The Express (The Ernie Davis Story) - 3 Stars (Good)
When Hollywood screenwriters tackle a genuine story based on a book, they generally take surprising liberties while telling the storyline within the hd, just as if the important story hasn't been good enough to tell. "The Express" is certainly a sample.
Make no mistake, The Express is definitely an good movie that teaches some important lessons about getting along in a very diverse culture while we were young within the 1940s, as well as message is timeless because racism - despite our progress - still exists in America.
It is unfortunate which the title of movie The Express hasn't been expanded to get easier recognizable through the generations that followed. A better title would have been "The Elmira Express - The Ernie Davis Story". No one coping with another generation would refer to The Express.
This movie will depend on Robert Gallagher's book, "Ernie Davis: The Elmira Express, the Story of your Heisman Trophy Winner".
Ernie Davis was one of the biggest college pigskin players to ever step to the field. He seemed to be the very first African American to win the Heisman Trophy as College Football's Player on the Year in 1961. Davis followed the truly great All-American Jim Brown (arguably the best running back ever) to Syracuse to try out with the Orangemen. He was presented Jim Brown's No. 44 to put on during his career.
The Express, provided by Charles Leavitt and directed by Gary Fleder, could hardly leave sufficiently alone by recognizing the most obvious ill treatment Ernie Davis received from white racist fans, his opponents around the field, their own teammates, his fellow students, hotel owners who does not allow African Americans as guests, etc.
By working to make an unjust and bad situation worse, they altered the particular facts of some games and scores from the film, and used some really racist language to inflame the moviegoers.
This was undesirable because a great many other issues around the management of a few African American players around the team were well handled.
Ernie Davis would lead Syracuse to its first NCAA National Championship during his sophomore season in 1959 in the event the Orangemen went undefeated, beating No. 2-ranked Texas 23-14 from the Cotton Bowl. He seemed to be voted Most Valuable Player from the Cotton Bowl being a junior in 1960, and MVP from the Liberty Bowl like a senior in 1961.
Davis became the initial African American to be the No. 1 pick within the 1962 NFL Draft. He was selected from the Washington Redskins, who traded him to your Cleveland Browns for Bobby Mitchell along with a first-round draft choice.
In summer months of 1962, Davis was informed they have acute monocytic leukemia, an incurable cancer on the blood or bone marrow, and died on May 18, 1963. More than 10,000 family, friends and fans paid their respects at his wake in Elmira, NY. Ernie Davis was not ever able to try out an individual game from the National Football League.
Ernie Davis chose to not fight racism with violence, but to work with the football field as his method of establishing his stature as increasing numbers of over a talented, gifted athlete, but like a man of integrity and honor among men. Those who discriminated against Ernie Davis and folks of races must be ashamed and remorseful.
This film benefited greatly by some outstanding acting performances by Rob Brown (Ernie Davis), Dennis Quaid (Syracuse coach Ben Schwartzwalder), Omar Benson Miller (Ernie's teammate Jack Buckley), Charles S. Dutton (Ernie's grandfather Willie "Pops" Davis), and Nicole Behaire (Ernie's girlfriend Sarah Ward).
The Express, released in 2008, had positive reviews (a 72% favorable rating on Rotten Tomatoes), grossed only $9.6 000 0000 in revenue, and, regrettably, didn't receive one particular nomination on the list of award organizations. Such is life.
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