Title: 42

Year Released/Rating: 2013 PG-13

Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Harrison Ford

Directed By: Brian Helgeland

Written By: Brian Helgeland

Genre: Historical Biography

Star Rating: 4/5 stars

Where I Got It: Redbox rental

Trivia:

The role of Branch Rickey was originally intended for Robert Redford.
The Birmingham (Alabama) News reported that Birmingham's Rickwood Field, the oldest surviving professional baseball field in the US, played three different roles in this movie. It doubled for Roosevelt Stadium in Jersey City, New Jersey, and Forbes Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which no longer exist. It also appeared in a scene recreating the 1945 season when Jackie Robinson was a member of the Kansas City Monarchs.
Harrison Ford's portrayal of Branch Rickey marked Ford's first film role in which he played a real life character.
Although Chadwick Boseman underwent weeks of baseball training to prepare for his leading role, Jasha Balcom, a former minor league player, was his stuntman in some scenes.
Alan Tudyk claimed that he and Chadwick Boseman deliberately avoided fraternizing while filming their scenes together, to better convey the animosity between Robinson and Chapman.

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

Review:

I will preface this review by stating that I am not a sports. I don't really enjoy sports, I don't follow sports, and I don't really care about sports. But to my surprise, I really loved this film. Instead of focusing on sports, we get a great story of triumph. I do love history, so this was right up my alley. The acting was great. The supporting characters were all interesting. I loved the little bits of history thrown in. A very good historical biography.

Best Bits:

Reporter: Whatcha gonna do if one of these pitchers throws for your head? Jackie Robinson: I'll duck.
Jackie Robinson: You want a player who doesn't have the guts to fight back Branch Rickey: No. I want a player who's got the guts *not* to fight back. Jackie Robinson: You give me a uniform, you give me a number on my back, I'll give you the guts.
Pee Wee Reese: Maybe tomorrow, we'll all wear 42, so nobody could tell us apart.
Branch Rickey: You think God likes baseball, Herb? Herb Pennock: What - ? What the hell is that supposed to mean? Branch Rickey: It means someday you're gonna meet God, and when he inquires as to why you didn't take the field against Robinson in Philadelphia, and you answer that it's because he was a Negro, it may not be a sufficient reply!