Any time women have wanted something men already have, they’ve had to fight to get it; whether it’s a prominent position, an equal seat at the table or simple respect. At some point, feminist became a dirty word and was spewed with vitriol at anyone who supported women’s rights to be treated the same as their counterparts. Yet they persevered, filling history with women who broke down the barriers and paved the way for those who would come after them. Battle of the Sexes chronicles one of those momentous occasions.
In 1973, Billy Jean King (Emma Stone) was ranked no. 1 in the tennis world and was the most successful female player at the time, also fighting for equal pay for women players. Bobby Riggs (Steve Carell) had gone from triple Wimbledon champ to bigheaded gambler haranguing female players. Billy Jean initially refused Bobby’s man vs. woman challenge until Margaret Court took her place and lost. After that, Bobby convinces Billy Jean to face him on the court in a winner-takes-all best-of-five match: chauvinist vs. feminist. The lead up includes a media circus and verbal sparring at press conferences, but it all gets settled on the court.
This tennis match was worldwide headline news, not just because it was a man against a woman — but because it was positioned as an arena to prove a woman could be as good as or better than a man thanks to Bobby’s cocky marketing. Stone and Carell look great with the former taking on a slightly less glamorous appearance than her most recent Oscar-nominated role in La La Land. The film is expected to be released in September 2017, just in time for awards season; also expect it to premiere at a film festival (perhaps Toronto) nearer the release date.
