I saw this movie in one of the grind houses that used to flourish between 5th and 7th Street on Market in San Francisco some time between 1969 and 1971. The version I saw was a full English Dub. Curtis did have a few good bits, but it also had some strange stuff like a young woman asking a saintly monk about her place in things and being told that like all women she has no soul. For all I know, the Italian dub might have entirely different dialog. I remember a laughably unconvincing "castle" somewhere in the Italian countryside (I presume). It's hard to believe Curtis had fallen so far since The Boston Strangler and (my favorite) The Great Race not that many years earlier.

Comic medieval romp which, as can be surmised from the title, concerns the battle of the sexes; not bad overall, but not sufficiently inspired either (despite willing performers and interesting credits – while an Italian production, the script was co-written by Larry Gelbart!).The film is generally entertaining, flavorful, even mildly saucy and, yet, emerges as a somewhat hit-or-miss affair – with at least as many flat spots as bright ones (the latter thanks largely to the delightful presence, in both senses of the word, of Monica Vitti…even though, in retrospect, her modern style of acting seems incongruous within this particular milieu!). The male lead is played by Tony Curtis – spoofing his own image in Hollywood films of this type (incidentally, I should be watching him presently in THE BLACK SHIELD OF FALWORTH [1954]). Also in the cast is Englishman John Richardson (a "Euro-Cult" regular during this era) as an errant knight who loses a contest with Vitti (disguised as one herself in an attempt to reach Curtis, currently engaged in Holy War) and thus sworn to undying loyalty…even if he's himself eventually revealed to be royalty operating incognito! Nino Castelnuovo appears as Curtis' jovial yet frustrated squire – since the latter is seen exercising his droit de seigneur with the ladies at every opportunity, leaving Castelnuovo "the leftovers"! Towards the end of the film, Hugh Griffith also pops in for an unremarkable bit as a Muslim who abducts both Curtis and Vitti to his palace – one to convert to Islam, the other to add to his harem.Buoyed by a lively Riz Ortolani score, this takes a light comedy approach to the subject matter wherein Curtis and Vitti's consummation of their relationship is continually thwarted – either by tradition, exigencies of State, or their own selfish pride. Even when the two have finally made up and are willing to honor their marital vows, they first lose the key to the chastity belt and, when eventually retrieved, discover that it has been exchanged with that belonging to the Empress herself!

A well-intentioned spoof of "chastity belts" in that time period before the 1950's (way before) that has been tossed on the junk-sploitation pile of late 60's flicks that weren't too serious. In the meantime, they made a lovely, comic fable that couldn't POSSIBLY offend anyone of any persuasion because of the subject matter.Tony Curtis was winding down this under-valued talent as an actor, Monica Vitti (supremely majestic and tragic in some great European films) and a nicely shaded atmosphere make this film (bomb) a delight without being one of the best of the year. I'm shocked more people over 40 haven't even heard of it (Film Fans I'm talking about). Anyway, it's not great stuff or slyly meaningful in any type of slanderous or subjective way, it's a wry spoof with no REAL nudity that mocks conventions a long time ago and is not badly directed. A 6 out of 10. Best performance = Mr. Curtis. I'm not sure if it's on VHS or DVD. I saw it in a theatre in a conservative town when I was a teenager. Go figure!

I'm I the only person to like this film ?? I saw it a long time ago and remember it as being a quirky film with some funny moments. All in all not as bad as it's made out to be !Not an easy film to get hold of.