The Jackie Robinson Story (1950)

The Jackie Robinson Story poster

Jewel Pictures
Starring:
 Jackie Robinson, Ruby Dee
Directed by: Alfred E. Green

Cat Out of the Bag Alert!  This review contains some spoilers for this film!

Synopsis: The first film biography of baseball great Jackie Robinson (played by Jackie Robinson himself), the first black baseball player to play in the Major League.

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): When Jackie joined the Dodgers’ Organization he started out playing for Montreal and was summarily booed and jeered by people in the stands who did not want to see a black man playing with white men. In one scene Jackie goes to sit in the dugout and two men start verbally attacking him from the stands. One of them then lifts up a black cat with a rope around its neck.

The Jackie Robinson Story - heckler in baseball stand holds black cat with Jackie Robinson

“Here’s a friend of yours, Jackie!” the man says, “Why don’t you take him along? He wants to get into baseball, too.” The man drops the cat to the ground and pulls the rope taut.

The Jackie Robinson Story - heckler in baseball stand drops black cat to ground with Jackie Robinson

The Jackie Robinson Story - heckler in baseball pulls rope around black cat's neck with Jackie Robinson

Jackie is appalled at what he sees, not only for the poor cat but for the imagery it implies. In a poignant moment he gets up and walks towards the men. They cower back but Jackie simply picks up the black cat.

The Jackie Robinson Story - Jackie Robinson approaches heckler in baseball stand with black cat on rope

The Jackie Robinson Story - Jackie Robinson reaches down to pick up black cat

Jackie pets the cat and carries him to the shelter of the dugout.

The Jackie Robinson Story - Jackie Robinson holding black cat

The Jackie Robinson Story - Jackie Robinson holding black cat in dugout

Jackie continues to pet the cat as he sits.

The Jackie Robinson Story - Jackie Robinson petting black cat in dugout

The Jackie Robinson Story - Jackie Robinson still petting black cat in dugout

Final Mewsings: No cat and no man deserves such poor treatment.


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