Movie Review of 2013’s 42

by Kevin Gardner

The story of Jackie Robinson has been documented in books and documentaries like Ken Burns’ Baseball, but the pioneering ballplayer was never given the big screen treatment until 2013’s 42. In 1995, Spike Lee had planned to write and direct a biopic on Robinson and wanted to release the film in 1997 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Robinson breaking the color barrier. However, the project fell apart, and after an unsuccessful attempt by Robert Redford to produce the story, Legendary Pictures acquired the rights to the story and released the film in 2013.

Acting Talent

To ensure the film did not stray from the real story, Legendary worked closely with Robinson’s widow Rachel Robinson. Rachel Robinson expressed her admiration for the actors in the movie and said she was impressed with the story’s portrayal of her late husband. Chadwick Boseman, who would later break Hollywood records with Black Panther, plays the famous slugger with quiet intensity. Jackie Robinson was a private man who rarely lost his cool in public, and Boseman hides his emotions well but always seems to be struggling to keep cool. Whether he’s tightly gripping a wooden baseball bat or trying to ignore the bigoted rants of the crowd, Boseman stands confident and unbreakable.

Boseman is excellent as Robinson, but he’s often upstaged by the supporting cast. Harrison Ford’s performance as the Brooklyn Dodger’s owner Branch Rickey is one of the film’s highlights. Rickey is a gruff character who stands by his controversial decision to allow a black player into Major League Baseball. Although Branch Rickey did not face the same level of hostility as Robinson, he’s criticized and berated by fans, sportswriters, and baseball players. Other acting standouts in the film include John C. McGinley playing the sports announcer Red Barber, Nicole Beharie playing Rachel Robinson and Christopher Meloni portraying the spirited manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers, Leo Durocher.

A Rough Road Ahead

When Jackie Robinson is playing for the Kansas City Monarchs, he’s approached by Rickey’s agent to play for the Dodgers. Robinson enthusiastically accepts the offer, but his road to the big leagues is complicated by hostile fans and bigoted colleagues. Although Robinson is supported by the owner and manager, his Dodger teammates are less willing to make Robinson feel at home. When Robinson enters the Dodger’s ballpark for the first time, one of the few players to shake his hand was the pitcher Ralph Branca (Hamish Linklater). Most of his teammates are opposed to working with a non-white player, and they sign a petition to remove him from the roster. However, Durocher refuses to release Robinson, and the players eventually back down.

The film illuminates the racial inequities of the 1940s that seem difficult for younger generations to comprehend. Robinson faced criticism wherever he went, but perhaps one of the most egregious examples of racism comes from the Philadelphia Phillies’ Ben Chapman. Chapman was not merely a riled-up player or angry fan, but he was the team’s manager. When Robinson steps up to bat, Chapman taunts him like a racist schoolchild and continues to yell racial slurs until Robinson strikes out and heads into the dugout to smash his bat. After Rickey encourages Robinson to stand strong, he returns to the plate and hits a single that eventually leads to a stolen base and a walk across home plate. The Phillies received a great deal of bad press over the incident, and the team’s owner forced Chapman to take a newspaper photo with Robinson before their next meeting.

Help From Good People

42 focuses heavily on society’s disapproval of Robinson, but it also emphasizes his supporters’ contributions. Rickey, Durocher, and Rachel Robinson are the only people in the movie who encourage Robinson to ignore the hate and focus on his talent. Unfortunately, Robinson only gains favor with fans and players by becoming exceptional. He was an outstanding ballplayer, but if he had failed to perform, his life would have been miserable and forgotten by history.