Branch Rickey wants his team, the Brooklyn Dodgers, to integrate baseball. He recognizes the need to break the sport’s color line, as a social cause, yes, but more directly as a financial one, with the potential to open up an entirely new source of revenue and audience for his team. After extensive research, Rickey locates a stellar athlete—Jackie Roosevelt Robinson was a talented shortstop, playing for the Negro Leagues Kansas City Monarchs. Rickey recruits Robinson to play for the Dodgers minor league club, the Montreal Royals. His exceptional play gets him invited to spring training in 1947, where Robinson makes the team and Rickey signs him to a contract with the Dodgers.
By focusing on such a small period of time in Robinson’s life, Helgeland is better able to demonstrate how Jackie’s struggle for acceptance reflected some of the larger values and civil rights issues of the day. Admittedly, the overall narrative is a bit romantic at times—not surprising, given Jackie’s accomplishments and the fact that this is a Hollywood movie—but overall Helgeland strikes a nice balance between telling the baseball story and showing the personal indignities Jackie suffered because of his race. He endured brutal name calling from fans and opposing players alike, including an unending stream of racial epithets from Philadelphia Phillies manager Ben Chapman (Alan Tudyk). Even some of Jackie’s own teammates make no bones about the fact that they don’t want him around. One goes so far as to circulate a petition to get Jackie kicked off the team. However, the teammates who stepped up and accepted him, such as the legendary Dodgers shortstop Pee Wee Reese (Louis Black)—a southerner—helped provide the first tangible evidence for a lot of fans that segregation had no place in sports.
In terms of acting, Harrison Ford turns in the most surprising performance of the film. He seemed to really enjoy playing Rickey, a man committed to making change in the face of much doubt. Far from Ford’s usual tough guy, action star image, Rickey acts as a kind of moral compass for the sport he loves; he’s always there to help Robinson out at the toughest of times, in those moments when he might have felt like throwing in the towel. Chadwick Boseman does a fine job as Jackie Robinson. While I wouldn’t call it a star making turn simply because Jackie’s story is the real star of 42, Boseman looks and acts very close to what film of the real Jackie re
The African American media was fervent in its call to end segregation in baseball and that part of the story is nicely represented in the character of Wendell Smith (Andre Holland). Who broke the color line in the press box. Having traveled a lot of the same roads not long before, Smith was a great support to Robinson and a vital part of his success story. It a lot of people along the way to make a change and it’s nice that Brian Helgeland took the time to acknowledge a few of them. I’m sure an activist like Jackie Robinson wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.
Presented in the 2.40:1 aspect ratio, 42 is a top quality transfer from Warner. Colors are accurate throughout and flesh tones look natural. Textures and other surfaces are easily discernible. Great stuff here.
The film’s DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless track is impressive as well. The various scenes involving a crowd are enveloping and directional effects are apparent. Dialogue comes through the center channel clearly and concisely.
English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles are available.
The following special features are included:
- Behind the Scenes: Stepping Into History (HD, 9:14) A brief look at the cast and their portrayal. The focus is on Harrison Ford’s portrayal of Rickey and Chadwick Boseman’s portrait of Robinson.
- Behind the Scenes: Full-Contact Baseball (HD, 10:05) Things begin with a quick look at what baseball was like in the 1940’s and shifts into a discussion of the cast’s baseball abilities and some of the special effects.
- Short Feature: The Legacy of Number 42 (HD, 9:17): Former athletes and baseball insiders discuss Robinson’s experiences in the Majors and the historical significance of breaking the color barrier.
- DVD Copy.
- UV Digital Copy.
