DramaComedyHistory

Battle of the Sexes

- He made a bet. She made history.

The true story of the 1973 tennis match between world number one Billie Jean King and ex-champ and serial hustler Bobby Riggs.

Release Date : 2017-09-22

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Fox Searchlight PicturesDecibel FilmsCloud Eight FilmsIngenious Media

Production Country : United KingdomUnited States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Billie Jean King

Original Name : Emma Stone

Gender : Female

Character Name : Bobby Riggs

Original Name : Steve Carell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Marilyn Barnett

Original Name : Andrea Riseborough

Gender : Female

Character Name : Gladys Heldman

Original Name : Sarah Silverman

Gender : Female

Character Name : Jack Kramer

Original Name : Bill Pullman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Priscilla Riggs

Original Name : Elisabeth Shue

Gender : Female

Character Name : Ted Tinling

Original Name : Alan Cumming

Gender : Male

Character Name : Larry King

Original Name : Austin Stowell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lornie Kuhle

Original Name : Eric Christian Olsen

Gender : Male

Character Name : Rosie Casals

Original Name : Natalie Morales

Gender : Female

Character Name : Larry Riggs

Original Name : Lewis Pullman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Margaret Court

Original Name : Jessica McNamee

Gender : Female

Character Name : Jane 'Peaches' Bartkowicz

Original Name : Martha MacIsaac

Gender : Female

Character Name : Henry

Original Name : Wallace Langham

Gender : Male

Character Name : Hank Greenberg

Original Name : Mark Harelik

Gender : Male

Character Name : Rheo Blair

Original Name : Fred Armisen

Gender : Male

Character Name : DJ

Original Name : Chris Parnell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Herb

Original Name : John C. McGinley

Gender : Male

Character Name : Valerie Ziegenfuss

Original Name : Mickey Sumner

Gender : Female

Character Name : Julie Heldman

Original Name : Bridey Elliott

Gender : Female

Character Name : Barry Court

Original Name : James Mackay

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jerry Perenchio

Original Name : Tim Ransom

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bobby Zealot

Original Name : Frank Lui Geo

Gender : Male

Character Name : Roone Arledge

Original Name : Chip Chinery

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bobby Riggs Jr.

Original Name : Cooper J. Friedman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bonny

Original Name : Enuka Okuma

Gender : Female

Character Name : Dana

Original Name : Agnes Albright

Gender : Female

Character Name : Bobby's Publicist

Original Name : Bob Stephenson

Gender : Male

Character Name : TV Reporter

Original Name : Nelson Franklin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Woman #1

Original Name : Amy Holt

Gender : Female

Character Name : Bob Sanders

Original Name : Tom Kenny

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sports Reporter

Original Name : Dinka Dzubur

Gender : Female

Character Name : Nancy Richey

Original Name : Lauren Kline

Gender : Female

Character Name : Judy Tegart Dalton

Original Name : Fidan Manashirova

Gender : Female

Character Name : Kristy Pigeon

Original Name : Ashley Weinhold

Gender : Female

Character Name : Kerry Melville Reid

Original Name : Kaitlyn Christian

Gender : Female

Character Name : Jack Desmond

Original Name : Doug Dean

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ken Rosewall

Original Name : Jamey Sheridan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Riggs' Therapist

Original Name : Matt Malloy

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sports Reporter / Fan (uncredited)

Original Name : Bill Blair

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dancer (uncredited)

Original Name : Eli Jane

Gender : Female

Character Name : Mother of the Bride (uncredited)

Original Name : Karen Baxter

Gender : Male

Character Name : Hardware Store Manager

Original Name : Craig Reed

Gender : Male

Reviews

Gimly

@Ruuz

2021-06-23

FULL DISCLOSURE: I saw this while I was working my ass off in a foodtruck at an outdoor cinema. I missed whole chunks of it, and it certainly didn't have my full focus. I'll give it a proper chance at a later date, and alongside that, another review. However, of what I saw, _Battle of the Sexes_ seemed to be little more than a collection of stereotypes played for comedy in a movie that not only wasn't funny, but probably shouldn't have even tried to be. _Final rating:★★ - Definitely not for me, but I sort of get the appeal._

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

I'm not saying women are better. I've never said that. I'm saying we deserve some respect. Battle of the sexes is directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris and written by Simon Beaufoy. It stars Emma Stone, Steve Carell, Andrea Riseborough, Natalie Morales, Sarah Silverman, Bill Pullman, Eric Christian Olsen, Alan Cumming and Elisabeth Shue. Music is by Nicholas Britell and cinematography by Linus Sandgren. Back in 1973 there was a tennis match - a show event - where self proclaimed media hustler Booby Riggs (Carrel) took on supreme ladies champion of the era Billie Jean King (Stone). It would be tagged as The Battle Of The Sexes and the importance of such has echoed through time to still be relevant today. Here we have a film running at two hours in length that actually plays more as a King biography than it does a piece about the tennis match at pic's closure. Why not just call your film Billie Jean King? That would still have worked and been more closer to the themes playing out. On the King biography terms it's a fascinating and engrossing film, her battle with her sexuality issues - and the media threats that such a thing of the era would produce - and her wonderfully stoic stance for women's acceptance rights in sport. Unfortunately since the focus is more in this area the film becomes repetitive and over stuffed, and crucially it sadly puts the Bobby Riggs story firmly into the background. However, there's a lot to like on show here if one can forgive it its ill thought out unbalancing act. The cast performances across the board are top line. Stone and Carell are kind of a given, the latter really nailing the characterisation, but key turns by Riseborough, Olsen, Silverman and a wonderfully flamboyant Cumming light up the period play. The last third as we head towards the match of the title is excellent, characterisations have been set up for maximum impact, while the writers do not pander to gloating or PC banner waving to leave us on a positive and thought provoking note. If only the Riggs axis had been given more meaty substance, and the mid-section not practically slow to a snails pace, then we would have had a better movie more befitting the title - and historical event - than the one we get. 6/10

r96sk

@r96sk

2021-06-23

Emma Stone and Steve Carell are terrific. 'Battle of the Sexes' is an interesting look on the famous tennis match from 1973 between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs. I'm sure it takes all the usual creative license that biopics tend to do, but that's doesn't bother me - especially with this type of event. Stone (King) and Carell (Riggs) are definitely what hold this film together, without those two I don't believe it would've been as enjoyable. Sarah Silverman (Gladys) and Andrea Riseborough (Marilyn) are alright, though the main attraction here are the two leads. Talking of Marilyn, I didn't really care for the love stories on show - with Marilyn, but also those involving Larry (Austin Stowell) and Priscilla (Elisabeth Shue). The rest is sufficiently entertaining, though. It's sometimes a little too on the nose with the (obviously positive) message it's portraying, but that's just a small thing to note. Overall, this is a production I'd recommend you watch - tennis/sports fan or not.