The Battle Of The Sexes

It’s become one of the enduring pleasures of modern cinema – a well-presented, approachable doc about a historical subject you knew nothing about, illuminating not only the era in question but also the times we’re living in. ‘Battle of the Sexes’ is a perfect example: a tale of feminist struggle, macho bullheadedness and the importance of good marketing, with a nailbiting sporting drama at its core. Essentially, it’s the story of how Bobby Riggs – ageing Wimbledon champ and self-confessed Male Chauvinist Pig – challenged these uppity woman tennis players to take him on, intent on proving once and for all that men were made for sports and women for the home. But it widens to paint a fascinating picture of how women’s tennis moved to the forefront of the struggle for equal rights, thanks in large part to the charisma of Billie Jean King. Climaxing with the high-stakes bout between King and Riggs – more of a celebrity boxing match than a tennis tournament – this is a smart, gripping and enormously enjoyable parable.