Robby Helgeland's 42 Film Analysis

1. How does the film portray the period and events? Brian Helgeland’s 42 uses the experiences of the first African American player in Major League baseball, Jack Roosevelt Robinson, to depict the injustices that African Americans faced every day in America prior to the Civil Rights Movement. Jackie, a 28-year-old black veteran from Georgia, signed a contract in 1947 to play professional professional baseball for the Brooklyn Dodgers. This move by general manager Branch Rickey was widely frowned upon by many managers, coaches, and players throughout the league. At one point, led by Kirby Higbe, several players sign a petition to get Jackie kicked off of the team for no reason other than that they did not want to play alongside a black man, …show more content…
A stark example of this is the difference in the crowds of the games in the South compared to the games in the North. The crowds in Jersey City and Brooklyn are integrated, but in contrast, the crowds in Daytona Beach are segregated. Also relating to this point, Rachel uncomfortable when she sees a bathroom labeled colored in a Louisiana airport because she is used to the customs in Pasadena. Clearly, these scenes are included to demonstrate the discernible divide in America. It is also notable that many of the people who accept Jackie are Northerners, and many of the people who resent Jackie are Southerners. As specified by Baseball Reference, Dixie Walker and Kirby Higbe are two baseball players from the Dodgers that are critical of the Dodgers for trying to force them to play with Jackie. Walker and Higbe are from Georgia and South Carolina, respectively (Baseball Reference). In contrast, two of the most accepting players of Jackie are Eddie Stanky and Ralph Branca, who are from Pennsylvania and New York, respectively (Baseball Reference). This cultural divide makes a clear contribution to the conflicts regarding Civil Rights in