We Are Marshall (2006)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

McG

Writers (WGA):

Jamie Linden (screenplay)
Cory Helms (story) ...

Release Date:

22 December 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Sport

Tagline:

From the ashes we rose

Plot:

When a plane crash claims the lives of members of the Marshall University football team and some of its fans, the team's new coach and his surviving players try to keep the football program alive.

Plot Keywords:

Coach | Football | Football Team | Plane Crash | Crash

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Matthew McConaughey	...	Jack Lengyel
Matthew Fox	...	Red Dawson
Anthony Mackie	...	Nate Ruffin
David Strathairn	...	President Dedmon
Ian McShane	...	Paul Griffen
Kate Mara	...	Annie Cantrell
January Jones	...	Carole Dawson
Kimberly Williams-Paisley	...	Sandy Lengyel
Arlen Escarpeta	...	Reggie Oliver
Brian Geraghty	...	Tom Bogdan
Tommy Cresswell	...	Gene Morehouse
Christian Kanupke	...	Young Keith Morehouse
Nina Jones	...	Mrs. Morehouse
Kevin Atkins	...	George Olson
Mark Patton	...	Bill James

Also Known As:

Untitled Marshall University Football Project (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for emotional thematic material, a crash scene, and mild language.

Runtime:

131 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | SDDS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Singapore:PG | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Netherlands:6 | South Korea:All | USA:PG (certificate #43100) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

The boardroom scene that shows the "We are Marshall" chant was filmed on two separate days. The boardroom scene was shot on one day and the chant was shot on a second day.

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: When Lengyel runs out of the house chasing his son and sees Marshall fans walking to the first 1971 home game against Xavier you can see the pink and white blooms on the dogwood trees in the background. The scene for the film was shot in April, a time when dogwoods are in bloom in W.Va. In reality, however, the actual game was played in the fall (September 25, 1971) a time when dogwoods are clearly not in bloom, only the green leaves are visible.

Quotes:

Red Dawson: We're not honoring them, Jack, we're disgracing them.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "How I Met Your Mother: Lucky Penny (#2.15)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Truly Moving Picture

I saw this film on November 21st, 2006 in Indianapolis. I am one of the judges for the Heartland Film Festival's Truly Moving Picture Award. A Truly Moving Picture "…explores the human journey by artistically expressing hope and respect for the positive values of life." Heartland gave that award to this film.

This film is based on a true and tragic story. On November 14th, 1970, the Marshall University football team, football coaches, athletic staff, key alumni, and friends were flying home to Huntington, West Virginia after an away game against East Carolina. Their plane crashed killing all seventy five (75) aboard.

How do a University and a small town of 50,000 people respond to a massive tragedy that affected so many students and town residents? This movie is about their struggle to come to grips with that tragedy.

Without bitter rancor and with humility, some felt the University should start up a new football team and persevere through a long rebuilding process to honor the dead. Others, again without rancor and with humility, believed that starting up a football team would be too painful a reminder of the tragedy.

It was decided to start a new football team immediately and play the next season in 1971. This movie is primarily about the difficulties of the development of the team.

Matthew McConaughey plays the new Head Coach brilliantly and believably. He is a combination of country bumpkin enthusiastic huckster and a wise man. And he does it simply because he believes – "Maybe I can help." He displays courage and perseverance and makes sacrifices with a career move that could throw him out of his beloved profession, head football coaching, forever.

The town and University have to quickly break the Vince Lombardi-like notion that you play the game of football for one reason only – to win. They learn how you play the game matters, and even simply showing up is a kind of victory too.

This is a compelling story well told and very moving.

FYI – There is a Truly Moving Pictures web site where there is a listing of past Truly Moving Picture Award winners that are now either at the theater or available on video.