Reviewed by Victor Rebikoff.
Director: Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris, Fox Searchlight Pictures, PG, 121 Minutes.
Much has been written about the highly-publicised tennis match between the world champion Billie Jean King and serial hustler Bobby Riggs.
But this is the first time the true story of their encounter has been made into a major movie.
The memorable event was televised in 1973 and billed as the “Battle of the Sexes” during the period of the women’s liberation movement, which turned out to be a monumental moment in terms of America’s cultural and sporting history.
Although most will recollect the final result it is the adaptation of screenwriter Simon Beaufoy’s surreal script, by the filmmakers Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris (‘Ruby Sparks’), and the machinations leading to the famous match which is especially entertaining.
At the commencement of the early ‘70s women tennis players received a pittance in their prize money compared to their male counterparts, which clearly infuriated the world number one, Billie Jean King (Emma Stone – ‘La La Land’).
Together with friend Gladys Heldman (Sarah Silverman – ‘Ashby’), the publisher of a tennis magazine, King doesn’t hesitate to take on Jack Kramer (Bill Pullman – ‘Independence Day’), the ATP’s prejudicial head of Tennis Professionals Association, by launching her own women’s tennis association.
At about the same time the dispute provides sexist speculator, former tennis champion and hustler Bobby Riggs (Steve Carell -‘Foxcatcher’) with the perfect opportunity to challenge King to an exhibition game, which she rejects.
When Riggs defeats Australian champion Margaret Court (Aussie Jessica McNamee – ‘CHIPS’) it forces King to finally accept his challenge amidst her developing lesbian affair with hairdresser Marilyn Barnett (Andrea Riseborough – ‘Oblivion’) and Riggs’s own personal problems with wife Priscilla (Elizabeth Shue – ‘Gracie’).
Dayton and Faris are to be applauded for making an important movie that highlights the deliberate disparity in prize money paid to women tennis players, in particular the appalling male chauvinistic attitudes displayed by the key characters Kramer and Riggs.
Of all the performances, Stone is simply smashing in her role, as are Carell’s mischievous antics but together they steal most of the scenes in this enjoyable ‘Battle of the Sexes’ production where women’s tennis is the supreme winner.
Battle Of The Sexes is being televised on 7FLIX at 10.30pm on Saturday 1 May.
Vic’s Verdict: 3 ½ Stars
