Battle of the Sexes

"He made a bet. She made history."

2017 2h 1m EN

👍

6.7

SOLID

★6.7TMDB · 1,994

DramaComedyHistory

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

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

“He made a bet. She made history.”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Where to watch · US

HBO Max Amazon ChannelSubscription

HBO MaxSubscription

Amazon VideoRent

Apple TV StoreRent

Google Play MoviesRent

Google Play MoviesBuy

YouTubeBuy

Fandango At HomeBuy

Cast

Emma Stone
Billie Jean King
Steve Carell
Bobby Riggs
Andrea Riseborough
Marilyn Barnett
Sarah Silverman
Gladys Heldman
Bill Pullman
Jack Kramer
Elisabeth Shue
Priscilla Riggs
Alan Cumming
Ted Tinling
Austin Stowell
Larry King

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Valerie Faris
Writers: Simon Beaufoy
Languages: English
Countries: United Kingdom, United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 51% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 9 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: United Kingdom, United States of America.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Valerie Faris, shot by Linus Sandgren. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Nicholas Britell. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Pamela Martin shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Emma Stone and Steve Carell and Andrea Riseborough carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "He made a bet. She made history.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Valerie Faris directs. Linus Sandgren behind the camera. Nicholas Britell scores. Pamela Martin cuts. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in United Kingdom, United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Earned back only 51% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
2Released 9 years ago.
3International production across 2 countries: United Kingdom, United States of America.
4Directed by Valerie Faris, shot by Linus Sandgren. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Nicholas Britell. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Pamela Martin shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Emma Stone and Steve Carell and Andrea Riseborough carry the top of the cast.
8Marketing tagline: "He made a bet. She made history.".
9IMDB entry: tt4622512 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Classified under 16 themes, including "sports", "tennis", "1970s", "tennis player".

The technical file

Cinematography: Linus Sandgren
Original score: Nicholas Britell
Editing: Pamela Martin
Production design: Judy Becker
Costume design: Mary Zophres
Makeup / hair: Haruyo Sawada
Sound: Ai-Ling Lee
Stunt coordinator: Erik Solky
Runtime: 121 min · 2h 1m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $25,000,000
Box office: $12,638,526
Return: 51% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): PG-13
IMDB: Battle of the Sexes (2017)

Also by

Valerie Faris

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

Gimly2017-11-28
★ 4/10
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 Chard2019-07-14
★ 6/10
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
r96sk2020-08-10
★ 8/10
Emma Stone and Steve Carell are terrific. <em>'Battle of the Sexes'</em> 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.