Stars: Emma Stone, Andrea Riseborough, Steve Carell
Storyline
In the wake of the sexual revolution and the rise of the women's movement, the 1973 tennis match between women's world champion Billie Jean King (Emma Stone) and ex-men's-champ and serial hustler Bobby Riggs (Steve Carell) was billed as the BATTLE OF THE SEXES and became one of the most watched televised sports events of all time, reaching 90 million viewers around the world. As the rivalry between King and Riggs kicked into high gear, off-court each was fighting more personal and complex battles. The fiercely private King was not only championing for equality, but also struggling to come to terms with her own sexuality, as her friendship with Marilyn Barnett (Andrea Riseborough) developed. And Riggs, one of the first self-made media-age celebrities, wrestled with his gambling demons, at the expense of his family and wife Priscilla (Elisabeth Shue). Together, Billie and Bobby served up a cultural spectacle that resonated far beyond the tennis court, sparking discussions in bedrooms ...
Cast: Emma Stone -
Billie Jean King
Andrea Riseborough -
Marilyn Barnett
Steve Carell -
Bobby Riggs
Elisabeth Shue -
Priscilla Wheelan
Bill Pullman -
Jack Kramer
Agnes Olech -
Dana
Chris Parnell -
Alan Cumming -
Ted Tinling
Natalie Morales -
Rosie Casals
Eric Christian Olsen -
Lornie Kuhle
Martha MacIsaac -
Jane 'Peaches' Bartkowicz
Sarah Silverman -
Gladys Heldman
Jessica McNamee -
Margaret Court
Austin Stowell -
Larry King
Mark Harelik -
Hank Greenberg
Taglines:
He made a bet. She made history.
Country: UK, USA
Language: English
Release Date: 3 Jan 2017
Filming Locations: Los Angeles, California, USA
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Did You Know?
Trivia:
Both leading actors are almost an exact match for the actual ages of the characters they are playing. Billie Jean King was 29 years old and Bobby Riggs was 55 in 1973. At the time of filming Emma Stone was 28 and Steve Carell 54. See more »
User Review
Author:
Rating: 9/10
There may have been some slight deviations from the real events in part
...however, Carell does a fine job of recreating the 1-man flying
circus that was Bobby Riggs and Emma Stone provides a fine performance
as one of the most influential Americans of the last century. The
history is well worth seeing again. One can only imagine the immense
pressure on King at a time when women were paid a mere pittance in
professional tennis compared to men regardless of the equality of
ticket sales for men's and women's matches.. King took on an iconic
institution ...organized ... and prevailed. She refused to be bullied
and intimidated by USLTA (now USTA) overlord, Jack Kramer and anyone
else who opposed equality.
For those who were intending to see a film entirely about one of the
major sporting events in the last century...one tennis match watched by
90 million worldwide viewers in the US and 36 countries ....perhaps
they would have preferred to see more about the wheeling and dealing
that led to the epic in the Houston Astrodome and less about her
personal relationships and coming to terms with her sexuality.
Nonetheless, coping with all these pressures in the time period only
added to the stature of Billie Jean King. Most other humans would have
collapsed under the pressure. After all, Riggs had just beaten the
world's #1 woman player in May quite easily, 6-2, 6-1. But King won the
high-pressure match in 3 sets. And continued the battle for equality
for all Americans. in Bobby Riggs defense, it was all an act for him.
He loved women and actually he and Billie became good friends following
the match until his death in 1995. For whatever complaints critics may
have re the direction or writing etc...the telling of the story of this
battle for economic and social justice...and for new audiences to gain
awareness of what occurred in the 1970s about an event that captured
the nation and took it by storm....well worth it!
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