Battle of the Sexes Page #4

HERB:

Priscilla? You still married,

Bobby?

KEN:

He sure will be if he turns up in aRolls Royce.

LORNIE:

He sure won’t be if he turns up in

a Rolls Royce.

HERB:

Whadd’ya mean?

LORNIE:

You think Priscilla won’t know

where it came from? Even Bobby’s

gonna find it hard talking that oneaway. “Hi, honey, this guy on the

corner just gave me a SilverShadow...” Think that’ll cut it?

HERB:

What’s to talk away? You’ve just

won a damned Rolls Royce.

LORNIE:

Herb, Bobby doesn’t gamble anymore.

HERB:

You don’t?

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

19

BOBBY RIGGS:

No! I’m Gamblers Anonymous once a

week, shrink twice a week. BobbyRiggs is as clean as Montana snow.

KEN:

You are?

BOBBY RIGGS:

Absolutely. A reformed character.

That’s what my psychoanalyst’sreport says and Priscilla’s very

happy about that, I can tell you.

HERB:

How did you ever get the shrink towrite that?

BOBBY RIGGS:

The chump keeps losing at BlackJack. But Lornie’s got a point.

It’s a big car to hide in a drawer.

No hurry, Jack.

Bobby throws the keys back.

JACK:

You saying I’m not good for a bet?

BOBBY RIGGS:

No, I’m just saying keep the enginewarm, don’t scratch my paintwork,

you know?

The Boys laugh as Jack curses and walks away.

13 OMITTED 13

14 INT. TOWN TENNIS CENTER -- LOCKER ROOM. MANHATTAN. LATER. 14

Teak lockers, steam coming from the showers, a man on amassage table getting treatment and a card table. Lots of menin towels lounging around.

Hank is reading an article about Billie Jean. Bobby isgetting changed. Notices the article.

BOBBY RIGGS:

“The hundred thousand dollar girl”.

Don’t see anybody on the Senior

Tour getting a hundred gees.

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

20

HANK:

Reckons she should get more. Sameas the men.

BOBBY RIGGS:

She’s not happy with a hundred

thousand dollars, now? That Billie

Jean King. Just what is herproblem?

HANK:

It’s all equality this, equality

that now, Bobby. Bra burning andthe like.

BOBBY RIGGS:

Why would they pay women the sameas the guys? Why would they?

HERB:

I say there’s nothing wrong with

watching a nice girl in a shortskirt running after a ball.

BOBBY RIGGS:

No argument there, Jack, but Icould beat any woman on the planet.

Any of them. And what are theypaying me on the Seniors? Anybodyoffering me equal prize money? No,

sir. Peanuts, that’s what I’m

getting. Peanuts.

Silence. Then:

HANK:

That would be a bet.

BOBBY RIGGS:

What?

HANK:

Bobby Riggs versus Billie JeanKing. I’d pay a lot to see that.

All the men stare at Bobby, suddenly interested.

15 INT. GENE SHAWCOVE’S HAIR SALON. DAY. 15

Nine tennis player renegades are having their hair done:

Billie Jean King, ROSIE CASALS (El Salvadorian-American),

JULIE HELDMAN (Gladys’s daughter), VALERIE ZIEGENFUSS (very

blonde), PEACHES BARTKOWICZ (Polish-American), NANCY RICHEY(always knitting), KRISTY PIGEON (only 20), KERRY MELVILLEREID (English) and JUDY TEGART DALTON (older, Australian).

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

21

Gladys smokes as she pays the salon with a personal check.

Billie Jean can’t sit still in the chair where she’s meant to

be having her hair done by MARILYN BARNETT (late twenties).

PEACHES:

Gladys? What if some of the men

decide they want to join our tour?

You know, in solidarity?

Billie Jean pops out of her seat. Marilyn’s hands reach afterher, helpless to keep her in the chair.

BILLIE JEAN:

No! That’s the whole point! We haveto show everyone we can bring inthe crowds without the men.

ROSIE:

How are ticket sales going?

BILLIE JEAN:

Good! Fine! We’re working on it!

JULIE HELDMAN:

Are we going to have our hair donebefore every event? Because I couldget used to this.

Some of the women make noises of agreement.

BILLIE JEAN:

Right! Um. Gladys?

Billie Jean sits back in her chair, ceding the floor toGladys. Marilyn resumes styling Billie Jean’s hair.

GLADYS:

The salon is a once-only, becausethe press are here and because Ilove you. Tomorrow, the pressaren’t here and I don’t love you.

JULIE:

What about me, Mom? You’ll still

love me, right?

Some of the girls laugh.

GLADYS:

This is a budget tour, ladies. Andyes, you’ll be sharing rooms, so

you might as well start gettingfriendly.

PEACHES:

I call bunking with Valerie!

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

22

ROSIE:

I thought you were getting us asponsor, Gladys.

GLADYS:

I was, I am and I will. Until then,

we’re broke, so shut up.

VALERIE:

Wait, what about our prize money?

ROSIE:

Why are you worried, Val? You onlyget prize money if you win.

Lots of laughter and mock ‘oohs’ from the girls. Billie Jean

pops back out of her chair. Marilyn frowns.

BILLIE JEAN:

Listen, everyone. I know how muchyou’re risking here, because I’m

risking the exact same thing.

GLADYS:

More.

BILLIE JEAN:

No. The same. We’re all putting ourcareers on the line for this. So I

thank you. For your bravery. Andyour balls.

The women applaud and whoop. Billie Jean grins.

GLADYS:

All right! You’ve got thirty

minutes until we go face the press!

How long? Outrage from the girls.

GLADYS (CONT’D)

Okay, twenty.

As Gladys passes by Billie, Billie grabs her arm.

BILLIE JEAN:

Anything from the USLTA? From Jack?

GLADYS:

Not a word. They’re up to

something.

Gladys walks away. HANDS clasp Billie Jean’s shoulders.

Billie Jean looks up at Marilyn, who holds onto her.

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

23

MARILYN:

Sit. Please.

BILLIE JEAN:

Sorry. I’m excited. Or nervous.

Something.

Billie Jean sits in front of Marilyn. BONNY, the stylistworking on Julie, pipes up:

BONNY:

Sounds like you girls are gettingmen to pay attention to what you’resaying for once.

JULIE:

You know what would really gettheir attention? A sex strike.

PEACHES:

Wouldn’t that punish us as much as

the men?

VALERIE:

I don’t even think I’d miss it. My

ex went about it like he was fixingthe carburetor on the Oldsmobile.

ROSIE:

And he never could get that damned

car to start.

The girls laugh.

MARILYN:

(Quiet, to Billie Jean)

At least women know where the

carburetor is. Right?

Billie Jean doesn’t know how to answer. Marilyn leans over soher face is level with Billie’s, intimate:

MARILYN (CONT’D)

So, Billie Jean. What do you want?

BILLIE JEAN:

...What?

MARILYN:

With your hair. What do you want todo with it?

BILLIE JEAN:

Oh, um. It doesn’t matter. Just getit out of my face.

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

24

MARILYN:

You don’t care what you look like?

Someone as pretty as you?

BILLIE JEAN:

What? No. I’m not pretty. I mean

thank you. But that’s not me.

MARILYN:

If you say so.

Billie Jean can’t look away from this woman’s direct gaze.

BILLIE JEAN:

What’s your name again?

MARILYN:

Marilyn Barnett. You’re all tennis

players?

BILLIE JEAN:

Yeah. You don’t watch tennis?

MARILYN:

I don’t own a TV.

Marilyn runs her fingers through her hair. It feels good.

Billie Jean closes her eyes. Her face relaxes. She opens hereyes, feeling caught.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes