Works better as a movie than a history lesson

Rating: 7/10 (13 January 2006)

"We play fundamental, disciplined, defensive basketball."
Don Haskins wasn't interested in flashy, behind-the-back passes. Initially, slam dunks were even banned. Coming from the school of thought that "showboatin's nothing but insecurity," Haskins was intent on teaching a group of street-ballers the fine art of fundamentals because he knew that's what it would take to win a championship.
Haskins also had no interest in making political statements. He believed in recruiting the best raw talent he could find, regardless of race or background. His main goal was to win basketball games, and he would do that any way he could. He chose to play an all-black starting lineup against the all-white Kentucky Wildcats in the NCAA championship game not so that he could champion a cause but because those were the guys he thought would give the team the best chance of winning. It just so happens that Haskins and Texas Western were able to break down a few color barriers along the way. As one of the original players said, "We didn't break down all the doors, but we opened some."
The thing that impressed me most regarding Glory Road is the authentic look and feel of the movie, particularly the championship game. Filmed with a gritty, sepia look, the viewer gets the sense that he's watching genuine footage from the '60s. The cinematography executes a great balance between colorful and drab, effectively capturing the environment of the time and location.
Production design is just as authentic, using replicas of signs and banners that were at the actual game. Those with a real eye for detail will note that even the concession cups carry the Coca-Cola design of 1966. And of course, a basketball movie set in 1966 wouldn't be complete without the super tight short shorts. Youngsters familiar only with the parachute pants that players wear these days might be in for a culture shock.
It's worth noting that the cast and crew were so intent on making the championship game as accurate as possible that they studied choreographed storyboards of each play that would be recreated for the film. Homemade video footage of the game was used to assure legitimacy.
Unfortunately, legitimacy isn't a main concern with regard to the rest of the story. Glory Road is fast, dramatic, and often funny, but it plays it loose with the facts. Some purists might be dismayed, but director Gartner admits, "We took some artistic license as this isn't intended to be a biopic."
Haskins didn't swoop into El Paso, quickly find a group of black players, and then turn them into a championship team in one year, as the movie would have you believe. He slowly built the team. He became the head coach of Texas Western in 1961 and made it to the championship in 1966. Also, the movie is peppered with racial tension among teammates and hotel ransackings that never happened. Can you say "added for dramatic effect"?
But I suggest that you not dwell too much on the factual inconsistencies. The bottom line is that Glory Road is not only entertaining, but it also gets across an important point. No, Haskins wasn't trumpeting a cause, but his desire to win at any cost went a long way in changing the national perception of black athletes and helped kick start the desegregation of college sports.
If you agree with Haskins' "Decent don't cut it with me" mantra then check out Glory Road. It's not just decent; it's a really good mixture of fact and fiction that tells one of the most important, and least known, stories in sports history.
Make sure you stay through the closing credits.