Glory Road

Bonjour ! Je demande la version française de ce film s'il vous plaît !

Salut, j'aimerais avoir la version française de ce film, s'il vous plaît !

Glory Road

Okay, I suppose I should have a little more awe and respect for this film, considering it chronicles a major step in the civil rights movement – the first time an all-black college basketball starting team won an NCCA championship (in 1966). The problem wasn't the event, it was the movie. I didn't like any of the characters. The whites (except for the head coach and the Caucasion players) were universally violent and ignorant, while the black players were whining, militant crybabies. True, there were certainly obstacles for the African-American athletes (mostly from Nothern venues like Indiana, Michigan and New York), to overcome; and there were obviously idiot rednecks to deal with, but the black players seemed just as prejudiced and disrespectful towards their white teammates (even losing their only game of the season because of this attitude). There's even a scene in which one player, Willie Worsley, tells another that they should be more like Malcolm Little (Malcolm X) than Dr. Martin Luther King. Not a subtle message here, friends. There's just no empathy for anyone. Plus, as far as sports drama goes, there really isn't much here, either. The Texas Western (now the University of Texas, El Paso) Miners of that season, coached by Don Haskins (Josh Lucas, "Stealth," "An Unfinished Life"), was a top 10 team most of the season. They were not recognized by most of the country not so much because of their starting black players, but they were a small school from deep in the heart of Texas. It was more of a geographical situation. Sure some uninitiated dopes in the country at the time (especially in the South) did not put much stock in black athletes, but they were already proving themselves in the NBA (Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Lenny Wilkins, Elgin Baylor, Oscar Robinson, among others), as well as other sports, pro and college, so some of the resentment doesn't seem to make a whole lot of sense. By the time the Miners met Kentucky (coached by the legendary Adoulph Rupp, a short but well-done performance by Jon Voight) in the NCAA finals that year, they were a tough, battle-seasoned squad that could compete with any team in the nation. Sadly, that concluding game had little drama as Texas Western won by seven, although director James Gartner tries to make this as compelling as possible. The most interesting game was 1966 Midwest regional finals, in which Kansas' Jo Jo White hit a last-second basket to beat TW, but it was called off as he supposedly stepped out of bounds. The Miners also barely got by the Cincinnati Bearcats in overtime in an earlier NCAA tournament contest not mentioned in the movie. I also did not like the fact that Haskins (according to this picture) precluded his white players from even participating in the title game (the only time those young men would ever be at such a venue), as if they made no contributions whatsoever. It seemed pretty intolerant and weird to me. Not even giving them a chance to step on the court and cherish the glory of one minute's playing time was a bizarre strategy. As hotshot point guard Billy Joe Hill, Derek Luke ("Antwone Fisher," "Friday Night Lights") gives the best performance, but Lucas' Haskins is the clichéd tough guy coach with a heart of gold we've seen in countless such movies. Overall, while this is an interesting film that I recommend people to see (if for the historical element, if nothing else), I still think "Hoosiers" is the definitive underdog basketball motion picture, hands down. And while Disney gives it a yeoman's effort here, I even enjoyed their last sports film, "The Greatest Game Ever Played," more than this one. As a side note, look for the real Haskins (who coached UTEP into the late 90s) in a cameo as an NBC analyst during the final contest.

I saw this tonight at a VIP screening it is a good motivational tool for all people. It shows how people can overcome obstacles and to not let other people attitude affect you.When you have a setback do not let it turn into a psychological stumbling block. I enjoyed it and highly recommend it. The film also encourages diversity and show how even individuals within the same race can have conflict it shows how to resolve conflict.The film also showed me how to look and myself and my own shortcomings before i am critical of others.Once an individuals sees this they will come out with a positive attitude. I highly recommend this film

I had great expectations of this movie, and none to my surprise the movie moved me like no other has. It inspired me and i think it will do the same you, by the way the group of basketball players did not succumb to criticism, jeering and all sorts of racialism. Everyone should see this movie even if one is not interested in sports or more specific basketball. Especially children need to see this so that when they want to do something thats not viewed popular or common they know that they are probably not going to face what others did to get were they are today. A breath of fresh air compared to the movies that have been of late. Do not pass up the chance to see it while you can.

"Glory Road" tells the true story of Don Haskins, the basketball coach for Western Texas College, who in the mid 1960's, broke the color barrier in the NCAA by being the first to feature a majority of black players on his team. The movie chronicles the obstacles he and his players faced, as well as their ultimate triumph when the team won the national championship in 1966. "Glory Road" worships at the altar of just about every underdog-sports-movie cliché one can imagine, yet the viewer can't help getting caught up in its story anyway. The scenes in the first half of the movie definitely have a familiar ring to them, as we see the coach first alienating his players with his hardnosed tactics, then winning them over by building comradeship and showing them how much they can accomplish when they work together as a team rather than as individuals. However, as with "Remember the Titans," "Glory Road" is more interested in examining the social background of its time period than in merely telling yet another sports-oriented David and Goliath tale. The second half of the film concentrates more on the overt racism the team members face and the surprising courage they and their coach demonstrate in confronting it (could this really be set a mere 40 years ago?). The young actors are uniformly excellent, but it is Josh Lucas as Coach Haskins who delivers the powerhouse performance here. And director James Gartner manages to keep the film moving at a fast clip, never allowing it to get bogged down in message-mongering or overt preachiness. Almost in spite of itself, "Glory Road" turns into a genuinely inspiring story about courage and determination in the face of societal pressure and incalculable odds. And that's pretty much what sports stories, familiar though they might be, are really all about.

"We play fundamental, disciplined, defensive basketball." Don Haskins wasn't interested in flashy, behind-the-back passes. Initially, slam dunks were even banned. Coming from the school of thought that "showboatin's nothing but insecurity," Haskins was intent on teaching a group of street-ballers the fine art of fundamentals because he knew that's what it would take to win a championship. Haskins also had no interest in making political statements. He believed in recruiting the best raw talent he could find, regardless of race or background. His main goal was to win basketball games, and he would do that any way he could. He chose to play an all-black starting lineup against the all-white Kentucky Wildcats in the NCAA championship game not so that he could champion a cause but because those were the guys he thought would give the team the best chance of winning. It just so happens that Haskins and Texas Western were able to break down a few color barriers along the way. As one of the original players said, "We didn't break down all the doors, but we opened some." The thing that impressed me most regarding Glory Road is the authentic look and feel of the movie, particularly the championship game. Filmed with a gritty, sepia look, the viewer gets the sense that he's watching genuine footage from the '60s. The cinematography executes a great balance between colorful and drab, effectively capturing the environment of the time and location. Production design is just as authentic, using replicas of signs and banners that were at the actual game. Those with a real eye for detail will note that even the concession cups carry the Coca-Cola design of 1966. And of course, a basketball movie set in 1966 wouldn't be complete without the super tight short shorts. Youngsters familiar only with the parachute pants that players wear these days might be in for a culture shock. It's worth noting that the cast and crew were so intent on making the championship game as accurate as possible that they studied choreographed storyboards of each play that would be recreated for the film. Homemade video footage of the game was used to assure legitimacy. Unfortunately, legitimacy isn't a main concern with regard to the rest of the story. Glory Road is fast, dramatic, and often funny, but it plays it loose with the facts. Some purists might be dismayed, but director Gartner admits, "We took some artistic license as this isn't intended to be a biopic." Haskins didn't swoop into El Paso, quickly find a group of black players, and then turn them into a championship team in one year, as the movie would have you believe. He slowly built the team. He became the head coach of Texas Western in 1961 and made it to the championship in 1966. Also, the movie is peppered with racial tension among teammates and hotel ransackings that never happened. Can you say "added for dramatic effect"? But I suggest that you not dwell too much on the factual inconsistencies. The bottom line is that Glory Road is not only entertaining, but it also gets across an important point. No, Haskins wasn't trumpeting a cause, but his desire to win at any cost went a long way in changing the national perception of black athletes and helped kick start the desegregation of college sports. If you agree with Haskins' "Decent don't cut it with me" mantra then check out Glory Road. It's not just decent; it's a really good mixture of fact and fiction that tells one of the most important, and least known, stories in sports history. Make sure you stay through the closing credits.

If Don Haskins had not already been on the Texas Western staff for FOUR years before the landmark 65 season, then maybe I would believe there were a hundred people in the stands waving Confederate flags at the championship contest with Kentucky. Well, not really, but you get my point. But, since the producers think they can take liberties with facts, the whole premise of this tale is now re-spun from a "true story" into a story "based on true events." I hate that. I guess that means that all the racism portrayed in the film also was based on true events that occurred "elsewhere?" A nice "true" story that loses major style points for classic Hollywood remixing of facts, and reinvention of real events. If you are white, this movie is designed to make you feel guilty about the prejudice that once existed in this country that you didn't have anything to do with. If you are black, this movie will in all likelihood inspire you to feel superior about your athletic abilities, and also make you angry and bitter over the portrayal of racism in the deep South during the 60's. I too am angry that I shelled out $9 bucks to see this crap. 2 whistles.

I recommend this movie highly - it's the best I've seen in a very long time (and I don't even care about sports)!! It has a great storyline that gives you hope and makes you feel good - teaches how dignity and hard work can really pay off..........There are some great characters, plus the excitement of the basketball. Of course, it always makes it better when you know the movie is based on a true story. It proves what a really good coach that believes in his team can motivate the team to do. It has everything to do with ability and desire, not racism and jealousy. I saw this in a special school preview, but you can be guaranteed that I will go back to see it at least one more time - it's the best!