42

On my next birthday I will be 42. I thought about this last night when Lossine, Abu, and I went to see the Jackie Robinson movie in Trumbull, Connecticut. Anyone who is a history, film, or baseball fan should love this film (Teacher Julie Roneson, who brought her 7th graders to see it a few weeks ago, was right). The narrative is worth the cost of three tickets and I was impressed by the acting of the three leads: Chadwick Boseman, Harrison Ford, and Nicole Beharie. Ford did a great job as Branch Rickey and Beharie was beautiful. The boys and I kept saying Ford should be nominated for his portrayal of Rickey. Beharie simply has that sparkle in her eye that makes her seem unreal.

“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.”

What captured our attention most, however, was the harshness of racism portrayed in the post-1945 film. Given the obnoxious slurs thrown at the twins in Milford, Connecticut, on Wednesday at the beach, we were sensitive to Robinson's story and America's history.

“Maybe tomorrow we’ll all wear 42”

Boseman who portrayed Robinson did so with integrity and sold the heroic story. It is hard to capture the years of insults, racist maneuvers, and downright hatred in just two hours, but Brian Helgeland was smart in his direction. In movie form, the racial crime is more tolerable....bearable, but still gets under my skin. Watching, I knew what was coming and couldn't wait for the triumph over bigotry. Still, it didn't make the ugly face of prejudice any easier to view. In fact, because of the slurs yelled at the beach, we left the film a little more inspired, but with greater anger. Too many people in the United States (hell, around the world) work for the wrong side of history.

42 shows teamwork as necessary to do what is right. Great film. I recommend it.