''The Battle of the Sexes'' is a 1928 American

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...

directed by D. W. Griffith, starring

Jean Hersholt Jean Pierre Carl Buron (12 July 1886 – 2 June 1956), known professionally as Jean Hersholt, was a Danish-American actor. He is best known for starring on the radio series '' Dr. Christian'' (1937–1954) and in the film '' Heidi'' (1937).Obitu ...

Phyllis Haver Phyllis Maude Haver (January 6, 1899 – November 19, 1960) was an American actress of the silent film era. Early life Haver was born in Douglass, Kansas to James Hiram Haver (1872–1936) and Minnie Shanks Malone (1879–1949). When s ...

Belle Bennett Belle Bennett (born Ara Belle Bennett; April 22, 1891 – November 4, 1932), was a stage and screen actress who started her career as a child as a circus performer. She later performed in theater and films. Early life and career Bennett was ...

Don Alvarado Don Alvarado (born José Ray Paige, November 4, 1904 – March 31, 1967) was an American actor, assistant director and film production manager. Life and career Born Jose Paige in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Alvarado first studied agriculture on ...

, and

Sally O'Neil Sally O'Neil (born Virginia Louise Concepta Noonan; October 23, 1908 – June 18, 1968) was an American film actress of the 1920s. She appeared in more than 40 films, often with her name above the title. Early years O'Neil was one of eleven child ...

, and released by

United Artists United Artists Corporation (UA), currently doing business as United Artists Digital Studios, is an American digital production company. Founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, and Douglas Fairbanks, the stud ...

. The film was a remake by Griffith of an earlier film he directed in 1914, which starred Lillian Gish. Both films are based on the novel ''The Single Standard'' by

Daniel Carson Goodman Daniel Carson Goodman (August 24, 1881 – May 16, 1957) was an American screenwriter and licensed physician. Biography Goodman wrote the storyline for 28 silent films – the first of them was '' Sapho'' (1913). He worked as miscellan ...

; the story was adapted for this production by Gerrit J. Lloyd. The film was released as both a

silent film A silent film is a film with no synchronized Sound recording and reproduction, recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) ...

, and in a sound version using the Movietone sound-on-film system. In 2004, the film was released on DVD by

Image Entertainment RLJ Entertainment (formerly Image Entertainment) is an American film production company and home video distributor, distributing film and television productions in North America, with approximately 3,200 exclusive DVD titles and approximately 34 ...

. The theme song of the motion picture, "Just a Sweetheart", by Dave Dryer, Josef Pasternack, and

Nathaniel Shilkret Nathaniel Shilkret (December 25, 1889 – February 18, 1982) was an American musician, composer, conductor and musical director. Early career Shilkret (originally named Natan Schüldkraut) was born in New York City, United States, to parents ...

(recorded versions of which are available, for example, on a commercially issued

Paul Whiteman Paul Samuel Whiteman (March 28, 1890 – December 29, 1967) was an American bandleader, composer, orchestral director, and violinist. As the leader of one of the most popular dance bands in the United States during the 1920s and early 1930s, W ...

CDShilkret, Nathaniel, ed. Shell, Niel and Barbara Shilkret, ''Nathaniel Shilkret: Sixty Years in the Music Business'', Scarecrow Press, Lanham, Maryland, 2005. ) was omitted from the DVD.

Plot

Marie Skinner (

) is a gold digger with her hooks out for devoted middle-aged family man J.C. Judson (

), a portly real estate tycoon, who falls for her when she contrives to meet him. When his wife (

) and grown children, Ruth (

) and Billy (

William Bakewell William Bakewell (May 2, 1908 – April 15, 1993) was an American actor who achieved his greatest fame as one of the leading juvenile performers of the late 1920s and early 1930s. Early years Bakewell was a native of Los Angeles, where he at ...

) discover him dancing with Marie at a nightclub, J.C. leaves home the next day. Ruth seeks out Marie to shoot her, but is interrupted by Marie's boyfriend, jazz hound Babe Winsor (

), who takes a shine to her. When Judson walks in on them he condemns her licentiousness, but is forced to face his double standard when he witnesses a violent argument between Marie and Babe. Full of contrition, J.C. returns to home and hearth and the bosom of his loving family.TC
Synopsis Full synopsis
/ref>

Cast

as William Judson, the Father *

as Marie Skinner *

as Mrs. Judson, the Mother *

as Ruth Judson, the Daughter *

as Babe Winsor *

as Billy Judson, the Son *John Batten as A friend of the Judsons *

Rolfe Sedan Rolfe Sedan (born Edward Sedan; January 20, 1896 – September 15, 1982) was an American character actor, best known for appearing in bit parts, often uncredited, usually portraying clerks, train conductors, postmen, cooks, waiters, etc. Ea ...

as Marie's Barber (uncredited) *

Harry Semels Harry Semels (November 20, 1887 – March 2, 1946) was an American film actor. He appeared in over 315 film between 1917 and 1946. Career Semels appeared in his first film in 1917. He began to achieve fame after arriving at Columbia Pictu ...

as Mr. Judson's Barber (uncredited)

Notes

External links

* * *
review
in ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

''
Still
at silenthollywood.com *Cairns, David (2016)
The Forgotten: D.W. Griffith's ''Battle of the Sexes'' (1928)
at mubi.com (with stills) {{DEFAULTSORT:Battle Of The Sexes, The (1928 Film) 1928 comedy films 1928 films American silent feature films American black-and-white films 1920s English-language films Films directed by D. W. Griffith United Artists films Remakes of American films Films based on short fiction Silent American comedy films Films scored by Nathaniel Shilkret 1920s American films