The Express Poster
MOVIEmeter
Top 5000
Down 939 this week

The Express (2008)

PG  130 min  -  Biography | Drama | Sport   -  10 October 2008 (USA)
7.1
Your rating:
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 -/10 X  
Ratings: 7.1/10 from 6,917 users   Metascore: 58/100 
Reviews: 41 user | 83 critic | 27 from Metacritic.com

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

Director:

Gary Fleder
Watch Trailer
 Loading Watchlist 

Watch now

Buy it from Amazon »
Oscar Nominations    Photos    more »

Related Lists

image of title
a list of 240 titles by Tetetete created 9 months ago
 
image of title
a list of 1,656 titles by augman74 created 2 months ago
 
image of title
a list of 150 titles by StaceTheFace created 1 month ago
 
image of title
a list of 1,670 titles by alauby created 2 months ago
 
image of title
a list of 36 titles by RAMPARTisGREAT created 3 months ago
 

Connect with IMDb


1 win & 2 nominations See more awards »

Related Videos

The Express -- Open-ended Trailer from Universal Pictures The Express -- Clip: Coach's half-time speech to the team The Express -- Behind The Scenes: Scoring a touchdown
Edit

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Rob Brown ...
Dennis Quaid ...
Darrin Dewitt Henson ...
Omar Benson Miller ...
Nelsan Ellis ...
Charles S. Dutton ...
Justin Martin ...
Justin Jones ...
Nicole Beharie ...
Aunjanue Ellis ...
Elizabeth Shivers ...
Clancy Brown ...
Danny McCarthy Danny McCarthy ...
Regina Hoyles ...
Sister
Chelcie Ross ...
Edit

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. Written by <jhailey@hotmail.com>  

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Genres:

Biography | Drama | Sport

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for thematic content, violence and language involving racism, and for brief sensuality See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

View content advisory »
Edit

Details

Official Sites:

Official site | Add/edit official sites  »

Country:

USA | Germany

Language:

English

Release Date:

(USA) See more »

Also Known As:

The Express: The Ernie Davis Story See more »

Filming Locations:

Berwyn, Illinois, USA See more »

Box Office

Budget:

$40,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$4,562,675 (USA) (12 October 2008) (2808 Screens)

Gross:

$9,589,875 (USA) (2 November 2008)
See more »

Company Credits

Show detailed company contact information on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

SDDS  | DTS  | Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (Technicolor) | Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1
See full technical specs »
Edit

Did You Know?

Trivia

While taking his Cleveland Brown's physical, the doctor feels Ernie's neck and asks him if has not been feeling well. Swollen lymph glands on the neck are a symptom of Leukemia. See more »

Goofs

Factual errors: Ernie Davis did not sit out the 3rd quarter of the game as shown in the movie. See more »

Quotes

[First Line]
Ernie Davis: 21 straight lines five yards apart. That is a football field. But there are other lines you don'T see that run deeper and wider. All the way through the country, and aren't part of any game.
See more »

Connections

References Stalag 17 (1953) See more »

Soundtracks

"Too Hot To Handle"
Written by Eddie Noack
Performed by Frankie Miller
Courtesy of Gusto Records Inc. See more »