Pride
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Pride
Plot
A college-educated African-American schoolteacher frustrated by his inability to find a job repairs an abandoned recreational pool hall in hopes of starting Philadelphia's first African-American swim team in this inspirational drama that takes its cue from the true-life story of charismatic 1970s-era schoolteacher Jim Ellis. The year is 1973 and the job market is tight. Jim Ellis (Terrence Howard) may have a college diploma, but despite his education he still can't seem to find a job. An aspiring teacher with a lifelong love of competitive swimming, Ellis determines to take his future into his own hands when he discovers a deserted recreational pool hall in the slums of the city. Though he and kindly local janitor Elston (Bernie Mac) do their best to get the crumbling pool hall in working order, the pair find their benevolent efforts thwarted when the building is targeted for demolition. Little do the forces that be know that Jim isn't a man to quietly lie down and admit defeat; despite the racism, violence, and threats made by an unsympathetic city official that all threaten to destroy his vivid new dream, the man who was once without purpose boldly resolves to recruit troubled street teens and transform them into capable swimmers in time for the upcoming state championships. ~ Jason Buchanan, RoviCast
- Terrence Howard - Jim Ellis
- Bernie Mac - Elston
- Kimberly Elise - Sue Davis
- Tom Arnold - Bink
- Brandon Fobbs - Puddin' Head
Credit
Monroe Kelly - Art Director, Amy McIntyre-Britt - Casting, Anya Colloff - Casting, Marc Schaberg - Co-producer, Randy Winograd - Co-producer, Paul A. Simmons - Costume Designer, Bruce Franklin - First Assistant Director, Max D. Day - First Assistant Director, Sunu Gonera - Director, Billy Fox - Editor, Terrence Howard - Executive Producer, Michael Paseornek - Executive Producer, Eberhard Kayser - Executive Producer, Sam Nazarian - Executive Producer, Malcolm Petal - Executive Producer, John Sacchi - Executive Producer, Kimberly C. Anderson - Executive Producer, Victoria Frederick - Executive Producer, Aaron Zigman - Composer (Music Score), Jay Faires - Musical Direction/Supervision, Steve Saklad - Production Designer, Matthew Leonetti - Cinematographer, Paul Hall - Producer, Adam Rosenfelt - Producer, Michael Ohoven - Producer, Brett Forbes - Producer, Patrick Rizzotti - Producer, Paul Ledford - Sound/Sound Designer, Mike Gozzard - Screen Story, Kevin Michael Smith - Screen Story, J. Mills Goodloe - Screenwriter, Norman Vance, Jr. - Screenwriter, Mike Gozzard - Screenwriter, Kevin Michael Smith - Screenwriter, Pete Romano - Underwater Photography, Leonard Spears - Set Decorator| Pride (2004 Film), Pride (1998 Film) | |
| Pride & Prejudice (2003 Film), Pride & Prejudice (2005 Film) |
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Pride (2007 film)
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This article may contain original research. Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding references. Statements consisting only of original research may be removed. More details may be available on the talk page. (February 2012) |
| Pride | |
|---|---|
 One-sheet theatrical poster for Pride |
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| Directed by | Sunu Gonera |
| Produced by | Brett Forbes Paul Hall Patrick Rizzotti Adam Rosenfelt John Sacchi |
| Screenplay by | Kevin Michael Smith Michael Gozzard J. Mills Goodloe |
| Story by | Kevin Michael Smith Michael Gozzard |
| Starring | Terrence Howard Bernie Mac Gary Sturgis Tom Arnold Kimberly Elise |
| Music by | Aaron Zigman |
| Cinematography | Matthew F. Leonetti |
| Editing by | Billy Fox |
| Studio | Lionsgate Cinerenta Element Films Fortress Features LIFT Productions Paul Hall Productions |
| Distributed by | Lionsgate |
| Release date(s) | March 23, 2007 |
| Running time | 104 minutes |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $7,094,650[1] |
Pride is a 2007 biopic drama feature film released by Lionsgate Entertainment on March 23, 2007. Loosely based upon the true story of Philadelphia swim coach James "Jim" Ellis, Pride stars Terrence Howard, Bernie Mac, and Kimberly Elise, and was directed by Sunu Gonera.
Pride is a film that depicts African-Americans succeeding in a sport — swimming — that is still largely dominated by whites. This differed from most other African-American films with sport themes as they usually feature sports where African-Americans have progressed into the mainstream, such as basketball (such as Coach Carter) and football (such as Gridiron Gang, Remember the Titans). Pride differed from this theme by bringing attention to the often overlooked world of African-American swimmers.
The film centers around Jim Ellis (Terrence Howard) and grouchy but caring janitor Elston (Bernie Mac). The two have a short-lived rivalry before becoming good loyal friends.
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Contents
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Plot
It is 1974 and life is not easy for a black male, even a college-educated one like Jim Ellis (Terrence Howard), to find employment. Struggling to find anything better, Jim, a former competitive swimmer, accepts the job of dismantling the decrepit Marcus Foster Recreation Center operated by the Philadelphia Department of Recreation. The center includes a dilapidated swimming pool, which Ellis rehabilitates. Ellis' presence and activities causes friction with a bitter, overprotective janitor named Elston (Bernie Mac). One day, Jim invites a group of black teens who have just been thrown off the basketball court in the Center's yard in for a swim. Andre (Kevin Phillips), Hakim (Nate Parker), Reggie (Evan Ross), Puddin’ Head (Brandon Fobbs), and Walt (Alphonso McAuley) prove to be fairly capable swimmers and with a few pointers, could become great swimmers. With some help from Elston, Jim decides to try to save the public swimming pool by starting the city's first all African-American swim team. When the team also acquires Willie (Regine Nehy), a female swimmer more gifted than any of the boys, the prospects of competing against much more experienced rival white teams begin to seem more positive. Jim also develops a romantic interest in a beautiful city councilor (Kimberly Elise), Hakim's sister and guardian. Throughout their struggles, in or out of the swimming pool, Jim and Elston embrace and mentor the kids, helping them become successful at swimming and struggle against prejudice, crime, and poverty.
In the Kevin Hart movie "Laugh At My Pain", Kevin Hart said that when he was little he used to swim at the Philadelphia Department of Recreation, and he said that the movie "Pride" was talking about it.
Cast
- Terrence Howard as Jim Ellis
- Bernie Mac as Elston
- Kimberly Elise as Sue Carter
- Evan Ross as Reggie
- Tom Arnold as Bink
- Alphonso McAuley as Walt
- Regine Nehy as Willie
- Scott Eastwood as Jake
- Nate Parker as Hakim
- Kevin Phillips as Andre
- Gary Sturgis as Franklin
- Brandon Fobbs as Puddin' Head
Reception
Critical response
Pride was met with mixed reviews. with a 45% freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 108 reviews.[2] Some critics[who?] criticized the use of the word "nigger" in the film's opening scene where Jim is confronted by a racist predominantly white college that objects to his presence in the water of their pool and refuses to swim with him because they say he is "dirty."[3] The film also has a visibly upsetting scene where Jim is pinned to the floor under the boot of a white policeman. Although these words and images may be difficult for some viewers (explaining the film's PG rather than G rating), they were included with the intent to illustrate the severity of the racism faced by young black swimmers growing up in the segregated 1960s.[original research?] The film was not successful at the box office.
Notes
- ^ "Pride (2007)". Box Office Mojo. http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=pdr.htm. Retrieved July 11, 2011.
- ^ "Pride". Rotten Tomatoes. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/pride/. Retrieved July 11, 2011.
- ^ http://www.imdiversity.com/villages/african/arts_culture_media/kam_pride0607.asp
External links
- Official website
- Pride at the Internet Movie Database
- Pride at AllRovi
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