The Battle of the Sexes (1928)

Director:

D.W. Griffith

Writers:

Daniel Carson Goodman (story)
Gerrit J. Lloyd (adaptation)
(more)

Release Date:

21 April 1929 (Finland)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Hear the marvelous sound accompaniment by Nathaniel Shilkret and Joseph Pasternack...You'll hum the captivating tune of the theme song, "Just a Sweetheart."

Plot:

Gum-chewing frizzy-haired golddigger Marie Skinner cooks up a scheme with her lover Babe Winsor, a jazz hound...

Plot Keywords:

Apartment | Real Estate | Nightclub | Mouse | Gun

Cast

Jean Hersholt	...	William Judson - the Father
Phyllis Haver	...	Marie Skinner
Belle Bennett	...	Mrs. Judson - the Mother
Sally O'Neil	...	Ruth Judson - the Daughter
Don Alvarado	...	Babe Winsor
William Bakewell	...	Billy Judson - the Son
John Batten	...	Friend of the Judsons
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Rolfe Sedan	...	Marie's Barber (uncredited)
Harry Semels	...	Mr. Judson's Barber (uncredited)

Directed by
D.W. Griffith

Writing credits
Daniel Carson Goodman		(story "The Single Standard")
Gerrit J. Lloyd		(adaptation)
Gerrit J. Lloyd		titles (uncredited)

Produced by
D.W. Griffith	....	producer

Original Music by
Hugo Riesenfeld		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
G.W. Bitzer		(photographed by) (as Billy Bitzer)
Karl Struss		(photographed by)

Film Editing by
James Smith

Set Decoration by
Park French		(settings)
William Cameron Menzies		(settings)

Production Management
Raymond A. Klune	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Alec Bennett	....	assistant director
Herbert Sutch	....	assistant director

Music Department
James Becker	....	musician: cornet (2000 alternate version)
Brian Collins	....	musician: clarinet (2000 alternate version)
Susan Hall	....	assistant music compiler (2000 alternate version)
Susan Hall	....	musician: violin (2000 alternate version)
Chris Kermeit	....	musician: percussion (2000 alternate version)
Rodney Sauer	....	music compiler (2000 alternate version)
Rodney Sauer	....	musician: piano (2000 alternate version)

Other crew
Fergus	....	engineer (2000 alternate version)
Joseph M. Schenck	....	presenter
David H. Shepard	....	video producer (2000 alternate version) (as David Shepard)

Thanks
Donald Krim	....	dedicatee (2000 alternate version)

Production Companies

• Feature Productions
• Art Cinema Corporation

Distributors

• United Artists (1928) (USA) (theatrical)
• Image Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Critics' Choice Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Facets Multimedia Distribution (????) (USA) (video)
• Kino Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Movies Unlimited (????) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra, The  orchestra (2004 alternate version)

Runtime:

88 min (2004 alternate version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (MovieTone) (music and sound effects) | Silent

Certification:

USA:Not Rated | USA:TV-G (TV rating)

Company:

Feature Productions

Trivia:

No information on the source of the movie, "The Single Standard," has been found.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Marie is at the barber shop, and Judson leaves his chair, she asks a man to pick up the newspaper to read Judson's news about his recent deal. After reading the news, she looks at Judson, and then the scene switches to be seen from other angle, where you can see that Marie is asking the man to pick up the newspaper again.

Quotes:

Opening Dialogue Card: The battle of the sexes - always being fought and never being won.

Movie Connections:

Version of The Battle of the Sexes (1914)

Soundtrack:

Just a Sweetheart

This one won't change your life, but it's a very pleasant little morality tale

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!