One of Baseball's Greatest Stories

Rating: 8/10 (29 April 2013)

Directed by Brian Helgeland, 42 depicts the hardships that Jackie Robinson had to overcome as he became the first black player in Major League Baseball. Although Abraham Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, 82 years before 1945, segregation still separated blacks and whites in large areas of the country. This segregation was also evident in professional sports. White baseball players competed in Major League Baseball, whereas black players were demoted to the Negro League. These two worlds never crossed paths. This all changed when Branch Rickey, the Brooklyn Dodgers owner, decided to put an end to segregation in baseball. Rickey's bold decision to recruit Jackie Robinson would change the world of baseball forever.
The theme of turning the other cheek fills this movie. A defining moment that highlights this theme is when Rickey tells Robinson, "I want a player who's got the guts not to fight back." These are not easy shoes to fill, considering retaliation is part of human nature. Robinson had to deal with prejudice every single day from players and fans. He had baseballs thrown at his head, was called the n-word numerous times, received threatening letters, etc. Determined to turn the other cheek, Robinson displayed an incredible amount of courage.
42 is a very inspirational movie that displays the perseverance and faith of Jackie Robinson. He showed love to those who hated him, which is something we should all strive to do. There are many great benefits of loving our enemies, some of which were evident in this movie. Because Robinson refused to retaliate, he became well-respected by many and changed the game of baseball forever. In doing so, he also challenged racism in the rest of the country. It was also remarkable to watch Rickey as he stood beside Robinson and encouraged him to persevere. Pee Wee Reese, a teammate, puts his arm across Robinson's shoulders in public as a declaration of unity.
The movie did a great job of portraying the reality of humanity's flaws. However, some parts of the movie were unnecessary, such as casual profanity and small amounts of suggestive sexual material. Though these things are also inherent in life, they did nothing to add to the story of Jackie Robinson. If anything, they only served to distract viewers from the real issues of the movie. Overall, this was a great movie, and comes highly recommended.