I do not know if you've seen the movie "42" yet or not. If you haven't I would encourage you to do so. Though I would caution it being seen by younger children for the occasional use of language, most of which is the N word. Although on two other accounts that I remember another phrase was used. That aside it is a movie that I honestly believe people should see. In my twenty-three years I've seen my fair share of movies and without a doubt it is one of the best movies I've ever seen. There is a chance that you are like me and think it looks interesting because of Jackie Robinson's legend and the baseball. Maybe you are drawn simply to the historical aspect of the movie or perhaps it just looks good to you. Whatever the reason go and see it. In it's 2 hour and some odd minute running time I laughed, was angry, inspired and wanted to cry in that short span of time. I cannot think of another movie that has struck that many emotions within me, especially because I wasn't expecting it. I went because it looked like a good movie. I expected a good baseball movie combined with the legend of Jackie Robinson. I was not expecting to feel so much and have my head full of thoughts when I left the theater. Usually people go to movies simply to be entertained.
Jackie Robinson's legend alone is a powerful story. The man changed baseball forever. What he did isn't as inspiring to me as how he did it. Being the first black major league baseball player he made a lot of waves in American culture and he both angered and inspired many people by doing so. Segregation was still prevalent when he made his major league debut and his appearance with white players wasn't always welcomed not only by fans but by fellow players on both the minor and major league levels. When he was offered a spot on the Montreal Royals roster he was told that if he took the roster spot that he couldn't rise to any threat or slur made against him. In the words of Harrison Ford's Branch Rickey 'he had to like the Savior turn the other cheek'. It didn't matter what was done to him he couldn't respond. This goes against human nature. It is the exact opposite of our innate sense of survival. If we are attacked we respond, defensively at the very least.
Throughout the movie his resolve is tested. Racial slurs fall like rain from the mouths of players and fans alike as he steps on the field. He is deliberately hit by pitches and at one point during the movie is told that he holds the league record of hit by pitches. I've seen plenty of professional players take a ball to the arm or hip or some other place, maybe one or two in the head. These players wear helmets. Robinson had no such equipment to protect him from the malicious attacks in the form of pitches. As uncomfortable as it was to see him get drilled by a pitch it wasn't the physical things that struck me the most. The racism within the movie and the attitudes of the people towards Robinson was gut-wrenching. Most of whom treated him like he was some sort of animal, like he was less than human. Within the movie there are specific times that this is really brought to light and I won't go into them but suffice to say the way he was treated had me reeling. I've read about it, segregation is part of history but to see it with my own eyes, to see reenactments of personal accounts that he went through was harsh.
Most surprising though it wasn't the movie itself that gave me the biggest wake up call but the audience in the theater with me. I could hear their reactions around me as the movie played. By far the worst was when a young boy sits in a stadium surrounded by men (One of which is his father) yelling the N word at Robinson as he is taking the field. The boy looks around for a second and you could literally see the confusion flash across his face at the reaction of the crowd of spectators around him as this man takes the field. Then all of the sudden he parrots them and starts yelling right along with them. Though I am not condoning the boys actions it is a perfect example of the damage we can do to the impressionable young people around us. This kid probably has no idea whatsoever what he is actually saying as he is yelling. But from the front of the theater I hear these people laughing as this kid is yelling and it made me sick to know that this was entertaining to them. I fully understand the need for historical accuracy. This is what Robinson went through. What I do not understand is how anyone can find a child doing something so wrong funny. I don't recall hearing anyone laughing as Robinson is nailed by pitches. Yes, I know there is a difference between physical abuse and verbal but my point is both are wrong and while one can have deadly consequences the other is equally as damaging. Especially when this boy could have so easily gone along with these older men in attacking Robinson. (The attack is hypothetical that didn't happen in the film. Just said to make a point) Such behavior wouldn't have been uncommon in that time.
Would they have laughed if fans had rushed the field and the boy in an effort to belong or not be left out attacked Robinson as he stood at the plate?
All said it wasn't Robinson's incredible athleticism or even the mark on the game that struck me the most it was how he accomplished it all. Again in the words of Branch Rickey he was picked not because he didn't have the guts to respond back "He had the guts not to do so" That attitude changed history forever. Robinson didn't just take a step to break the color barrier for sports but completely. The racism bothered me by not just making me angry but making me sad. Real reactions to the racism bothered me. In the end the resolve of Jackie Robinson inspired me. Maybe I could put up with being harassed verbally for awhile but not long, eventually I wouldn't be able to take it. In the end Robinson held tight and won people over with his skill and his attitude.
Racism is wrong not just by most morals but Biblically. "Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. "-Colossians 3:11 As followers of Christ we are not to treat each other differently because of the color of skin. While we have differences we are ONE body in Christ. We cannot function properly without each other and to have low views of fellow believers because they are not of the same race is damaging to the body of Christ. Having been called to live Holy lives like He who called us (1 Peter 1:14-16) to demean or treat another in such a way because they do not look like us is the exact opposite of the example Christ set for us.
Perhaps what he went through bothers me so much because I feel called to adopt from Africa one day and I cannot imagine my son or daughter going through anything like this, verbally or physically because the color of their skin.
John Piper lays out Racism in correlation with Christians in his book Bloodlines:Race,Cross, and the Christian far better than I ever could and I highly encourage you to read it.
On an ending note; Though it isn't heavily mentioned in the movie his faith was one of the biggest reasons Branch Rickey actually drafted Jackie Robinson. All of the actors and Nicole Beharie who portrayed Rachael Robinson did a phenomenal job. But I have to say my hat goes off to Chadwick Bosman and Alan Tudyk for their respective roles as Jackie Robinson and Ben Chapman and the interaction of the two characters (the yelling scene that is shown in the previews and in fully length in the movie was not rehearsed and done all in a single take for rawness and to give it a real feel).
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