We Are Marshall (2006)

When a plane crash claims the lives of members of the Marshall University football team and some of its fans, the team's new coach and his surviving players try to keep the football program alive.

Director:

McG

Writers:

Jamie Linden (screenplay), Cory Helms (story),

Stars:

Matthew McConaughey, Matthew Fox, Anthony Mackie

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Matthew McConaughey	...	Jack Lengyel
Matthew Fox	...	Red Dawson
Anthony Mackie	...	Nate Ruffin
David Strathairn	...	President Dedmon
Ian McShane	...	Paul Griffen
Kate Mara	...	Annie Cantrell
January Jones	...	Carole Dawson
Kimberly Williams-Paisley	...	Sandy Lengyel
Arlen Escarpeta	...	Reggie Oliver
Brian Geraghty	...	Tom Bogdan
Tommy Cresswell	...	Gene Morehouse
Christian Kanupke	...	Young Keith Morehouse
Nina Jones	...	Mrs. Morehouse
Kevin Atkins	...	George Olson
Mark Patton	...	Bill James

Storyline

In November, 1970, virtually the entire football team and coaches of Marshall University (Huntington, W.V.) die in a plane crash. That spring, led by Nate Ruffin, a player who was ill and missed the fatal flight, students rally to convince the board of governors to play the 1971 season. The college president, Don Dedman, must find a coach, who then must find players. They petition the NCAA to allow freshmen to play, and coach Jack Lengyel motivates and leads young players at the same time that he reexamines the Lombardi creed that winning is the only thing. The father and the fiancée of a player who died find strength to move on. Can Marshall win even one game in 1971?

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Plot Keywords:

coach | football | marshall university | university | football team | 

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Taglines:

From the ashes we rose

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Genres:

Drama | Sport

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for emotional thematic material, a crash scene, and mild language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Warner Bros. [us]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 December 2006 (USA)

Also Known As:

Untitled Marshall University Football Project

Filming Locations:

Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$65,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$8,582,508 (USA) (22 December 2006)

Gross:

$43,532,294 (USA) (2 March 2007)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros, Thunder Road Pictures, Legendary Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

131 min

Sound Mix:

DTS SDDS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film premiered in Huntington, WV, on December 12, 2006, followed by a Hollywood premiere on December 14. Both used a green carpet, the Marshall University school color, instead of the traditional red. Stars in attendance included: Basil Iwanyk, director McG, writer Jamie Linden, Matthew McConaughey, Matthew Fox, Anthony Mackie, Arlen Escarpeta, Kate Mara, and Dalton Polston. Real-life coaches Jack Lengyel and Red Dawson also attended.

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Goofs

When the tall player is recruited off the basketball court, the basketball hoop is portable, with a breakaway rim. Marshall's basketball gym has the same rims. Breakaway rims were invented after 1981, when Darryl Dawkins of the Philadelphia 76ers broke two backboards in two nights.

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Quotes

Jack Lengyel: When I heard about what had happened, your situation, the only thing I could think about was the four of them. I thought about how much they mean to me, about how bad it would hurt if... well if I was to lose them. Then I thought about a team, and a school, and a town thats gotta be hurtin' real bad. And I thought, hell, maybe I could help.

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Crazy Credits

There are no opening credits, not even a title.

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Connections

Features Kelly's Heroes (1970)

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Soundtracks

"The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly"
Written by Ennio Morricone

User Reviews

Great inspiring movie.. We Are Marshall

I went to watch the movie here in New York State. I absolutely loved the movie as did my entire family. I cried a lot but also laughed here and there. The movie was well done with only a few little things I noticed that were changed, but overall it was very true to the story I grew up with and the facts I know.

Matthew McConaughey and Matthew Fox did a wonderful job in their parts. I was quite impressed with every actor in the movie actually, they all did a fantastic job. McG did a great job in bringing the story to the screen. You were there in that time and during the tragedy and felt what Huntington went through.

As I left the movie, I thought about the ones who died in the plane crash and cried again. For those of you who haven't seen the movie or know the story this isn't just a story about loosing a football team. The crash also claimed members of the football staff and prominent people of the town of Huntington. The other players in other sports lived in the dorms with the football players who perished. They felt the impact when returning to school and all those faces now gone from their halls. The staff was down to almost nothing. The citizens that died included doctors, lawyers, a car dealership owner, dentist,a council member for Huntington and radio announcers for the herd. So, you can see this impacted the town in a way most won't or don't understand. If you watch the movie you can see how it effects everyone. I would like to now take a moment to remember those who passed .................................................................. We will never forget you.

In the end this movie is about moving on, dealing with your grief or loss and how to live again. How as to rise above the ashes and move forward as it is said in the movie.

I think people of 20 years of age and older will love this movie. I ran into several people of these age ranges that asked me questions and told of how they were going to tell their friends to go see the movie as well. I hope this movie touches and shows everyone how to rise from the ashes and move forward. In today's world of tragedies this is a movie that will touch you if you have dealt with a tragedy yourself. So, I think several people will be able to relate to this movie and find it inspiring.

Being a Huntington native I will always bleed green. GO HERD!!!! We Are ......................................... Marshall.