September 26 - The Express

This is a movie with a scene that happens today – September 26.  I hope you enjoy this film and watch it tonight.

THE EXPRESS

African-American Ernie Davis can outrun racist bullies while growing up. He goes to live with his mother and starts playing pee wee football. Jim Brown football superstar and player for the Cleveland Browns help recruit Ernie to play for the Syracuse University Orangemen. As a freshman Ernie is so impressive he is put on the varsity squad, even though under NCAA rules t that time he can’t play. He also starts a romance with Sarah, a co-ed from Colgate. On September 26, 1959 [43:47 to 47:33] Ernie plays in his first game against Kansas. Ernie refuses to get involved in civil rights activism and his grandfather dies, while the team wins every game. In an away game at West Virginia racist fans and officials upset him and Ernie refuses to leave the field and scores a touchdown. The now #1 ranked team votes to play #2 Texas in the Cotton Bowl, rather than #9 Georgia in the Orange Bowl. In Dallas the three African-Americans on the team have to stay in sub par accommodations at the segregated hotel. In the Cotton Bowl, the racist behavior of the Texas team almost causes an on field riot. Ernie makes an interception, then scores on a 87 yard catch and run to put the game way.  Back on defense he then disrupts Texas’s last second hail Mary attempt. The team boycotts the trophy presentation when they learn it is to be held at a segregated facility. Two years later Ernie wins the Heisman trophy and is then drafted by the Cleveland Browns. He learns he has leukemia and later dies, having never played in the pros.

An interesting, if Hollywoodized biopc. This film takes many liberties with the facts. It’s a good story, but whether it bears any relation to Ernie Davis’s real life is an open question. 

The USA Today College Football Encyclopedia ed by Bob Boyles and Paul Guido (Skyhorse Publishing, New York, 2008) at page 115 and the film at 44:21 give the date of the game

Producer - John Davis

Director - Gary Fleder

Screenplay - Charles Leavitt

Runtime – 2 hours 10 minutes

Released - October 10, 2008

Starring –

Rob Brown as Ernie Davis

Charles S. Dutton as Willie ‘Pops’ Davis

Dennis Quaid as Ben Schwartzwalder

Darrin Henson as Jim Brown