42

Plot

The life story of Jackie Robinson and his history-making signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers under the guidance of team executive Branch Rickey.

Release Year: 2013

Rating: 7.8/10 (6,200 voted)

Director: Brian Helgeland

Storyline

The life story of Jackie Robinson and his history-making signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers under the guidance of team executive Branch Rickey.

Release Date:

Filming Locations: Engel Stadium, Chattanooga, TN

Opening Weekend: $27,487,144

(USA)
(12 April 2013)

Gross: $56,219,142

(USA)
(23 April 2013)

Technical Specs

Runtime:
128 min

Did You Know?

Trivia:

Pittsburgh pitcher Fritz Ostermueller wears number 21 in the film, a number which later would be worn by Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente, one of the first Afro-Latino superstars in baseball. Clemente had been drafted by the Pirates in 1954 (also by Branch Rickey ) and some have suggested that his number also should be retired from baseball just as Jackie Robinson's number 42 has been. See more »

Goofs:

The movie shows Robinson hitting a home run in Pittsburgh and has Barber announce that, with that homer, the Dodgers have clinched the pennant. But there is no such thing as a walk off home run by a visitor. If the game was in Pittsburgh, the Pirates would have had to come to bat in the bottom of the 9th before the game could end. See more »

Quotes:

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User Review

Extraordinary Performances by young actors

Rating: 10/10


I'm a middle-aged black man now and sometimes I wonder if young people
get it.

I was born in Richmond, VA, and I'm 1 (ONE) generation removed from
segregation.

It is because of this that I was FLOORED by the performance of these
young actors. Chadwick Boseman & Nicole Beharie did a magnificent job
portraying the grace and courage of the Robinsons.

I couldn't have done it. Boseman has an UNCANNY resemblance to Jackie,
and his performance was so visceral that it proved to me that I
couldn't have done it.

I wouldn't have had the courage to stand up to racism by NOT fighting
back. I wouldn't have had the patience to bide my time until folks
decided it was time to see me as being more than sub-human. I
absolutely wouldn't have taken the risk of playing a game while people
threatened my wife and child.

When Jackie finally got angry enough to smash his bat against a wall,
that was the ONLY thing I could relate to – then to realize he had to
go back out there because it was about MORE than just him – I was
flabbergasted by his courage.

This is more than a film about baseball. The nuances like watching
people in second class seating still turning out to support Robinson in
full-on "Sunday church service" dress was poignant to me.

This movie ain't just about Jackie.

My mom is from New York, and she was 7 years old when Jackie joined the
Dodgers. She remembers this clearly.

It's obvious why you (as I did) would take your kids to see this film
as it shows what happened and how far we've come. For me, it shows what
other people did FOR ME that I was incapable of doing for myself.

This film has some corny parts to it – like most films of this ilk, it
sanitizes some things and does tie a nice bow on some issues glossed
over in the retelling…

..that doesn't mean it's not a darned good film.

I'm pretty cynical these days. It's not often that I watch a film with
a lump in my throat the whole time. I am indebted to the young actors
who portrayed the people of my grandparents' generation with style,
class and urgency.

I will own this film when it becomes available and that date can't come
soon enough.