First Monday in October is often criticized as being dated because its "hook" -- that a woman has finally been appointed to the Supreme Court -- has been irrelevant for decades. What really makes the film dated, however, isn't its premise but its execution. Monday is a tired replay of the "battle of the sexes/opposites come together" genre that has been seen time and time again; setting it inside the Supreme Court does nothing more than provide for a few minor but not very interesting variations. The Lawrence and Lee screenplay is short on invention and long on very obvious calculation. The dialogue is professional and has a certain surface sheen to it, but there's no substance beneath it; after a while, it becomes manipulative and wearing. Ronald Neame's direction does little to help; it goes exactly where it's supposed to go in exactly the manner in which it is expected to go, although it takes its time getting there, and therefore adds no new dimension or surprises to the by-the-numbers script. First Monday in October does have two talented stars to help it over the bumpy parts, and they (fortunately) have a definite chemistry between them. Jill Clayburgh tries hard but cannot really do anything with her cardboard cut-out character, but Walter Matthau brings his usual lovable grumpiness to the character and makes him come to greater life than he has any right to.