The inspirational story of the "Jewish Jackie Robinson," the six-foot-four Detroit Tiger first baseman and left fielder in the Thirties and Forties, a magnet at the time for ethnic slurs and a stronger magnet for ethnic pride. (The anecdote of an on-field run-in between the veteran Greenberg and the rookie Robinson is particularly, and quite literally, inspiring.) It is a nice story, told with feeling and with fine detail and with abundant athletic drama. But it must be pointed out that the inspirationalism has nothing to do with the pedestrian documentary method of talking-head testimonials and oral biography, illustrated copiously and sometimes compulsively (a mention of Hitler or Pearl Harbor will call forth a substantiating shot of Hitler or of Pearl Harbor, and a clip from Gentleman's Agreement exemplifies anti-Semitism in action) with archive footage of varying degrees of fuzziness, blurriness, scratchiness, and graininess. Directed by Aviva Kempner. (2000) — Duncan Shepherd
This movie is not currently in theaters.