Jackie Robinson was born on this day in 1919. The man changed baseball. And this film does it's best to show the challenges and ugliness he faced. Not to mention, it features Harrison Ford in one of his most-ignored roles ......
Wikipedia.org Article for Jackie Robinson:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackie_Robinson
Run Time: 128 mins
Genre: Drama, Sports, Biopic
Format: Widescreen Format, Color
Director: Brian Helgeland
Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Harrison Ford, Nicole Beharie, Christopher Meloni, Ryan Merriman, Lucas Black and Alan Tudyk
IMDB.com Entry for the film:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0453562/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Wikipedia.org Article for the film:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/42_%28film%29
Wikipedia.org Article for Chadwick Boseman:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chadwick_Boseman
Wikipedia.org Article for Harrison Ford:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harrison_Ford
Wikipedia.org Aticle for Director Brian Helgeland:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Helgeland
Trailer for the film on YouTube:
I have always enjoyed the historical, biopic-type of movies. It is that docudrama-type of film, when Hollywood tries, ever so hard, to explain our history. This is the story of famed baseball player and color-barrier breaker Jackie Robinson. The updated 2013 version of The Jackie Robinson Story (1950), only this time it is a movie, not archival documentary footage. Chadwick Boseman, who, up to this point, has acted mostly in TV shows, is cast in the role of Jackie. The headlined actor and best presence in the entire film is Harrison Ford as Dodgers GM Branch Rickey. It is very refreshing to see Ford do something totally different than what we usually see him in and he is excellent.
Mini Bio: Jackie Robinson on YouTube:
The film shows us how far we have come as an American-culture and even helps you understand how much further we still need to go when it comes to racial differences and color barriers. I was amazed and embarrassed, at the same time, about how bad things were with racial tensions back then. I knew about the “back of the bus” nonsense and the white’s/black’s bathrooms and fountains insanity, but It never dawned on me that even the National Baseball League had segregated seating - crazy!!!
On a lighter note, those of you around my age will get a kick out of seeing Detective Stan “Wojo” Wojciehowicz (Max Gail), from the TV Show Barney Miller as the Pennant Winning Dodgers Manager, Burt Shotton. Other than a few editing mistakes and weird reaction shots, this is a winning picture. It is really interesting how director Brian Helgeland shows us the power and energy one person can inflict on change. That one person, as quoted in the movie, can be a superhuman, physically and symbolically. It is a wonderful film that reminds us of a lesson that most of us have finally passed, but that many are still trying to learn. - Phil
Don't know how long this will be up. Sometimes studios put films out for the public to gobble up, as a promotional tool online, before they yank them off the internet, sort of a free public domain truce for a time period, but here it is on YouTube. The full Jackie Robinson Story (1950).
Click the link below at GoWatchIt.com to see where you can stream or watch 42 (2013) online or on TV right now:
http://gowatchit.com/movies/42-266243
Or check out TVGuide.com to see if this film is playing on TV/Cable in your area:
http://www.tvguide.com/movies/42/548549/
Check back in tomorrow ...................... For our next Film of the Day .....................
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