In the movie 42, viewers are treated to an inside look at the life and journey of Jackie Robinson, the first black man to play major league baseball. Because the story focuses on a black man fighting for equal rights in baseball, one might assume that the movie will feature some violence and protesting, however, this is not the case. Much like Ralph Ellison in his Invisible Man, Robinson spends most of the movie keeping his head down and not making trouble for himself. With the help of his wife, Jackie is able to stay calm in the face of prejudice and extreme racism, especially from prominent figures in the baseball world.
However, like Ellison, there comes a point for Robinson in which he cannot stay invisible any longer and feels the urge to bump back. In the climax of the movie, the manager of the Phillies is taunting Robinson incessantly. Robinson cannot take the taunting any longer and escapes to the dugout and smashes his bat on a wall. He has a moment of anger in private, and then composes himself to complete the game and score the winning run.
This movie challenges the stereotype that all black men are violent and dangerous. The only moment of violence in the movie is when Robinson smashes his bat, an understandable reaction from anyone who had endured the hardships Robinson experienced. Robinson tolerated an incredible amount of racism and hate from whites in general, particularly white baseball fans and players, and managed to not fight back. When the movie was released, Robinson’s wife commented, “It was important to me because I wanted it to be an authentic piece. I wanted to get it right. I didn’t want them to make him an angry black man or some stereotype, so it was important for me to be in there . . . I love the movie. I’m pleased with it. It’s authentic and it’s also very powerful.” 42 embodied the struggle of Robinson to integrate sports during the civil rights movement, and also the nonviolent protest tactics that were used during this time.
