REMEMBER THE TITANS

US, 2000, 113 minutes, Colour.
Denzel Washington, Will Patton, Wood Harris, Ryan Hurst, Donald Faison, Craig Kirkwood, Ethan Suplee, Kip Pardue, Hayden Panettiere, Nicole Ari Parker, Kate Bosworth, Earl Poitier, Ryan Gosling.
Directed by Boaz Yakin.

Remember the Titans was a huge box-office success in the United States, a film of uplift and morale-boosting with an American football setting. Unfortunately, football stories do not travel well beyond America as the rules and the plays are not generally understood. Even if the movie's issues are universal, many audiences get lost in the game sequences.

This movie is based on a true story, the appointment of a black coach from South Carolina to the Titans in Alexandria. The year is 1971, only eight years since the march on Washington and this area of Virginia (so close to Washington DC) has not come to terms with integration. This football season, as with so many sports activities, was a significant contributor to the breaking down of prejudice.

Producer Jerry Bruckheimer is best known for his gung-ho action features like Top Gun, The Rock, Con Air, Armageddon, Pearl Harbor, so it is surprising to see him back a sports and inspiration movie. The director, Boaz Yakin, had previously made smaller, independent movies, Fresh and A Price Above Rubies, which also tackled life among minorities, African American city-dwellers in Fresh and the New York Jewish community in Rubies.

With Denzel Washington as the coach, the film can't but be inspirational, even if he is tough, demanding and unrelenting. The film offers a collection of black and white students who are forced to mix at a two weeks' training camp and who, gradually, are forged into a team, to the admiration of the townspeople. Will Patton is the white coach who is passed over but who becomes a true friend to the newcomer.

The film is a mixture of racial drama, sports action, emotional episodes American style - which, wearing its heart on its sleeve, provided too much overt sentiment to many non-Americans who could not empathise with the 'high-minded earnestness' (the British Sight and Sound critic) of the screenplay.


As one looks at the cast list in retrospect, it is interesting to see what success Hayden Panettiere has made of her career and to discover that one of the football players is Ryan Gosling, just before he made The Believer and moved into starring roles.


1. Impact for an American audience? American football audience? Audiences over the world appreciating the themes rather than the sports play?

2. Virginia, 1971? The towns, the schools, training camps? Stadiums, football play? Homes? The musical score?

3. Race issues in retrospect? The situation in 1971? In the aftermath of the March on Washington, Martin Luther King and his assassination? This film dramatising the innate hostilities of ordinary people? Non-acceptance, verbal insults, segregation? The implication that African- Americans were less than human?

4. The football themes, young American players, their ambitions? Selection, the details of training, hard training, boot camps? Discipline? The games, the game plays, challenges, victories?

5. The introduction to Herman Boone, the Denzel Washington character? Strong-minded, football coach in the 1960s, Carolina? Moving to Virginia? Official hostility? Official intolerance? Authorities being pressured by changing racial situations?

6. Yoast, coach, his being replaced, the political pressures, his friends and associates? His relationship with his daughter – and her prejudices? The challenge concerning his moving on, the request that he stay? The difficulties, observing Boone, working with him, overstepping his authority, yet his patience, hard work?

7. Boone, moving to Virginia, his wife, his children? His daughter and the acquaintance with Sheryl? Sheryl and her keenness on sport, the daughter and dolls, not interested in sport? The gradual bond between them? The brick through the window with both girls in the house? At matches, coming together? Children prejudiced and the breaking down of prejudices?

8. The local team, white, the characters, Gary in charge? Not wanting to play? The challenge, their being forced? Boone and his confrontation with Gary at the bus, the Martin Lewis jokes? The effect of segregation? Clashes, verbal insults? In the bus, separate? Getting out of the bus, their being paired, black-and-white, in the bus, roommates? Boone telling them to get to know all about the other person? The various duos, the conversations, the resistance, breaking down resistance? The two weeks of the boot camp, the difficulties in training, hard? Yoast and his observations? The gradual working together, the return to families?

9. The footballers, the focus on different individuals, Gary and Julius and the clashes, confrontations, talking, becoming friends? Gary and the challenge from Emma and her friends, his choice of the footballers? Wanting Julius to meet his mother and her resistance? Gradual changes, Julius and Gary wanting him after the accident? Supporting Gary’s mother at the funeral?

10. Louie, large, not prejudiced, loving football, bursting into song, cheering people? The coach and getting him higher grades and into college? The other white players? Ronnie and his support? Sunshine, his hair, the military, his father, the throw, accepted, the kiss, his play, with Petey? Having to step up and achieving the player of the match?

11. The African- American players, Julius, strong, stern? Rev and his capacity for play, friendships? Petey, cheeky, younger, substitute play for Yoast, having to sit on the bench? The interactions with Sunshine?

12. The authorities in the town, Yoast in the Hall of Fame talk, the pressure on him, wanting to get rid of Boone? His taking a stand, losing his opportunity, talking to Sheryl? The various fathers, the various town councillors and businessmen?

13. The opening of school, segregation, hostilities? The fights in the corridors? Julius and Gary calming things down? The opposition teams and their attitudes? The decision to sing and perform before the matches? The bewilderment of the other teams?

14. The series of victories, Boone and his talk of perfection, the challenge and the final match, everyone doing his best? Winning? Yoast and the tactics and the players?

15. Emma, her prejudices, shaking Julius’s hand before the match?

16. Gary, the sense of achievement, in the car, the crash, the injuries, hospital, talking with Julius, his ambitions?

17. The final information about the careers of the various characters?