42 (2013)
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The film depicts the historic journey of Jackie Robinson as he breaks the color barrier in Major League Baseball.
The story
In 1945, Brooklyn Dodgers owner Branch Rickey seeks to recruit a black baseball player for his team, identifying Jackie Robinson of the Negro leagues' Kansas City Monarchs as a prime candidate. Robinson is informed of the immense challenges of breaking the color line and must commit to a path of extreme restraint against racial provocation. After joining the team, Robinson faces intense scrutiny and hostility from both fans and opposing players. The film follows his transition from the Negro leagues through his rookie season with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, highlighting his personal sacrifices and the growing cultural impact of his presence in the sport.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
The film begins by establishing the racial segregation of the 1940s and the status of the Negro leagues. Branch Rickey, owner of the Brooklyn Dodgers, identifies Jackie Robinson as the man to break the color barrier. Robinson agrees to join the team under the condition that he remains composed in the face of racial hostility. The narrative follows his training with the Montreal Royals and his subsequent move to the Brooklyn Dodgers. He faces a variety of challenges: a petition from teammates who refuse to play with him, a hostile environment in Philadelphia where he is taunted by manager Ben Chapman, and physical danger from opposing players. Despite these obstacles, Robinson maintains his composure, eventually leading the Dodgers to the 1947 World Series. The film concludes with a montage of his legacy, including his induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame and the retirement of his jersey number, 42, across all MLB teams.
- First release year
- 2013
- Runtime (minutes)
- 128
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Brian Helgeland
- Writers
- Brian Helgeland · writer
- Cast and characters
- Chadwick Boseman · Robinson; Harrison Ford · Rickey; Nicole Beharie · Rachel Robinson; Christopher Meloni; André Holland · Wendell; Lucas Black · Pee Wee Reese; Hamish Linklater; Alan Tudyk · Ben Chapman
- Genres
- biographical; sports drama
- Themes
- integration; nonviolent resistance; racial equality
- Tone and mood
- inspirational; serious
- Premise and plot tags
- biopic; sports_drama; civil_rights
- Source material / true-story basis
- Based on the True Story of an American Legend
- Reception
- The film received generally positive reviews from critics, particularly praising Chadwick Boseman's performance and the film's portrayal of a significant historical moment.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 81% · scale: percentage · review count: 195; Metacritic · score: 62 · scale: 100 · review count: 40
- Production trivia
- The film's title refers to Robinson's jersey number, which was retired by all MLB teams in 1997.; The production used digital recreations of historic stadiums and included a large number of local extras.; The film's opening weekend was the highest ever for a baseball-themed film.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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