The War Between Men and Women
Encyclopedia
The War Between Men and Women is a 1972 slapstick live-cartoon comedy film starring Jack Lemmon
, Barbara Harris
, and Jason Robards
.
It is based on the writings of humorist James Thurber
, and was released in 1972
by Cinema Center Films
. Like many other films in the Cinema Center catalog, it has long been unavailable on home video, with the exception of a brief release on VHS in 2000. Nonetheless, it has been shown on television.
The film was directed by Melville Shavelson
, creator of the 1969
Thurber-based television series My World and Welcome to It
. The screenplay was by Shavelson and by Danny Arnold
, who also worked on the 1969 series. Arnold is best known for his later television series, Barney Miller
. Lisa Gerritsen
, who plays Linda Kozlenko in the film, previously co-starred in My World and Welcome to It as Lydia Monroe.
They build up a close relationship that shows they are a perfect match as Terri becomes the only woman prepared to put up with Peter's strong views day-by-day. Their relationship soon becomes more passionate (mainly in Peter's daydreams). When she rejects his idea of living a life of purely sleeping together only at his bachelor pad (so that he doesn't have to bond with her demanding family), he reluctantly proposes to her and eventually moves in with her at her flat. They get married but then her rogue ex-husband Stephen Kozlenko (Jason Robards) appears on the scene to spend more time with their children. Stephen and Peter clash at first but they soon become good drinking friends, much to the disapproval of Terri.
Peter's eyesight gradually gets more worse over time and his once-popular work as a cartoonist begins to receive criticism from his bumbling boss Howard Mann (Herb Edelman). A serious operation to possibly cure Peter's problem arises, in which he tries to keep a secret from Terri so as to not worry her but a very upset Howard gets hysterical and therefore ruins Peter's attempts to make up a story about working away from home on a book. Terri then tells him that she knew all along that Peter was really going blind from the first day she met him.
for Best Comedy Written Directly for the Screen.
Jack Lemmon
John Uhler "Jack" Lemmon III was an American actor and musician. He starred in more than 60 films including Some Like It Hot, The Apartment, Mister Roberts , Days of Wine and Roses, The Great Race, Irma la Douce, The Odd Couple, Save the Tiger John Uhler "Jack" Lemmon III (February 8, 1925June...
, Barbara Harris
Barbara Harris (actress)
Barbara Harris is an American actress who was a Broadway stage star and later became a film actress. She appeared in such films as A Thousand Clowns, Plaza Suite, Nashville, Family Plot, Freaky Friday, Peggy Sue Got Married, and Grosse Pointe Blank...
, and Jason Robards
Jason Robards
Jason Nelson Robards, Jr. was an American actor on stage, and in film and television, and a winner of the Tony Award , two Academy Awards and the Emmy Award...
.
It is based on the writings of humorist James Thurber
James Thurber
James Grover Thurber was an American author, cartoonist and celebrated wit. Thurber was best known for his cartoons and short stories published in The New Yorker magazine.-Life:...
, and was released in 1972
1972 in film
The year 1972 in film involved some significant events.-Top grossing films :- Awards :Academy Awards:*Avanti!, directed by Billy Wilder, starring Jack Lemmon and Juliet MillsB...
by Cinema Center Films
Cinema Center Films
Cinema Center Films was the theatrical film production division of the CBS television network. Founded in 1967 , its films were distributed by National General Pictures. CBS closed the unit in 1972; its last film was the Peanuts animated musical Snoopy Come Home...
. Like many other films in the Cinema Center catalog, it has long been unavailable on home video, with the exception of a brief release on VHS in 2000. Nonetheless, it has been shown on television.
The film was directed by Melville Shavelson
Melville Shavelson
Melville Shavelson was an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and author. He was President of the Writers Guild of America, West from 1969 to 1971, 1979 to 1981, and 1985 to 1987. He came to Hollywood in 1938 as one of comedian Bob Hope's joke writers, a job he held for the next...
, creator of the 1969
1969 in television
The year 1969 in television involved some significant events. Below is a list of television-related events in 1969.For the American TV schedule, see: 1969-70 American network television schedule.-Events:...
Thurber-based television series My World and Welcome to It
My World and Welcome to It
My World and Welcome to It was a US-made half-hour sitcom based on the humor and cartoons of James Thurber. It starred William Windom as John Monroe, a Thurber-like writer and cartoonist who works for a magazine that closely resembles The New Yorker, called The Manhattanite...
. The screenplay was by Shavelson and by Danny Arnold
Danny Arnold
Danny Arnold was an American producer, writer, comedian, actor and director known for producing Barney Miller, That Girl and Bewitched.-Life and career:...
, who also worked on the 1969 series. Arnold is best known for his later television series, Barney Miller
Barney Miller
Barney Miller is a situation comedy television series set in a New York City police station in Greenwich Village. The series originally was broadcast from January 23, 1975 to May 20, 1982 on ABC. It was created by Danny Arnold and Theodore J. Flicker...
. Lisa Gerritsen
Lisa Gerritsen
Lisa Gerritsen is an American former child actor, later a computer systems consultant/networking specialist, and more recently, possibly, as an independent relocation coordinator and facilities project manager. She currently lives with her husband John Rustan and son in Northern California...
, who plays Linda Kozlenko in the film, previously co-starred in My World and Welcome to It as Lydia Monroe.
Plot
Living in Manhattan, Peter Wilson (Jack Lemmon) is a sarcastic near-sighted cartoonist, author and swinging bachelor. He detests dogs and children. Although he also disagrees with many values of women, Peter is a commitment-phobe as he much prefers women who come and go very briefly in his life. At the office of his eye surgeon, Peter bumps into a leggy eye-catching brunette named Theresa 'Terri' Kozlenko (Barbara Harris). He likes her very much but he doesn't immediately realise that she is a single mother to three children with a scowling dog until she invites him back to her flat.They build up a close relationship that shows they are a perfect match as Terri becomes the only woman prepared to put up with Peter's strong views day-by-day. Their relationship soon becomes more passionate (mainly in Peter's daydreams). When she rejects his idea of living a life of purely sleeping together only at his bachelor pad (so that he doesn't have to bond with her demanding family), he reluctantly proposes to her and eventually moves in with her at her flat. They get married but then her rogue ex-husband Stephen Kozlenko (Jason Robards) appears on the scene to spend more time with their children. Stephen and Peter clash at first but they soon become good drinking friends, much to the disapproval of Terri.
Peter's eyesight gradually gets more worse over time and his once-popular work as a cartoonist begins to receive criticism from his bumbling boss Howard Mann (Herb Edelman). A serious operation to possibly cure Peter's problem arises, in which he tries to keep a secret from Terri so as to not worry her but a very upset Howard gets hysterical and therefore ruins Peter's attempts to make up a story about working away from home on a book. Terri then tells him that she knew all along that Peter was really going blind from the first day she met him.
Cast
- Jack LemmonJack LemmonJohn Uhler "Jack" Lemmon III was an American actor and musician. He starred in more than 60 films including Some Like It Hot, The Apartment, Mister Roberts , Days of Wine and Roses, The Great Race, Irma la Douce, The Odd Couple, Save the Tiger John Uhler "Jack" Lemmon III (February 8, 1925June...
as Peter Edward Wilson - Barbara HarrisBarbara Harris (actress)Barbara Harris is an American actress who was a Broadway stage star and later became a film actress. She appeared in such films as A Thousand Clowns, Plaza Suite, Nashville, Family Plot, Freaky Friday, Peggy Sue Got Married, and Grosse Pointe Blank...
as Theresa Alice Kozlenko - Jason RobardsJason RobardsJason Nelson Robards, Jr. was an American actor on stage, and in film and television, and a winner of the Tony Award , two Academy Awards and the Emmy Award...
as Stephen Kozlenko - Herb EdelmanHerb EdelmanHerbert "Herb" Edelman was an American actor of stage, film and television. He was twice nominated for an Emmy Award for his television work. One of his best remembered roles was as Stanley Zbornak, the ex-husband of Dorothy Zbornak on the long-running situation comedy, The Golden Girls...
as Howard Mann - Lisa GerritsenLisa GerritsenLisa Gerritsen is an American former child actor, later a computer systems consultant/networking specialist, and more recently, possibly, as an independent relocation coordinator and facilities project manager. She currently lives with her husband John Rustan and son in Northern California...
as Linda Kozlenko - Moosie DrierMoosie DrierMoosie Drier is an American television and film actor known for his voice that sounded like someone with a head cold. His career began as a child actor...
as David Kozlenko - Severn DardenSevern DardenSevern Teakle Darden, Jr. was a comedian and actor, and an original member of The Second City Chicago-based comedy troupe as well as its predecessor, the Compass Players...
as Dr. Harris - Lisa EilbacherLisa EilbacherLisa Eilbacher is an American television and motion picture actress.-Personal life:Eilbacher was born in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, the daughter of an American oil company executive. She was raised in France...
as Caroline Kozlenko - Lucille Meredith as Mrs. Schenker
- Ruth McDevittRuth McDevittRuth McDevitt was an American stage, film, radio and television actress.-Career:She was born Ruth Thane Shoecraft in Coldwater, Michigan. After attending the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, she married Patrick McDevitt and decided to devote her time to her marriage. After her husband's death in...
as Old Woman - Lea Marmer as Old Hag
- Joey Faye as Delivery boy
- Alan DeWitt as Man
- John ZarembaJohn ZarembaJohn Zaremba was an American actor most noted for supporting roles on science fiction films and TV series....
as Minister - Richard Gates as Bernie (as Rick Gates)
- Janya Braunt as Nurse
- Olive Dunbar as Woman at Literary Tea
- Margaret Muse as Woman at Literary Tea
- Bill HickmanBill HickmanWilliam "Bill" Hickman was a stunt driver/actor from the 1950s through to the late 1970s. Hickman played a major role in terms of development and execution in three of the greatest movie car chase sequences of all time....
as Large Gentleman (as William Hickman) - Joyce BrothersJoyce BrothersJoyce Brothers is an American psychologist, television personality and advice columnist, publishing a daily syndicated newspaper column since 1960.-Personal life:...
as Herself (as Dr. Joyce Brothers) - Danny ArnoldDanny ArnoldDanny Arnold was an American producer, writer, comedian, actor and director known for producing Barney Miller, That Girl and Bewitched.-Life and career:...
as Manhatten Policeman - Burt Richards as Book Salesman
Award nomination
The screenplay by Melville Shavelson and Danny Arnold was nominated for a Writers Guild of America AwardWriters Guild of America Award
The Writers Guild of America Award for outstanding achievements in film, television, and radio has been presented annually by the Writers Guild of America, East and Writers Guild of America, West since 1949...
for Best Comedy Written Directly for the Screen.