Directors Liz Garbus and Elizabeth Wolff join ESPN’s 30 for 30 team to spotlight an athlete who changed women’s sports and women’s activism on a global scale. The film draws on the unfathomable energy of King, an 82-year-old pioneer who has more exuberance and guts than the amateurs competing for the next Wimbledon championship. You know her story, but having King reflect on her monumental achievements decades later and inspire new generations is the shot of adrenaline future Billie Jean Kings need now more than ever.
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From the opening sequence, where King organically chats about the WNBA’s New York Liberty during pre-interview touch-ups, her personality is infectious. The cameras aren’t even on stage and rolling, but King is glowing about women’s sports. It’s a full-circle moment when her fan side shows because, as the documentary emphasizes, King has never been anything but herself. Sometimes that had to be hidden from the media, but only out of necessity.
Garbus and Wolff chronicle King’s personal and professional life from childhood tournaments to current events. It’s all there. The formation of an all-female tennis organization, her battle of the sexes against Bobby Riggs, and the lawsuit that exposed her sexual identity. But the documentary never feels like a clip show. The Sundance Theater audience applauded every set win against Riggs, as if we were in the Houston Astrodome, and burst into thunderous applause for his achievements in equality.
The celebratory vibes are sustainable and well-deserved.
King’s existence is full of notable details: Elton John was nervous to meet him his – and the documentary’s healthiest quality is its multifaceted nature. “Give me the ball!” is a layered chronicle that champions King not only as a sports icon but also as a queer icon, a mentorship icon, and much more.
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Garbus and Wolff strike a meaningful balance between King’s ups and downs, focusing on the struggles she faced while, as one journalist disparagingly puts it, pursuing her “feminist thing.” Previous footage is brought to light highlighting the rampant misogyny and chauvinism of the 1970s that aired, not even behind the scenes. Era after era, the film serves as a fascinating time capsule of the patriarchal oppression that King raged against (and still does), in a stunningly comic yet revealing way.
Inspiration flows through King’s words, as she joyfully reflects on even the hardships she endured. Divorce, betrayal, and eating disorders – she remembers it all with reverence as she uses her platform to remind us that the struggle never ends. “Know your story to change the future,” he poignantly states (paraphrased) when asked how to keep his job. The film is a beautiful how-to relay on how to dismantle institutions, told by a living legend with a long list of results.
From a technical point of view, “Give me the ball!” It has an impressive vision on the part of its creators. The excellent editing knows exactly where to place King’s talking head, interspersing his jokes and wisdom between crucial matches, news appearances or press conferences. The pace is fast and keeps the energy vibrant, cutting through No Doubt’s “I’m Just A Girl” and Bikini Kill’s “Rebel Girl.” There’s a fun sense of entertainment that never feels like an info dump. ESPN’s 30 for 30 series has always been smart in its coverage in this way, so it’s not surprising, but praise is still due to Garbus and Wolff.
“Give me the ball!” rises to the occasion of immortalizing a magnificent human being who was destined for greatness. It’s an ode to perseverance and refusing to be told you can’t succeed. The world is full of obstacles and it is our job to break them down. King’s altruisms are the spark that keeps the flames of protest and change burning. This is one of those documentaries that wins over non-viewers, thanks to King.
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When the subject exudes confidence and charisma, that certainly helps. But still, “Give me the ball!” grants intimate access to Billie Jean King in a way that only endears her to the public more.
Catch up on all of our Sundance coverage here.
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