42 (Chadwick Boseman, Harrison Ford, Nicole Beharie, Lucas Black) – Jackie Robinson was a marvelously gifted baseball player. He probably never considered himself an agent of social revolution while he played multiple sports at UCLA. Jack, as he was known to his girlfriend/wife and his closest friends, just wanted to play baseball. Relegated to the Negro Leagues in the early 1950s, he was a star. But he wasn’t alone. There was tremendous talent in those leagues but the public at large never knew it because there were no blacks in Major League Baseball. Despite the fact that African Americans fought valiantly in every major war from the Civil War on and in spite of the fact that the Civil War ended more than 80 years before, equality did not exist on the baseball diamonds. It was separate and unequal.
It took a white man, Branch Rickey (Harrison Ford), to integrate the league. The general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers (now the L.A. Dodgers for those of you who are baseball challenged), Rickey hand-selected Robinson to break the color barrier in the major leagues. Others would follow, like Don Newcombe, Roy Campanella, Willie Mays and Hank Aaron) but there had to be a first. Jackie Robinson was it. He had played with whites in college, was tough minded, spirited, and above all, talented.
42, the number he wore, is a well-oiled, sanitized version of the real story. There is plenty of disgraceful racist language, because that is what happened. But neither Robinson (movie newcomer Chadwick Boseman) nor Rickey displays any notable flaws, which couldn’t have been true. The movie is reminiscent of The Express, the PG story of Ernie Davis, another gifted athlete and the first black Heisman Trophy winner. Other than language, the film is clean, innocent, and perfect for kids; it is a must-see for your children and grandchildren.
Beautifully written and directed by Brian Helgeland (who wrote L.A. Confidential, Conspiracy Theory, Mystic River, and Green Zone), 42 is more than a story; it is history. Playing in the Majors about the same time as the Brown vs. Board of Education Supreme Court decision, Robinson brought equality to the Sports pages, the radio broadcasts, the Newsreels, and to the masses through television. Today, it is hard to fathom African Americans not participating in Major League sports. In the mid-50s when he broke into the league (an interesting expression, isn’t it?), Robinson represented hope and change. Never were they portrayed more professionally and with dignity. Robinson hadn’t sought the role of role model and pioneer, but he assumed the mantle. He became an outspoken advocate for justice and racial equality and did so in an understated way off the field and with a big statement on the field.
He wasn’t embraced by his teammates, at least not at first. Those who didn’t come around got traded and those who did came to love and respect him. The portrayals of Pee Wee Reese (Lucas Black), Ralph Branca (Hamish Linklater), and Eddie Stankey (Jesse Luken) were the most positive among the players. But this is a story that centers on the two male leads as well as Jackie’s wife, Rachel (Nicole Beharie, who appeared in the aforementioned The Express).
Harrison Ford was excellent as Rickey although it took me about 20 minutes to buy him in this role. Boseman was an exceptional choice to play Robinson. It would have been easy for Helgeland to go with a more familiar actor but he made the hard, but correct, choice.
For those who love baseball or believe in social justice, 42 is everything you want in a movie. As a teaching tool for kids about how tolerance overcomes bigotry, 42 is a wonderful lesson. And for people who just enjoy movies, 42 is a well-written and well-told tale of overcoming obstacles and coming out triumphant.