Battle of the Sexes Page #10

49 INT. LA BONAVENTURE HOTEL FOYER. DAY. 49

At the reception desk, Gladys is banging on the service bellwith gusto. The Virginia Slims Girls pile into the foyer allnoise and tennis bags.

Margaret Court is also at the desk, baby Daniel on her hip,

screaming the house down. She shoves it towards Gladys whoabsolutely refuses to help.

GLADYS:

Ah-ah. Don’t do babies. Can we get

some service around here?

Margaret heaves the baby onto Rosie who has a quick attemptat comforting it.

ROSIE:

Babies hate me. What do you do with

them?

She peers at him, causing a renewed frenzy of screaming.

Billie Jean takes the baby and calms him down.

Barry arrives weighed down with baby stuff and tennisequipment. The RECEPTIONIST finally returns with a huge bunchof flowers.

RECEPTIONIST:

...and these are for you, Madam.

Whistles and appreciative sighs from the women as Margaretsignals that Barry should take them. Somehow he does. Andglances at the card.

BARRY:

Bobby-goddam-Riggs.

MARGARET COURT:

Enough with the curse words, Barry.

He shoves the flowers at Gladys.

GLADYS:

Bobby knows you got one of them,

right?

She points at Barry.

GLADYS (CONT’D)

And have one of those?

She points at baby Daniel.

BATTLE OF THE SEXES -Simon Work File -4/7/16 56

MARGARET COURT:

Oh, it’s not that. Barry’s had

dinner with the guy, haven’t you,

hon?

Looks between the Girls. Margaret turns and takes Daniel fromBillie Jean, saying pointedly.

MARGARET COURT (CONT’D)

I’ll take Daniel, thank you very

much.

49A INT. BONAVENTURE HOTEL - ELEVATOR. DAY. 49A

Marilyn and Billie Jean get into one of the signatureBonaventure glass elevators. The doors close and they riseup, as the panorama of Los Angeles opens in front of them.

In this public/private moment, Billie Jean reaches forMarilyn’s hands. Their fingers intertwine, clandestine. We

cut to a telephoto view of the elevator, widening to take inthe whole hotel.

49B OMITTED 49B

49C OMITTED 49C

49D OMITTED 49D

49E INT BONAVENTURE HOTEL. CORRIDOR. NIGHT. 49E

The empty corridor. A wailing baby.

INT. BILLIE JEAN’S BONAVENTURE HOTEL ROOM. LATER. 50

Marilyn wakes to see Billie out of bed. *

In the middle of the bedroom, Billie Jean stands, playing aninvisible game of tennis against the wall with her hand, a *

one-sided ballet of movements, elegant in their miniaturizedform; foot-slides, serves, backhands, forehands, slams...

MARILYN:

What are you doing?

Billie Jean responds without stopping or looking at Marilyn.

BILLIE JEAN:

Playing Margaret.

BATTLE OF THE SEXES -Simon Work File -4/7/16 57

MARILYN:

Are you winning?

BILLIE JEAN:

One set each. Margaret’s serving.

She continues to play.

MARILYN:

Don’t you ever stop?

BILLIE JEAN:

Not really. I warned you. *

Marilyn gets out of bed and takes Billie’s hand. *

MARILYN *

Come to bed. *

BILLIE JEAN *

That was break point. *

But she allows herself to be led back to bed. Billie Jean and *

Marilyn lie in each other’s arms. It’s quiet, intimate. *

BILLIE JEAN (CONT’D) *

How are you so free with yourself? *

It seems like you just do whatever *

you want. *

MARILYN *

No, I’m just- normal, Bille! What *

makes you so driven? Playing tennis *

against invisible opponents at *

midnight? *

BILLIE JEAN *

When I was twelve, I played at a *

this tennis club- we had no money, *

not compared to most of the kids *

who went there. They were doing a *

team photo. And my Mom had made me *

some white shorts- couldn’t afford *

to buy a tennis skirt. Anyway, *

there we were, all lined up and the *

guy who ran the club, Perry Jones, *

pointed at me and told me to get *

out of the shot. Because I was *

poor. I wasn’t dressed right. I *

vowed, I absolutely vowed right *

there, that I would change that. *

And the only way I can change *

anything, the only way I can have a *

voice is by being the best. I knew *

if I was number one, they’d have to *

listen to me. That’s why I have to *

win. So I have a voice. *

Billie looks at Marilyn, her face almost glowing in the dark. *

BATTLE OF THE SEXES -Simon Work File -4/7/16 57A

MARILYN *

You do have a voice. *

BILLIE JEAN *

I guess I’m still figuring out how

to use it.

*

*

Marilyn kisses her, tender. *

51 INT. MARGARET'S BONAVENTURE HOTEL ROOM. NIGHT. 51 *

A frazzled Barry is walking up and down trying to get Danielto sleep. Finally, he stops wailing and drops off.

BATTLE OF THE SEXES -Simon Work File -4/7/16

58

BARRY:

Finally.

A thundering rapping at the door. Daniel wakes with a startand starts bawling again. Barry yanks the door open. Therestands Bobby.

BOBBY RIGGS:

Dammit, Bobby, I just got him tosleep.

BOBBY RIGGS (CONT’D)

Barry! Long time, buddy, longtime...

BARRY:

What the hell do you want?

BOBBY RIGGS:

Five minutes that’s all. Five

minutes and if you don’t like what

I say, you’ll never hear from me

again.

BARRY:

Is that a promise?

MARGARET COURT O/SOh, let him in, for God’s sake.

Margaret comes out of the bathroom carrying weights in bothhands. She pumps as she talks, counting the reps. Bobby isimpressed.

MARGARET COURT:

Eighty-seven, eighty-eight...Itbetter be good, Bobby, nobody’s

getting a lot of sleep around here.

BOBBY RIGGS:

Oh, it’s good. Here.

He holds out his arms. Takes Daniel.

BOBBY RIGGS (CONT’D)

Okay, fella, okay. Bobby’s gotcha.

A cuddly toy miraculously appears out of Bobby’s sleeve.

Equally miraculously, Daniel stops screaming. Barry slumps ina chair, exhausted.

BOBBY RIGGS (CONT’D)

Cute little man. Any of the othergirls got kids?

BATTLE OF THE SEXES -Simon Work File -4/7/16 59-60

MARGARET COURT:

No, just me.

BOBBY RIGGS:

Tough, huh? Tennis all day andlooking after this little one allnight. And then there’s the

travelling, right? You need aNanny, Margaret.

A huff from Barry.

BARRY:

Know how much they cost?

BOBBY RIGGS:

But that’s exactly why I’m here.

I’m guessing thirty-five thousand

dollars buys a lot of Nanny.

MARGARET COURT:

What’s your game, Bobby Riggs?

BOBBY RIGGS:

You got it first time, Margaret. Agame. One game, three sets. Youversus me, thirty-five thousanddollars.

Margaret looks at him suspiciously

MARGARET COURT:

Why me?

BOBBY RIGGS:

Because you’re the best. Billie

Jean keeps on at me to play her-

you know what she’s like- but I

say, if you’re going to play, play

the Number One.

MARGARET COURT:

Billie Jean’s Number One.

BOBBY RIGGS:

Not for long. Not if you beat her

tomorrow.

He points at her. Gotcha.

51A OMITTED 51A *

BATTLE OF THE SEXES -Simon Work File -4/7/16 61

*

52 INT. BONAVENTURE HOTEL -- BREAKFAST AREA. DAY. 52

Ted and Henry are delicately picking their way throughbreakfast. Something catches Henry’s eye: Larry Kingstriding away from the reception desk down a corridor.

Oh my.

HENRY:

TED:

No talking at the petit dejeuner,

thank you.

HENRY:

But it’s Larry.

TED:

Aha.

HENRY:

Larry King.

TED:

Oh. Ohhh. I think we’d better make

a call. This hotel just doesn’t

have the French Windows for farce.

Scoots to the hotel phone.

53 INT. BONAVENTURE LOBBY / INT. BILLIE JEANS’S BONAVENTURE

HOTEL ROOM. DAY.

53

Billie Jean is lying in bed. She reaches for the phone.

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