Devotees of The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy will tell you that 42 is the answer to the eternal question about life, the universe and everything. But to baseball fans, and those who know the history of race relations and sport in the US, 42 was legendary player Jackie Robinson’s jersey number. His story has been told in a new biopic, and the new UK trailer for the movie is lurking below.
Written and directed by Brian Helgeland, 42 follows Robinson’s path through hatred and oppression to sporting glory. In 1946, Branch Rickey (Harrison Ford) put himself at the forefront of history when he signed Jackie Robinson (Chadwick Boseman) to the team, breaking Major League Baseball’s infamous colour line. But the deal also put both Robinson and Rickey in the firing line of the public, the press and even other players.
Facing unabashed racism from every side, Robinson was forced to demonstrate tremendous courage and restraint by not reacting in kind, knowing that any incident could destroy his and Rickey’s hopes. Instead, Number 42 let his talent on the field do the talking – ultimately winning over fan and his teammates, silencing his critics, and paving the way for others to follow.
With Nicole Beharie, Christopher Meloni, Ryan Merriman, Lucas Black, Andrew Holland and Alan Tudyk also in the cast, 42 will be out on September 13.