to discover. However, the movie is a breezy and interesting little film worth seeing if you like silent cinema. The Kino Video version features excellent music and an excellent quality print.

PS--Although she's not listed in the credits and the IMDb database does NOT confirm it, it looks as if Joan Blondell is one of the extras in the nightclub scene. If it's not her, it's a dead-ringer!

PPS--According to IMDb, Phyllis Haver retired from movies a short time after making this film, as she married a millionaire and stopped working! Now THAT'S irony!

Conventional wisdom says that D.W. Griffith didn't make a good movie after he lost his Mamaroneck studio in 1924. Between SALLY OF THE SAWDUST with W.C. Fields (1925) and THE STRUGGLE (1931), Griffith made 6 feature films for United Artists and Paramount. Most of these have been dismissed out of hand since they first appeared and a few are no longer available. THE BATTLE OF THE SEXES (1928) garnered him some of the worst notices of his career (to be outdone by his last film THE STRUGGLE) although preview audiences loved it. I have seen a restored version of the film and am hard pressed to understand all the negative reviews. The settings by William Cameron Menzies are lavish, the photography by Karl Struss is top notch, and the editing, normally Griffith's Achilles heel, is smooth and polished. It clearly shows that Griffith could take advantage of the Hollywood studio system when given the chance. So why all the bad press? Part of the problem lies in the way the film was promoted. BATTLE OF THE SEXES was billed as a Jazz Age comedy when it was actually a domestic drama with several comic moments. Although the story is melodramatic and features the required happy ending, the emotions of the characters ring true. This was Griffith's greatest strength as a filmmaker. No matter how trite or objectionable the plot you believe his characters even when you don't agree with them. Best known for his epics, Griffith was essentially a miniaturist as his Biograph shorts clearly demonstrate. His feature films are more successful when done on a smaller scale and while dealing with people and their relationships (BROKEN BLOSSOMS, ISN'T LIFE WONDERFUL). Jean Hersholt gives one of his finest performances as a philandering husband. His encounter with a reducing machine in order to make himself look younger is both comic and pathetic. Phyllis Haver is the ultimate Jazz Baby and she lights up the screen with a performance that is both funny AND sexy. The robe she wears to seduce Hersholt must be seen through to be believed. Belle Bennett (THE IRON MASK) as the spurned wife also deserves special mention. THE BATTLE OF THE SEXES proves that Griffith had not lost his touch after he lost his independence. Thanks to Image Entertainment for upgrading this title to DVD as part of their D.W. Griffith collection. Now if they could just rescue ISN'T LIFE WONDERFUL and THE STRUGGLE from VHS oblivion as well.

This late jazz age comic morality tale directed by D. W. Griffith is surprisingly good--and its relative sophistication will be a surprise to those who are familiar with Griffith via the standard films such as "The Birth of a Nation," "Intolerance," "Way Down East," or even "Broken Blossoms." This film feels much more modern and far less overtly moralizing than those earlier films, though its 1920s "feel" is a part of its appeal for contemporary viewers.

The new DVD is well scored with period music cues that evoke a consistent, slightly melancholy mood as Jean Hersholt (better known as the villain of "Greed") is thrown into his midlife crisis by gold digger Phyllis Haver. His family is convincingly shown in turmoil--and eventually acts to rescue Hersholt's character from his folly. The film is well structured and altogether charming.