The historic 1973 tennis match between middle-aged champion Bobby Riggs (Ron Silver) and young feminist Billie Jean King (Holly Hunter).The historic 1973 tennis match between middle-aged champion Bobby Riggs (Ron Silver) and young feminist Billie Jean King (Holly Hunter).The historic 1973 tennis match between middle-aged champion Bobby Riggs (Ron Silver) and young feminist Billie Jean King (Holly Hunter).
- Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys
- 8 nominations total
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Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaRainn Wilson of The Office (2005) has a minor role in this movie. His The Office (2005) co-star, Steve Carell, played the leading role of Bobby Riggs in Battle of the Sexes (2017).
- GoofsThe customized "Astrobus" that Bobby Riggs was chauffeured in was a 1979 or 1980 Dodge Van, which was manufactured over six years after the King-Riggs tournament in the Houston Astrodome.
- Quotes
Woman in Airport: Billie Jean. I just wanted to tell you that you are an inspiration to me. And if you beat Bobby Riggs, I'm gonna ask my boss for a raise.
Billie Jean King: You should ask for it anyway.
- ConnectionsFeatured in The 53rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (2001)
Featured review
perfectly TV
It's the 1973 "The Battle of the Sexes" tennis match between Billie Jean King (Holly Hunter) and Bobby Riggs (Ron Silver). This concentrates mostly on the year before the iconic match. Billie Jean had never been lady-like and her parents forced her to play tennis instead of playing sports with the boys. She tries to set up a ladies tour and fight for equal pay to the men. She organizes the ladies but number one player Margaret Court (Jacqueline McKenzie) is not cooperating. Bobby is a degenerate gambler and a loudmouth hustler. He keeps challenging Billie Jean to play for the new women's lib movement. Margaret accepts the payday and quickly loses. Billie Jean is forced to accept for the honor of the women's game.
This is a perfectly TV movie and there is poetic justice with the original being an iconic TV event. There are some simplification with history that makes this an easy underdog sports story. It treats both Billie Jean and Bobby rather well. The two performances are great. Bobby comes off as a loveable lout and his respect for Billie Jean's game is a great asset to his character. His connections to the darker side of gambling is papered over and the theory that he threw the match is never mentioned. Billie Jean is of course the heroine but her lesbianism is never mentioned. The simplification highlights the bigger woman's liberation ideas and makes for an easy good sports movie. The tennis action could use a little help. This is a great story and this is perfect for the TV treatment.
This is a perfectly TV movie and there is poetic justice with the original being an iconic TV event. There are some simplification with history that makes this an easy underdog sports story. It treats both Billie Jean and Bobby rather well. The two performances are great. Bobby comes off as a loveable lout and his respect for Billie Jean's game is a great asset to his character. His connections to the darker side of gambling is papered over and the theory that he threw the match is never mentioned. Billie Jean is of course the heroine but her lesbianism is never mentioned. The simplification highlights the bigger woman's liberation ideas and makes for an easy good sports movie. The tennis action could use a little help. This is a great story and this is perfect for the TV treatment.
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- SnoopyStyle
- Jul 21, 2018
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- Battle of the Sexes
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Top Gap
By what name was When Billie Beat Bobby (2001) officially released in Canada in English?
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