The Express – 3 smiles

The problem with sports movies like “The Express” is the been there, done that feeling. Overcoming racial prejudice? There’s “Glory Road” and “Pride.” A gruff coach who has an impact on his players? You’ve got “Remember the Titans” and “Hoosiers.” A football player whose career is tragically cut short by cancer? Who can forget “Brian’s Song”? So it’s to the credit of director Gary Fleder and Charles Leavitt's screenplay, based on the book Ernie Davis; The Elmira Express by Robert Gallagher, that “The Express” manages to be such an engaging story. The movie opens during the 1960 Cotton Bowl in Texas with the #1 ranked Syracuse Orange Men taking on the Texas Longhorns. The game’s standout is halfback Ernie Davis (Rob Brown), the Elmira Express, one of three black players from New York. Ernie is playing in front of a crowd who is openly hostile with referees who refuse to make fair calls, and Texas players who punch and kick him when he’s down. At this point, the movie flashes back to Ernie’s early life in Pittsburgh and the events that led to his being recruited by the Syracuse head coach Ben Schwartzwalder (Dennis Quaid) and finishes with him leading his team to an undefeated season in 1959.

Much of “The Express” illustrates struggles on and off the field and Ernie discovers that he has a lot to learn about the game of football as he endures one rugged practice after another. And New York might be more enlightened than the South, but Ernie still faces a subtle racism – stares, silence – as he starts his four years at Syracuse. Rob Brown is a charismatic Ernie but with a flash of his eyes you understand Ernie’s volcanic fury at the prejudice around him. Under Dennis Quaid ‘s skill, you see Schwartwalder gradually overcome his inherent bigotry to become one of Ernie’s biggest defenders. Charles S. Dutton has a small but important role as Ernie’s grandfather. Although Ernie’s accomplishments on the field were amazing, it was the environment in which he struggled to achieve that makes it worth your time to see his story. 10/11/08