Inspirational “rags to riches” stories are an important subgenre of the larger category of sports movies. Even for those who are not well versed in the particular mechanics of a given sport, an empowering narrative about an athlete overcoming significant odds has inherent dramatic value. There have been countless football, baseball, basketball, and hockey films throughout the course of cinema history, but the number ofgreat movies about tennisare few and far between. However,the true story of Richard Williams and his tennis empire inspired the Academy Award-winning biopicKing Richard.
Unlike most inspirational sports dramas,King Richardis less interested in the players themselves as much as it is the man who raised them. DirectorReinaldo Marcus Greencrafted a thoughtful study of how ambition and success can lead a family to face serious questions about the responsibilities each member has. WhileKing Richardwas marred in controversy due toWill Smith’s Academy Award win for Best Actor, it’s a film that certainly doesn’t look at the recent past with rose-tinted glasses. What’s even more impressive is thatsome of the wildest aspects ofKing Richardare actually true.
King Richard
What Is ‘King Richard’ About?
Initially set in the late 1980s,King Richardexplores the ambitious efforts by Richard Williams toturn his two daughters into tennis champions. Raised in Shreveport, Louisiana, Williams had a challenging upbringing dealing with gang violence and police brutality within his community. Determined to ensure that his daughters wouldnot be restricted by the same parameters that he did, Williams began developing an extensive plan for them to play tennis before their birth. This planincluded an 85-page manualthat included information about academic success, the development of athletic skills, and how they should carry themselves in public. While most tennis athletes don’t begin official training until they reach the age of six, Williams signed Venus (Saniyya Sidney) and Serena (Demi Singleton) up for lessons when they were just over four years old.
Williams dedicated a majority of his time and efforts to getting his daughters the most time on the court that was possible. In addition to working as a security guard to earn extra funds, his wife Brandy (Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor) worked a grueling job as a nurse at a local hospital near the family’s home in Compton, California. Williams began an unusual marketing campaign to earn his daughters a professional coach, and would often spread fliers and videotapes proving their expertise. Paul Cohen (Tony Goldwyn), a professional coach who trained such champions asJohnMcEnroeandPeteSampras, is initially hired to teach Venus, but refuses to train Serena as well. Serena is left to train with her mother. Both girls end up finding significant success, surprising the largely white, middle-class competitor. However, Williams’ subsequent decision to pull his daughters out of the juniors tournament leads to a dispute that ends in Cohen being fired.
King Richardaccurately depictsthe Williams family’s experience in Compton. Williams would often drive a red Volkswagen Bus to pick up his daughters, and refused to take money from anyone, as he preferred to personally pay for his daughter’s training.In Williams' memoirBlack and White: The Way I See It, we see there are more incidents of racial abuse than what is depicted in the film. Both Serena and Venus were heckled by gang members and white audiences while training alongside their father. The movie briefly includes a moment of Williams being beaten up by gang members who were harassing his daughter; in his memoir, Williams admits it was at the height of a “two-year battle,” which peaked in 1985 when gang members smashed his Volkswagen. The fight ended with Williams losing ten teeth and suffering several broken bones.
Venus and Serena Williams Became Record-Breaking Tennis Champions
Afterthe new Coach Rick Macchi (Jon Bernthal)is hired, Williams and his family relocate to California to begin training in a professional facility. While he encourages his daughters to be ambitious,Williams stresses to Venus and Serena that they should remain humble about their success. Despite the intense training regime that they go through while preparing for the championship, Venus and Serena attend regular school classes, and have severe restrictions about their social life outside of the court. This sparks a series of disputes, as media outlets criticize Williams for his extreme tactics. Richards’ relationship with his older daughter is further strained when Venus announces that she wants to enter pro competitions.
Although she has grown more suspiciousof her father’s real motivations,Venus follows Richard’s advice by turning down a deal from the sports shoe producer Nike. The deal, worth over $3 million, would have been extremely beneficial to the family at the time. Despite encouragement by Macchi to accept, Williams believed that Venus would be an even more valuable asset to potentially interested brands after she had already established herself as a champion. Williams’ foresight proved to be correct. While Venus wins her first professional match againstShaunStaffordat the Bank of the West Classic in Oakland, she loses her second match toArantxa Sánchez Vicario. However, the film’s final title cards reveal that Venus went on to win seven Grand Slam titles, including five at Wimbledon and two at the US Open.
While the film is accurate in its depiction of the girls' success,King Richardglosses over some of the Williams family’s tragic events.In 2003, Venus and Serena’s step-sisterYetunde was killed in a drive-by shootingnear their home in Compton, in what was later reported to be a case of mistaken identity. While the film alludes to the division that grew between Williams and Brandy, thecouple officially divorced in 2002after over two decades of marriage.
‘King Richard’ Didn’t Tell the Williams Family’s Complete Story
Although it takes its time showing Venus’ arc to victory,King Richarddoesn’t explore too deep into Serena’s development as a player.The film hints that Serena felt pressure due to her sister’s success, and subsequently felt ignored when not selected for training by Paul. Although the film wraps up before she truly started her solo career, Serena would go on to become one of the most highly decorated tennis players of all time. She won an astounding total of 23 Grand Slam women’s titles, and became the only player in history to win a Career Gold Slam in both the singles and doubles tournaments. Largely recognized as one of the greatest players ever, Serena would become a major celebrity and brand spokesperson.
Althoughthe real Isha Price was involved in the production of the film,King Richarddoesn’t delve into Williams' other stepchildren.Williams' three step-daughters Tunde, Isha, and Lyndrea are depicted as being congenial with both Venus and Serena, with Price admitting that “the older sisters were there picking up balls and devoted their lives to being there for their younger siblings.” Although she briefly had tennis ambitions of her own, Isha would go on to become a successful lawyer. She stated she agreed to overseeKing Richardas a producer because “there are so many things that have been put in the media that aren’t true,” and the family had “just a little bit of trepidation” about having their story told.
While thefilm succeeds in developing a flawed protagonist,King Richardleaves out some of the darker aspects of Williams’ story.The film does show that Williams forced his daughters to play in the rain and practice tennis both before and after school, and how he put rackets in their hands while they were still infants. However, the film leaves out his strict policy on their dating lives and refusal to let them have toy dolls. Nonetheless, Serenavoiced her approval of the film, stating that “it was a great opportunity to see how amazing African-American fathers are.”
King Richardis now streaming on Netflix in the U.S.
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