‘Picture this a Male Chauvinist versus a hairy leg feminist‘ It just happens to be part of the opening dialogue for Battle Of The Sexes. Today Fox Searchlight releases the first UK trailer for the upcoming movie starring Emma Stone and Steve Carell as 1970’s tennis greats Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs. A movie based around the simple question: Are men better than women when it comes to Tennis? A winner takes all but who truly won? Watch the trailer now and by the way, Billie Jean King does shave her legs!
The 1970’s was seen as the decade of sexual revolution, a decade which saw the rise of the women’s movement and this infamous match gave the ladies a chance to shut the mouth of a chauvinist. This movie is not all about the match as you’ll see the movie that will showcase the private lives of both players outside the game. It’s a movie that’s already been given the thumbs up from the really Billie Jean King, but could it see a certain Miss Stone grabbing more Oscar glory for the second year running?
In the wake of the sexual revolution and the rise of the women’s movement, the 1973 tennis match between women’s World #1 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 and boardrooms that continue to reverberate today.
Battle Of The Sexes is set for a UK&Irish cinema release from 20th October, co-starring Alan Cumming, Sarah Silverman, Bill Pullman and directed by Little Miss Sunshine duo Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris.
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