Battle of the Sexes Page #3

BILLIE JEAN:

(firmer)

-Gladys.

A huff from Gladys. Silence.

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

BILLIE JEAN (CONT’D)

Can I just bring it back around tothe money, Jack?

JACK KRAMER:

You know I’m sympathetic to your

cause, Billie Jean. We’ve talked

about this--

BILLIE JEAN:

We have. Many times. You promisedthis year would be different.

JACK KRAMER:

It’s simply a question of what we

can afford.

BOB SANDERS:

People come to see the men play.

They’re the draw.

BILLIE JEAN:

Eight times more of a draw?

BOB SANDERS:

Sorry?

BILLIE JEAN:

You’re offering the men’s winner

exactly eight times more than thewomen’s winner. Do we bring in an

eighth of the crowd?

BOB SANDERS:

I don’t know the percentages-

BILLIE JEAN:

They sold the exact same number oftickets today for the women’s finalas the men’s final. Isn’t that

right, Jack?

JACK:

I suppose so.

GLADYS:

Same sales, same prize money. Seemsfair to me.

JACK KRAMER:

Be reasonable, there’s no way we

can afford that.

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

BILLIE JEAN:

Then what’s your argument? Just

give me a logical argument why youshould pay a woman an eighth ofwhat you pay a man and I promiseI’ll stop asking.

JACK KRAMER:

Well, for one thing, the men haveto support their families.

BILLIE JEAN:

I’m the main bread winner in my

family.

JACK KRAMER:

Look. The men are simply moreexciting to watch. They’re faster--

BOB SANDERS:

-fact-

JACK KRAMER:

-stronger-

BOB SANDERS:

-fact-

JACK KRAMER:

-more competitive-

BOB SANDERS:

-just a fact.

JACK KRAMER:

It’s not your fault. It’s biology.

BILLIE JEAN:

That’s the best argument you’ve

got? Really?

JACK KRAMER:

It’s just the way it is.

BILLIE JEAN:

We’ll boycott the tournament.

GLADYS:

Fact.

JACK KRAMER:

We’d sure miss your pretty faces,

but...go right ahead.

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

14

BILLIE JEAN:

Not only will we boycott, we’ll set

up our own tournament.

A flicker of panic from Gladys.

GLADYS:

Fact.

BILLIE JEAN:

At the exact same time as the

Pacific Southwest.

GLADYS:

Um. Fact.

Jack Kramer and Bob Sanders exchange a look. Jack smiles and

stands.

JACK KRAMER:

Well, be sure and send me tickets.

You have a good night, ladies.

He holds open the library door for them.

10 EXT. FOREST HILLS CLUB -- CORRIDOR. EVENING. 10

The camera follows Billie Jean and Gladys as they go.

GLADYS:

Are we really going to do this?

BILLIE JEAN:

Sure we’re going to do this.

GLADYS:

How are we going to do this?

BILLIE JEAN:

No idea.

11 INT. BOBBY’S HOUSE. EVENING. 11

An air of tension in this upscale dining room. Bobby,

PRISCILLA his second wife and BOBBY’S SON are sitting at thetable.

PRISCILLA:

Busy day?

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

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BOBBY RIGGS:

Run off my feet. Not a minute tothink...Whatever it is I’m supposedto be doing there, Priscilla, I’m

not doing it.

PRISCILLA:

Daddy says you’re an integral part

of the company.

BOBBY RIGGS:

Integral. Like the walls? The walk-

in closet?

PRISCILLA:

It’s steady. It’s what you need

right now.

BOBBY RIGGS:

I know, I know.

PRISCILLA:

Did you go to- your meeting?

BOBBY RIGGS:

Only darned meeting I had. I mighthave to find another group.

PRISCILLA:

But you went.

BOBBY RIGGS:

Oh yeah.

PRISCILLA:

Well done, honey.

She smiles supportively at him. He attempts a smile back.

Another silence. Bobby’s son peppers his food with a outsizepepper grinder. Appraises it.

BOBBY'S SON

(sly)

I wonder how much pepper corns arein here?

PRISCILLA:

It’s not how much, it’s how many.

And stop wondering. Or you can gowonder in your room.

BOBBY'S SON

Mom...I was just asking Dad aneducational question, right?

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

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BOBBY RIGGS:

Oh, I...I dunno, Junior.

BOBBY'S SON

I’d say ‘bout a thousand.

BOBBY RIGGS:

(cracking)

No way, there’s at least fivethousand in there.

BOBBY'S SON

I’d put a dollar on a thousand-

PRISCILLA:

-young man!

Bobby’s son gives the pepper grinder another provocative

twist, winks at his Dad and mouths “one dollar”.

BOBBY RIGGS:

Absolutely not, young man. We donot gamble at the table.

PRISCILLA:

We do not gamble any place, Bobby.

BOBBY RIGGS:

Exactly. Any place.

Bobby pats his mouth with his napkin. Dabs at the sweat onhis brow. Gets up.

BOBBY RIGGS (CONT’D)

You know, honey, now I remember,

there is something I need to do atthe office.

PRISCILLA:

Now?

BOBBY RIGGS:

Your Daddy put his faith in me.

Don’t want to let him down.

She smiles up at him uncertainly- benefit of the doubt.

PRISCILLA:

Well, okay. Proud of you, honey.

12 EXT. TOWN TENNIS CENTER -- COURT. MANHATTAN. EVENING. 12

Men’s laughter, drinks, music. Wedges of greenbacks

everywhere. In the middle of the table, surrounded bydollars, a set of car keys.

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

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Bizarrely, two Alsatians are bounding around a tennis court,

Bobby on the end of their lead, being towed after them. Onthe other side of the net is JACK, retired business tycoonand amateur tennis player.

Equally bizarre is the location of the court; on the flatroof of a skyscraper near the belching smoke stacks of theCon Edison Power Plant.

Loving the show are the Boys: HANK, ex-baseball pro: retiredKEN and gentle HERB, a tennis star in the 50’s, now in a

wheelchair and LORNIE KUHLE, younger friend of Bobby’s and

tennis pro.

Somehow, Bobby manages to reach the ball and get it back overthe net. The Boys are loving it, the dogs are loving it andmost of all, so is Bobby.

JACK:

Dammit, Bobby....

BOBBY RIGGS:

Teach them to serve and we could

get them on the Circuit! Good boys,

good boys go, go...

He wins the point.

KEN:

A chair. C’mon, guys...

BOBBY RIGGS:

Two chairs and I’ll raise you both

five hundred.

KEN/ HERBDone. Take him, Jack!

Lornie rushes two chairs onto Bobby’s side of the court thathe now has to dodge around with the dogs. Chaos. Bobby isleaping over the chairs, getting the lead tangled in thelegs...and yet somehow, the ball keeps being returned.

More dollars are put down on the table by the Boys. There’s

big money on this game.

A fierce exchange of shots, culminating in a lot of barkingand a massive lob from Bobby. Everyone watches its progresshigh into the sky and then down on the baseline. Right on thebaseline. Jack scrabbles back for it. Doesn’t get there.

Bobby leaps the net, shakes his hand.

BOBBY RIGGS:

Good game, Jack.

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

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JACK:

Dammit, I thought I had you thistime, Bobby, I really did.

Dejected, he walks off. The boys watch him go.

BOBBY RIGGS:

He keeps betting me. What do I do?

HANK:

Thing about Jack is- he can affordto lose.

Jack gets the car keys from the bowl in the middle of thetable. Throws them to Bobby. Towels his face down.

LORNIE:

What’s Priscilla going to say,

Bobby? That’s what you gotta ask

yourself.

BOBBY RIGGS:

Don’t spoil it, Jack, you know?

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