"42" Jackie Robinson
Brief overview of the film's storyline
“42” is a biographical American sports film released in 2013. It was directed by Brian Helgeland and it dwells on the racial integration in the professional baseball teams of America. The film captures the 1947 Brooklyn Dodgers season and tells the story of Jackie Robinson, a baseball player who wore jersey number 42 (giving the film its ultimate name). The major character in the film under the guidance of the team executive became the first African American to break the color barrier that existed in the American baseball teams. The film records the battle of racism that the player encountered. This paper captures the historical accuracies that are in the film, the connection that the events have to the actual occurrences that are in the book, American Horizon and the common themes that are presented in the film and in the book. The paper wraps up by presenting a brief personal assessment of the film. It is also true that getting into the big league for a Negro was so difficult. The fact that certain players started a petition against Robinson is true in history.
The films Historical Accuracy
Connections to events discussed in the textbook
The events in the film have a close bearing to the themes and events discussed in American Horizons. Schaller covers times in American history when there was mass segregation based on the color of the skin. The film too captures events that depicted the existence of segregation in the American baseball league. The restrictions that marks the inclusion of the blacks in associations that has been covered by American Horizon is also covered by the film as it depicts that hardship the stirring in the film faced while trying to join the major baseball leagues.
Major Themes presented in the film
The major themes presented in the film are the themes on population growth and movement, the evolution of the meaning of citizenship in America, the cultural continuity and change and the relationship between people in the environment and the impacts such relationships had in the environment. The theme of population growth and movement is depicted at the beginning and at the end of the film when the movement of the black players was restricted based on the color. Towards that end of the film, African Americans were given the opportunity to play in the big league starting from the season that followed the debut of Robinson. The question of who was to be recognized as the legitimate citizen of America was also a tussle. The process of finding answers to this question led to the redefinition of the privileges of a citizen that saw the acceptance of the African American players into the major leagues. The relationship between blacks and whites as depicted by the relationship between Robinson and the manager Ben Chapman, was not pleasing. Lame efforts were put in place to cover the animosity that existed between the two races to signify the acceptance of blacks into the team. This is depicted by the fact that the violent coach, Chapman, was forced to pose with Robinson in a photo to show solidarity. The theme of relationship between people is, therefore, brought out clearly.
The film deserves huge credit. It is an inspirational and an earnest biography that has been respectfully told the story of a sports icon. Even though, it could appear old fashioned to some individuals, it remains an exceptional film to me. I believe it can inspire people who did not have the chance to experience the racial trauma that faced the black Americans.
Bibliography
42. HD-DVD. Directed by Brian Helgeland. Burbank, CA: Warner Home Video, 2013.
Schaller, Michael. American horizons: U.S. history in a global context. [Concise Ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 2013.
