Published: October 09, 2008 09:32 pm         

Disturbing

Hollywood chooses sensationalism over the true story again

Hollywood is at it again.

The motion picture industry has been known to splice fiction with truth in movies that are supposed to be factual.

It’s done so again, but in a disturbing way.

In what should have been an inspiring film about former Syracuse University football star Ernie Davis, who in 1961 became the first black to win the Heisman Trophy, then tragically died of leukemia two years later, the producers of “The Express” decided to take the low road.

How? By injecting West Virginia and race into the picture. We’ve seen such stereotypical nonsense before, and quite frankly, it’s gotten beyond old.

According to the Charleston Daily Mail, a review in the show business publication Variety says the movie’s “most electrifying sequences portray (coach Ben) Schwartzwalder’s unbeaten 1959 Syracuse U. team playing West Virginia and Texas — not exactly two bastions of racial tolerance — with a level of racist vitriol pouring out of the stands that is a topical reminder of American’s racial heart of darkness.”

Electrifying? How about electri-lying?

Syracuse and West Virginia did not play in Morgantown in 1959. They did play at old Mountaineer Field in 1960, but no one can remember the kind of racial environment portrayed in the movie.

“I apologize to the people of West Virginia because that did not happen,” said Dick Easterly, who was the Syracuse quarterback that day. He saw a preview of the movie last week in Tampa, Fla., where he now lives.

“I don’t blame the people in West Virginia for being disturbed,” he said. “The scene is completely fictitious.”

Longtime Morgantown sports writer Mickey Furfari, who was in the press box that day, agreed.

“It’s stupid,” he said. “It’s pure fiction. The moviemakers should be absolutely ashamed.”

What’s even more disturbing is that Schwartzwalder was a West Virginia native and coached in this state before going to Syracuse. He was proud of his West Virginia roots, Furfari said. “Ben Schwartzwalder would be turning over in his grave about this.”

Perhaps it’s ironic that West Virginia and Syracuse will play this Saturday in Morgantown. Maybe the fans can express their collective opinion of “The Express” by giving it two thumbs-down.

With complete accuracy, Hollywood could have easily produced the kind of emotion everybody felt with “Brian’s Song” by portraying a young man whose athletic ability was matched, from all accounts, by his courage in facing death.

But it chose to twist the truth. We shouldn’t be surprised, but again, we can’t help but to shake our heads.