Spring Break
The Daily Orange'The Express' opens nationwide, receives criticism
West Virginia Universiy officials raise concern over film's historical inaccuracies
By John Clayton
Posted: 10/13/08, 3:49 AM EST Section: News
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - The nationwide release of "The Express" this weekend was not well received in West Virginia.
Officials across the Mountain State condemned the film, which depicts the life of legendary Syracuse University tailback Ernie Davis, for its portrayal of West Virginia University football fans. The scene in question features Mountaineer fans shouting racial slurs at Davis and lobbing objects onto the playing field.
At the Syracuse-West Virginia football game at Mountaineer Field on Saturday, a press release was circulated denouncing the scene and claiming that it "never happened."
"While an important sports story during a time of racial tension in America, the film portrays WVU fans, the team and the coach in an unfavorable light," the press release said. "… According to reports from former players and fans, this is simply untrue."
The press release goes on to quote former Syracuse quarterback Dick Easterly, who claimed "the scene is completely fictitious."
At the very least, the film contains several inconsistencies.
The movie portrays a game between the two schools at the old Mountaineer Field in 1959, the year of SU's only national championship. Except Syracuse didn't play in West Virginia that year. The teams played at SU's now-defunct Archbold Stadium, a game the Orangemen won, 44-0.
Syracuse did play at West Virginia the following season. But there has never been any concrete evidence of racist actions or abuse by Mountaineer fans during that contest.
The game depicted in the film also takes place at night. No night games were played at the old Mountaineer Field.
As a result, the film has drawn the ire of many West Virginians, including the state's governor, Joe Manchin, and university officials.
"The depiction of WVU in this movie is nonsense," WVU interim President C. Peter Magrath said in the press release. "Diversity is an essential characteristic of a 21st-century land-grant university, and WVU consistently works to enhance its commitment to diversity."
Ernie Davis played at Syracuse from 1958-1961. He led SU to its only football national championship in 1959, and two years later became the first African-American to win the Heisman Trophy. In 1963, Davis developed Leukemia and died at the age of 23.
Universal Pictures' "The Express" stars Rob Brown as Davis and Dennis Quaid as former SU head coach Ben Schwartzwalder. The film premiered in Syracuse at the Landmark Theatre on Sept. 12 and was released in theaters across the country this weekend.
jsclayto@syr.edu
Officials across the Mountain State condemned the film, which depicts the life of legendary Syracuse University tailback Ernie Davis, for its portrayal of West Virginia University football fans. The scene in question features Mountaineer fans shouting racial slurs at Davis and lobbing objects onto the playing field.
At the Syracuse-West Virginia football game at Mountaineer Field on Saturday, a press release was circulated denouncing the scene and claiming that it "never happened."
"While an important sports story during a time of racial tension in America, the film portrays WVU fans, the team and the coach in an unfavorable light," the press release said. "… According to reports from former players and fans, this is simply untrue."
The press release goes on to quote former Syracuse quarterback Dick Easterly, who claimed "the scene is completely fictitious."
At the very least, the film contains several inconsistencies.
The movie portrays a game between the two schools at the old Mountaineer Field in 1959, the year of SU's only national championship. Except Syracuse didn't play in West Virginia that year. The teams played at SU's now-defunct Archbold Stadium, a game the Orangemen won, 44-0.
Syracuse did play at West Virginia the following season. But there has never been any concrete evidence of racist actions or abuse by Mountaineer fans during that contest.
The game depicted in the film also takes place at night. No night games were played at the old Mountaineer Field.
As a result, the film has drawn the ire of many West Virginians, including the state's governor, Joe Manchin, and university officials.
"The depiction of WVU in this movie is nonsense," WVU interim President C. Peter Magrath said in the press release. "Diversity is an essential characteristic of a 21st-century land-grant university, and WVU consistently works to enhance its commitment to diversity."
Ernie Davis played at Syracuse from 1958-1961. He led SU to its only football national championship in 1959, and two years later became the first African-American to win the Heisman Trophy. In 1963, Davis developed Leukemia and died at the age of 23.
Universal Pictures' "The Express" stars Rob Brown as Davis and Dennis Quaid as former SU head coach Ben Schwartzwalder. The film premiered in Syracuse at the Landmark Theatre on Sept. 12 and was released in theaters across the country this weekend.
jsclayto@syr.edu
Viewing Comments 1 - 7 of 11
Mark R. Sukoenig, OD
posted 10/13/08 @ 6:43 AM EST
Sure, THEY wouldn't like that scene in W.V., like WE didn't like the inaccuracies of the Ernie Davis statue wearing Nikes. But what will the rest of the world say about the film? At the premier in Syracuse it got nothing but raves. (Continued…)
Marc Le Vine
posted 10/13/08 @ 9:15 AM EST
The best part about the film was that Coach Robinson was not coaching these games!
This was a very good film. I took my son and his fiance to see it last night and was so proud to see our alma mater up on the Big Screen. (Continued…)
Mike Connell
posted 10/13/08 @ 11:39 AM EST
The filmmakers concocted a racial incident -- made it up completely -- in order to condemn racism. That's about as cynical as you can get.
How can the NAACP or anyone who believes in fairness not condemn this movie? By standing silent, they are in effect saying there is no difference between true acts of racism and concocted acts. (Continued…)
Andrew
posted 10/13/08 @ 3:38 PM EST
Almost 20 years ago in the Tom Cruise film BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY, director Oliver Stone depicted an anti-war rally on the SU campus turning into a violent police-protestor melee. (Continued…)
MPH
posted 10/14/08 @ 6:53 AM EST
Get over it, it's a movie. It's creative license. Why was the game at night? Why was the game at WV? Because for the movie's purposes, it was more dramatic. (Continued…)
ryan
posted 10/14/08 @ 10:42 AM EST
The film only showed game action from his sophomore year. That does not mean that in his Jr and Sr year all the race issues went away. The writers had to fit all the issues from his career into one season. (Continued…)
Marc LeVine
posted 10/21/08 @ 11:44 AM EST
Unfortunately, the movie did not do very well at the box office on opening weekend, earning a paltry $4+ million. That's not a good omen for its theatre staying power. (Continued…)
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