The Battle of the Sexes (1960)

Constance Cummings: Angela Barrows

Photos 

Quotes 

• Robert Macpherson : And this is Mr. Martin. Martin's been with the firm for 35 years. That's right, isn't it, Martin?

  Mr. Martin : Next Michaelmas, sir. How do you do.

  [Shakes hands with Mrs. Angela Barrows] 

  Angela Barrows : Next Michaelmas, how quaint.

• Angela Barrows : Oh, for heaven's sake, ask Mr. White. Mr. White saw him.

  Robert Macpherson : Who's Mr. White?

  Angela Barrows : The blind man.

  Robert Macpherson : What?

  Angela Barrows : I mean, he would've seen him. His dog sniffed his trousers.

  Mr. Martin : I have no dog, sir.

  Mr. Martin : I mean, Mr. White's dog. Don't listen to him, Robert.

  Robert Macpherson : You mean Martin was seen by a blind dog?

• Angela Barrows : [adjusting Martin's necktie]  Must look smart, you know. Now, you go off and do whatever it is you have to do and then let's get the hell out of here.

• Angela Barrows : Robert, I wish you wouldn't think of me as a woman.

  Robert Macpherson : What?

  Angela Barrows : I'm your business partner.

• Angela Barrows : Oh, ho, ho, come now, Rip Van Winkle. Don't tell me you've never heard of mechanization. Well, I suppose it doesn't matter, as long as Mr. Macpherson has. Just wait till I hit him with my plans for centralizing the weaving.

• Mr. Martin : Have you noticed? The evenings are getting longer.

  Angela Barrows : Uh, that generally happens about this time of year.

• Angela Barrows : All right, Robert, then I'm going to give it to you straight from the shoulder. Now, honestly, there is nothing wrong with my improvements. It's those old gremlins you've got working there. If you're as smart as I think you are, you'll get rid of them.

  Robert Macpherson : Get rid of them?

  Angela Barrows : Every man jack. You can't have them and progress. And as for those weavers, well, I mean they can just draw their pensions and take to the caves - that's how much you need them.

  Robert Macpherson : But who'd make the cloth?

  Angela Barrows : Join the 20th century, Robert. Stop making cloth for the privileged few. Make cloth for the millions. Build the factory of today to make the cloth of today - synthetic fiber.

• Angela Barrows : I'm not interfering, am I?

  Robert Macpherson : My dear, it's your job to interfere.

• Angela Barrows : If there is any night life in this dump, I haven't found it yet.

  [She's in Edinburgh] 

• Angela Barrows : But don't you let them talk you out of it. Remember, you're top dog.

• Mr. Martin : I was never married myself, but I understand it's a great institution.

  Angela Barrows : Well, you wouldn't think that if you'd been married to my ex-husband.

• Angela Barrows : [Overheard in Martin's room, laughter coming from Macpherson's office]  Oh, honey, this place is just not for real. Oh, ho, ho. Oh, this is priceless. It's like something out of Dickens.

• Angela Barrows : [laughing]  Great balls of fire. Is that how you tackle the home market?

  [Points to the display of two male mannequins dressed in traditional English tweeds] 

  Robertson : I don't understand, Mrs. Barrows.

  Angela Barrows : You're selling to 20th century customers. Your display figures must look like 20th century people. That's psychology, Mr. Robertson. I mean, who would want to identify themselves with a couple of scarecrows like that?

  [She then looks puzzled as she finishes speaking and two customers come out of the back and walk out of the store dressed and looking like the mannequins] 

• Robert Macpherson : Nobody understands the workings of the departments better than Martin here. He holds all the purse strings.

  Angela Barrows : Oh, I see. Well, you ARE in the catbird seat. Baseball term - means, sitting pretty.

• Angela Barrows : Well, I suppose there's no production that can't be rationalized.

  Mr. Martin : I beg your pardon.

  Angela Barrows : You've heard of time and motion study, of course? Though, how that could be applied here I don't quite see.

  Mr. Martin : We've plenty of time here, Mrs. Barrows, but there's not a great deal of motion.