Movies involving sports successes are, by their very nature, inspirational. They celebrate whatever it is inside us that arises in competition and makes us perform better, faster, stronger or smarter than other people. Most everyone has dreamed of sports glory — of being physically better than others, of having that one glorious moment of exultation, of being idolized for one’s physical prowess — and good sports movies channel those feelings to viewers vicariously. Yet some sports transcend this formula, and 42 is one of them.
Baseball player Jackie Robinson (Chadwick Boseman) broke the long-standing color barrier in 1947. 42 chronicles how Brooklyn Dodgers owner Branch Rickey (Harrison Ford) orchestrated Robinson’s ascent to the major leagues, the social obstacles and prejudice that Robinson faced, and why Rickey’s grand experiment succeeded. This was a huge step in accepting minorities in all sports, and helped popularize the cause for civil rights in America. Brian Helgeland’s film demonstrates, in vivid detail, just how the process evolved and why it succeeded. Because if it hadn’t then — if Jackie Robinson had lost his temper and attacked those who were taunting him, or if he had not been able to hit or field or run with above average ability — chances are that he would have been sent packing and the cause of equality in baseball would have been set back several, if not many, more years. But Jackie Robinson did succeed, and 42 celebrates that fact and argues that his success was incredibly important to a lot of other people besides himself.
The movie is presented chronologically the two years leading up to Robinson’s debut and including his first major league season in Brooklyn. Some scenes play quickly while others — those that reveal Robinson’s character and determination — develop without haste, as naturally as possible. This is certainly true on the ball field, where some of Robinson’s base running exploits are presented in superb detail. Robinson’s personal life is presented, too, with heartfelt respect for the manner in which his pretty young wife Rachel (Nicole Beharie) kept her husband grounded throughout the period of abuse he suffered.
42 is a very good baseball movie, blending intricate details of the game with compelling locker room drama. It generally eschews the traditional “big game” climactic moments because, for Robinson, every game was a big game. As a social movement document, the movie is wildly successful. It may be argued that by now everyone knows the story and a movie like this is as much a sermon as a showpiece, but Helgeland’s film is so vivid, colorful, realistic and dramatic that its necessity should not be questioned. Sermons are delivered every weekend; a movie like this only comes around every generation or so.
Chadwick Boseman is superb as Jackie Robinson. The role called for someone not very well known, and Boseman fit that bill, but he won’t be an unknown for long. His demeanor and powerful physicality are just right for the role. Even better is Harrison Ford as Branch Rickey. Ford disappears into the character, so much so that I didn’t recognize him in the movie’s previews. Ford has only been nominated for one Academy Award, back in 1985, for the wonderful Witness. He is a shoo-in for his second nomination (in the supporting category this time) because of his great work here, and at this point I think Ford will win no matter who his competition may be.
This actually isn’t the first movie about Jackie Robinson. The second baseman played himself in the 1950 biopic The Jackie Robinson Story, made at the height of his fame. It was a small, independently-made movie that is well worth a look to see the real man. A 1990 TV-movie, The Court-Martial of Jackie Robinson, cast Andre Braugher as Robinson in the Army, facing insubordination charges for protesting against forced segregation. A 1996 TV-movie, Soul of the Game, cast Blair Underwood as Robinson, competing against Satchel Paige (Delroy Lindo) and Josh Gibson (Mykelti Williamson) to be the first black player chosen by Branch Rickey (Edward Herrmann) to play for the Dodgers. All of these are good movies, yet 42 towers above them all.
In its evocation of a time, place and culture in American history, 42 is a well-crafted cinematic document. By showing how and why that culture was subtly changed, for the good and forever, the film is transcendent. It acknowledges the ugly racism that stained our proud history, while depicting a major step in overcoming that social ill, leading to much more progress to come. It is an important film that never forgets to entertain while it informs, and finds its inspiration in simple, basic human dignity. It is a great movie. ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆. 10 May 2013.