The Express (2008)

A drama based on the life of college football hero Ernie Davis, the first African-American to win the Heisman Trophy.

Director:

Gary Fleder

Writers:

Charles Leavitt, Robert Gallagher (book)

Stars:

Rob Brown, Dennis Quaid, Darrin Dewitt Henson

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Rob Brown	...	Ernie Davis
Dennis Quaid	...	Ben Schwartzwalder
Darrin Dewitt Henson	...	Jim Brown
Omar Benson Miller	...	Jack Buckley
Nelsan Ellis	...	Will Davis, Jr.
Charles S. Dutton	...	Willie 'Pops' Davis
Justin Martin	...	Young Ernie
Justin Jones	...	Young Will
Nicole Beharie	...	Sarah Ward
Aunjanue Ellis	...	Marie Davis
Elizabeth Shivers	...	Elizabeth Davis
Clancy Brown	...	Roy Simmons
Danny McCarthy	...	Bill Bell
Regina Hoyles	...	Sister
Chelcie Ross	...	Lew Andreas

Storyline

This biopic focuses on the relationship of Ernie Davis (1939-1963), a gifted African-American athlete, and his coach from 1958 to 1962 at Syracuse University, Ben Schwartzwalder (1909-1993). Schwartzwalder recruits Davis with the help of All-American running back, Jim Brown. The civil rights movement is gaining steam; Davis experiences prejudice on campus, in town, and on the field, sometimes from teammates. How he handles it and how he challenges Schwartzwalder to stand up for his players provide a counterpoint to several great seasons that lead first to a national championship and then to the Heismann Trophy.

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Plot Keywords:

african american | syracuse university | coach | 1940s | football movie | 

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | Sport

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for thematic content, violence and language involving racism, and for brief sensuality

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA Germany

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 October 2008 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Express: The Ernie Davis Story

Filming Locations:

Berwyn, Illinois, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$40,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$4,562,675 (USA) (10 October 2008)

Gross:

$9,589,875 (USA) (31 October 2008)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Davis Entertainment, IDEA Filmproduktions, Relativity Media

Technical Specs

Runtime:

130 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (Technicolor) Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Career team record @ Syracuse 1959 11-0 1960 7-2 1961 8-3.

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Goofs

Before the 1961 Heisman Award ceremony, there is stock footage of Broadway with Stalag 17 on a movie marquee. Stalag 17 was released in 1953, 8 years earlier.

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Quotes

[watching Ernie practice against high school players]
Jim Brown: He's too fast for these kids.
Ben Schwartzwalder: He's too fast for anybody.

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Connections

References The Moon Is Blue (1953)

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Soundtracks

"I Love You Darlin'"
Written by Steve Weisberg
Performed by Elmer Hopper
Courtesy of Stove Proeber Music

User Reviews

Ernie Davis's Story

'The Express', though based on Ernie Davis's life, is given a very Hollywood treatment. The story is uplifting and even inspiring to some, especially how Davis chooses to fight racism, not with violence, but with American football. Yet, the film itself is sugarcoated and has the deja-vu feel. For example, it is easy to predict which team will win (as is the case with most sports film). However, the last 20 minutes were handled well. Those scenes could have easily been melodramatic but the director chooses to play it down here. The background score is very intrusive at times. I thought the issue of racism was well tackled. This isn't 'just another movie about racism' because the conflicts are well depicted and dealt with (like one would think it would be in the 50s). Dennis Quaid definitely moves a step forward from his usual average acting. It's impressive to see him get under the skin of the character rather than play the usual formula. Rob Brown does a fine job and holds his own. Overall, 'The Express' tells an important story about a man who made a difference in American history even though his name is not known to everyone.