Queen of the Ring is filled with plenty of melodrama balanced with an uplifting message and a relevant spotlight on a part of history not always explored in mainstream media.

Based on the biography by Jeff Leen, the film chronicles Burke’s journey from wrestling men at carnivals—when women’s wrestling was illegal in much of the United States—to revolutionizing the sport and breaking societal barriers. Directed by Ash Avildsen (American Satan, Paradise City), Queen of the Ring chronicles Burke’s rise from humble working class conditions as a waitress to being a national wrestling champion and sports star.

From the mid-1930s to the mid-1950s, Burke was at the forefront of the sport, paving the way for other women wrestlers to be part of the mainstream despite dealing with sexism and personal battles. The stand-out performance of Emily Bett Rickards as Mildred anchors the strong ensemble cast.

And even at over two hours long, the film never feels like a slog as viewers are treated to a colourful history of the wrestling world.

Wrestling in the United States grew in popularity after the Civil War between the 1860s and 1870s. Initially, the matches were between genuine competitive fighters, low on theatrics, and not scripted.

The sport began to lean more on the theatrical to gain greater attention. Wrestlers quietly began faking their matches and creating characters for themselves to give their audiences a satisfying spectacle.

While the manoeuvres and execution still took great strength and athleticism, wrestlers began to combine fantasy and drama into their matches to draw bigger crowds. By the 1940s, many American men had to leave the country to fight in World War II, opening up an opportunity for women to begin dominating the sport.

Yet, despite their capabilities, women’s wrestling was seen more as a sideshow and indecent for conservative ideals and was outlawed in many states.

Queen of the Ring follows this timeline by showcasing Mildred’s rise from fighting men at carnival shows to being the head of the World Women’s Wrestling Association. The film takes on the immense task of showcasing Mildred’s long history in wrestling and touching upon all the notable wrestling figures she worked alongside.

Director Avildsen does a fine job skillfully weaving together the stories of remarkable female athletes while spotlighting the trailblazer Burke. There’s an understanding that her story isn’t hers alone but part of a more enormous tapestry of the women athletes around her and the barriers they broke.

Rickards’s performance as Mildred, portrayed with depth and nuance, holds this tapestry together. She can portray Burke with fire and confidence when needed but also expresses her vulnerability and conflict in times of turmoil. She’s a single mother, but she doesn’t allow the role of motherhood to define her entire being.

The complex relationship between Mildred and her ex-husband and first manager, Billy Wolfe (played by Josh Lucas), is another strength of the film. Billy is shown as a pivotal figure in Mildred’s rise to fame.

Their tumultuous union serves as both a help to Mildred’s stardom and a hindrance to her continued career when Billy begins to freeze Burke out of wrestling after their marriage fails. One could argue that his character represents the contradictory history of wrestling. He is a figure that did much in advocating for women wrestlers, yet he had a darker side as a womanizer who often only favoured female wrestlers who would give into his romantic advances.

The film also devotes significant time to representing Black women wrestlers, emphasizing their essential role in the sport’s evolution. It’s not every day that women’s wrestling and the Black women athletes who dominated it are highlighted when discussing racial integration and the breaking of colour barriers.

Figures like Babs Wingo and her sisters, Ethel Johnson and Marva Scott, were popular in their day and did much in integrating women’s wrestling. Wingo would go on to win the first interracial women’s championship.

Mildred helped train the sisters and showcase them in matches. And although the film doesn’t shy away from some of the racism the sisters experienced, it chooses to focus more on the camaraderie among all of the women across racial lines.

While Queen of the Ring succeeds in illuminating a rich tapestry of stories, it occasionally suffers from its own ambition. There’s a lot to cover, and the film attempts to do its best, but some plot points feel rushed, and some emotional moments feel unearned. This will undoubtedly leave some in the audience yearning for a deeper exploration of certain pivotal happenings.

The occasional clunky pacing is easily forgiven with the stellar matches showcased throughout the movie. Wrestling fans will no doubt appreciate those high-adrenaline moments, and even those unfamiliar with the sport will appreciate the thrilling spectacle.

Queen of the Ring is ultimately a celebration of resilience and the fight for equality. Figures like Mae Young, Gladys Gillem, June Byers, and Babs Wingo—who are highlighted in the film along with Mildred—helped to pave the way for women wrestlers of today, such as Rhea Ripley, Bianca Belair, and Naomi (who appears in the film as Ethel Johnson). While the plotlines in wrestling may be scripted, it is an entertainment sport filled with real struggles and triumphs. Progress has been made for women in wrestling, but there is still a battle for them to be taken just as seriously as male wrestlers.

Queen of the Ring captures the spirit of those who dared to defy the odds and take hold of their own stories. It speaks to how many women face repression and sexism under a patriarchal system that seeks to place them in narrow roles based on antiquated gender ideals. Hopefully, the film will pique the curiosity of its viewers, prompting them to research the histories of many of the trailblazing women featured in it. (People’s World — IPA Service)