Cinematic battles of the sexes

Man. Woman. War.

By Brett Buckalew, Special to Metromix

There’s no denying that when a stubborn man and a hard-headed woman engage each other in no-holds-barred verbal combat, the ensuing scuffle can be an ugly sight. But in the movies, such showdowns often make for a rollicking good time.

The lighthearted romp “The Ugly Truth,” opening July 24, features a morning-show producer (Katherine Heigl) locking horns with a chauvinistic new hire (Gerard Butler) who preaches to viewers about the inability of women to satisfy men’s basic needs. It's not much of a spoiler to reveal that they fall for each other. The true pleasure of a battle of the sexes movie doesn't lie in an easily foreseen resolution, but rather in the cleverness of the prickly banter between the dueling protagonists.

The following pages take a look at some of cinema's memorable contributions to the battle of the sexes, along with choice examples of the most dazzling verbal explosions from each film. No matter what side of the gender lines you fall, take care to avoid shrapnel as you read on.