QA Note Regarding Spoilers
AThe following FAQ entries may contain spoilers. Only the biggest ones (if any) will be covered with spoiler tags. Spoiler tags have been used sparingly in order to make the page more readable.
QAny recommendations for other "first Black" movies?
AThere are a number of movies that feature "first Black" athletes outstanding in their fields. For example, The Jackie Robinson Story (1950) features the first black major league baseball player, and The Joe Louis Story (1953) depicts the first black heavyweight boxing champ. Remember the Titans (2000) features Denzel Washington as Herman Boone, the first black coach to integrate high school football. Glory Road (2006) is about the first all-black starting line for a college basketball team in the NCAA national championships. The Longshots (2008) is based on the real life story of Jasmine Plummer, the first black female athlete to participate in the Pop Warner football tournament. Men of Honor (2000) tells the story of Carl Brashear, the first black U.S. Navy diver, and The Princess and the Frog (2009) is going to feature Princess Tiana, Disney's first black princess.Also of note are movies that feature "first Black" actors to win Academy Awards. These include movies by Sidney Poitier, who was the first black to win the award for Best Actor in Lilies of the Field (1963) and Louis Gossett Jr., the first to win the award for Best Supporting Actor in An Officer and a Gentleman (1982). Actress Halle Berry won the award for Best Actress for her role in Monster's Ball (2001). The first Best Actress in a Supporting Role went to Hattie McDaniel for her role as Mammy way back in Gone with the Wind (1939). Ms McDaniel also has the distinction of being the "first Black" ever to win an Oscar.
QIs "The Express" based on a book?
AYes. The Express is based on Robert C. Gallagher's 1983 biography Ernie Davis, The Elmira Express: the Story of a Heisman Trophy Winner. The book was adapted for the screen by American screenwriter Charles Leavitt.
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