History Film / BattleOfTheSexes

* BiTheWay: Marilyn has an affair with Billie but says she has a sort-of boyfriend and isn't averse to dancing with a gentleman caller. Billie is married, but it's implied that she's just in the closet.

* NobodyOverFiftyIsGay: Averted as this film depicts real life figures. Ted Tinling and his partner are definitely middle aged to the point of being as old as Bobby and a committed couple. Billie and Marilyn are still alive as of 2017 and are senior citizens.

---> Oh by the way? I shave my legs.

-->-- '''Tagline'''

* ExiledToTheCouch: What happens to Larry as Priscilla cannot put up with his gambling and his male chauvinism, especially the gambling.

* ButNotTooGay: Nicely averted with Billie and Marilyn's steamy lovemaking. See Girl-on-Girl Is Hot below

[[caption-width-right:350: For the record, no, this arm wrestle wasn't it.]]

Directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, who'd previously collaborated with Carell on ''Film/LittleMissSunshine'' (2006), and written by Simon Beaufoy. The supporting cast includes Andrea Riseborough, Creator/SarahSilverman, Creator/BillPullman, Creator/AlanCumming, and Elisabeth Shue.

* ButNotTooGay: Although it is incredibly obvious that Billie and Marilyn are in a sexual and romantic relationship, we never actually even see them kiss, only leaning for them and off screen.

* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Bobby may be bombastic and insensitive and impulsive, and says a lot of sexist stuff. But he really loves his wife Priscilla, cares for and plays with his young son, and genuinely wants to get in his older son's good graces. Also after the game, he congratulates Billie by admitting he underestimated her.

* SpecsOfAwesome: Gladys Heldman on the board room, Billie and Bobby on the court and the press.

[[caption-width-right:350: "For the record, no, this arm wrestle wasn't it."]]

->''"He made a bet,...she made history"''

Directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, who'd previously collaborated with Carell in ''Film/LittleMissSunshine'' (2006). The supporting cast includes Andrea Riseborough, Creator/SarahSilverman, Creator/BillPullman, Creator/AlanCumming, and Elisabeth Shue.

Directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris who previously collaborated with Carell in ''Film/LittleMissSunshine'' (2006). The supporting cast includes Andrea Riseborough, Creator/SarahSilverman, Creator/BillPullman, Creator/AlanCumming, and Elisabeth Shue.

Directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris who previously collaborated with Carell in ''Film/LittleMissSunshine'' (2006).

This page NeedsMoreLove.

* {{Pettanko}}: Billie Jean and not played up for the usual ACupAngst trope, this becomes prominent in a scene where Larry discovers Marilyn's bra in Billie's room and upon further inspection, it is too frilly and a bit large for his wife to wear.

* BathroomStallOfOverheardInsults: The other tennis players are discussing whether Billie would beat Bobby, with a good amount of doubters, in the locker room. Out comes Billie out of the toilet stall, having heard everything, and marching out without any acknowledgement of the other players. [[WhatHaveIDone They look regretful]].

[[caption-width-right:350: "...Or we could just arm wrestle right here."]]

** Billie Jean in RealLife was ever as slender as Emma Stone.

* AdaptationalCurves: Bobby in RealLife was [[http://www.espn.com/photo/2013/0702/mag_vintagebody02.jpg chunkier]] than how Steve Carell [[https://i0.wp.com/media2.slashfilm.com/slashfilm/wp/wp-content/images/battleofthesexes-stevecarell-naked-tennisracket-700x314.jpg portrayed him]] in the movie.

* BadassGay: [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Tinling Ted Tinling]] is not only a dress designer in the world of tennis, in RealLife he was a tennis player and a spy in UsefulNotes/WorldWarTwo.
** Billie Jean is this, especially as she learns to accept her sexuality, she is "Madame Superstar" of tennis.

* BiTheWay: Billie is married to Larry King (no not the news caster) and falls in love with Marilyn, Marilyn herself says she has a sort of boyfriend and isn't averse to dancing with a gentleman caller.

* [[ChasteHero Chaste Heroine]]: Billie Jean is a female variation on the trope. She is happily married to the only person she has ever been sexually intimate with and is practically fumbling when Marilyn first flirts with her; she is also very awkward when in a club and asked by a young man to dance.

* FailedASpotCheck: When she gets a call informing her that her husband Larry is coming to her hotel room, Billie trashes a few things, hides tell tale signs of her sleeping with Marilyn only to miss Marilyn's pink lace floral bra, which Larry soon sees and can gather doesn't belong to Billie. He however doesn't say anything about it.

* HeteronormativeCrusader: Margaret Court and her husband when they talk about Billie and Marilyn. Margaret decides Billie's shame could work for Margaret in their upcoming match.
** In the film she uses this for a psychological advantage against Billie. Long after her playing days she would lead the campaign in Australia against same sex marriage.
* ITakeOffenseToThatLastOne: One of Billie's responses to Bobby's promotion of "male chauvinist pig vs. hairy, legged feminist"?

* MarsAndVenusGenderContrast: As with the rampant sexism of the 70's, many presumed women could never beat men in tennis...they were wrong.
* MenAreStrongWomenArePretty: There is a lot of doubt that Billie could beat Bobby given that he is a man, there is a lot of mentioning about how physically attractive she is and some of Bobby's friends say disparagingly of women tennis players is that they look good in their short skirts.

* RedOniBlueOni: Impulsive and loud Bobby (Red) and Cautious and modulated Billie (Blue), they are even color coded with her dress (with blue suede shoes) and his Sugar Daddy jacket.

* TwoferTokenMinority: Justified with Rosie Casals being the only Latina in the group, the tennis world of 1973 was predominantly white.
** Gladys lampshades it when told she isn't allowed in the Smoker's Room
--->"Is it because I'm a woman or because I'm a Jew?"
* WorthyOpponent: Billie and Bobby. Billie Jean wrote that they both came from Southern California and he was a local hero when she was growing up and she looked up to him, after she beat him in the match, Bobby tells her "I've underestimated you" with no trace of bitterness. They remained friends until he died.

** In the film she uses this for a psychological advantage against Billie. Long after her playing days she would the campaign in Australia against same sex marriage.

** Billie (Archie), Larry (Betty), Marilyn (Veronica).
** Bobby (Archie), Priscilla (Betty), Gambling (Veronica).