This classic deserves a far higher rating. Peter Sellers made most of his best films from the mid 1950s to the mid 1960s and "Only Two Can Play" is a masterpiece. Sellers added the lecherous Welsh librarian to his gallery of comic characters and his performance is the one to watch. He has been given some excellent dialogue to act with but so has the rest of the cast. "Only Two Can Play" isn't the kind of comedy where the humour is broad and direct, such as in the "Carry On" films. No, the humour in the above film is more subtle and incisive. Peter Sellers plays a librarian in a small Welsh town and can't seem to keep his eye off the ladies! He is married with two small children and they all struggle to make ends meet. Then an opportunity for promotion comes along and that is where the problems begin. There follows an affair between Sellers and a married, rich and bored wife who promises to give the librarian an advantage in being promoted in return for his selling his soul..... I won't say anything more about the plot but this is a fine film and Peter Sellers is at his very best.

***User reviewer F Gwynplaine MacIntyre ("Splendid change-of-pace for Sellers", F Gwynplaine MacIntyre from Minffordd, North Wales, 6 February 2003) offers an excellent commentary; he has insight on the accents and other fascinating details. Also, ShadeGrenade from Ambrosia ("Lust for a librarian", ShadeGrenade from Ambrosia, 23 November 2010) provides interesting background about the origin of the play that is unsuccessfully staged.*** "Only Two Can Play," is a real gem; it is a British romantic comedy without any weak moments. The story's central giggle, that an ordinary library in Wales could consistently attract such a cavalcade of attractive women is handled very well. Almost all of the women who appear here are outrageously pretty. This includes the two lead females, Liz (Mai Zetterling) and Jean (Virginia Maskell). Maskell, uncommonly beautiful, portrays a hard-working wife and mother of two who is too tired for sex. Liz, the seducing socialite and home-wrecker is uncommonly fun company as we get to know her.Of course, the star is Peter Sellers (as John Lewis). Sellers delivers an awesome performance, his comic genius and acerbic verbal sparring (particularly with Richard Attenborough's avant-garde playwright, Gareth L. Probert) are both on display. Sidney Gilliat, the film's director, must have had an amazing experience to have directed the young Sellers, as the latter routinely turns common dialog into cinema magic. Sellers simultaneously displays his penchant for slapstick as well as being a believable romantic lead. He should have tried this more often.The story of a marriage in jeopardy is relatively simple. The dialog is often very conversational. The direction is solid. It isn't "laugh out loud" funny until the aftermath of the play. I found John's discovery that the play that he had not actually seen but nevertheless praised as a critic to be really amusing.The Welsh accents that the performers are attempting to adopt as well as some of the cultural references are occasionally difficult for an American audience to follow, but not unforgivably so. The litany of interruptions that prevent John from consummating his affair with Liz are pretty hilarious. Although John is pretty sure which woman he wants at the end, both compete for the audience's love.Virginia Maskell's experiences during this production (i.e., she is excellent but Sellers tried to have her replaced) and afterward (i.e., depression, suicide) are of great interest to many who love this film. We get to watch screen performers knowing what is in store for them. In this way they live forever."Only Two Can Play" is a romantic comedy that most adults will greatly enjoy.

Peter Sellers was always at his best in this type of local comedy. His randy Welsh librarian, frustrated with his dead-end job, has a part-time job as a reporter on the local newspaper, doing reviews of the local repertory theatre. We see his dreary home life; his long-suffering wife - a lovely performance from Virginia Maskell; his interchanges with his hypochondriac neighbour - Kenneth Griffiths. Enter the glamorous Mai Zetterling, wife of the local big-wig (Raymond Huntley)and Seller's life is catapulted into confusions. A chance of promotion - in exchange for sexual favours with Mai - catapults him into a sequence of very funny situations. One, a confrontation with an avant-garde poet/playwright - a beautiful cameo role by Richard Attenborough - is hilarious and the whole film progresses at a very satisfying pace, never descending in to farce. It would be nice to have it available in DVD format. It is a much better example of some of Seller's work, such as the farcical Pink Panther froth.

I was not surprised to see that this movie was based on the black humour of Kingsley Amis. Do not expect from Sellers the slapstick farce of the Pink Panther days or the sparkling multiple personalities of the "Mouse that Roared" or the radio Goon shows. Instead, here is a believable person whose comedy arises from his all-too-human reaction to the situation in which he finds himself.The "usual suspects" put up fine character performances, there are funny moments enough. If the movie is not quite the comic equal of "I'm All Right Jack", or other Sellers movies of the early 60s, perhaps it is because the comedy and its resolution are a little too conventional to show Sellers at his best. It is still worth watching to see Sellers at his best as a serious actor.As another comment mentioned, the black-&-white filming is also just right for the subject.