In the movie ‘Remember the Titans’, the character Gerry Bertier, is known in the movie for being a prominent team captain of his high school football team, which is T.C Williams High School, located in Alexandria, Virginia. His football team ended up being one of the Virginia State Champion teams in 1971. In Virginia, high school football was a state treasure and very anticipated by many, many people. It starts off with Gerry, and just like everyone else in the U.S at the time, he was racist and did not appreciate the presence of black people or any other race other than their own, which was white. The local school board is forced to integrate an all black school with an all white school that Bertier went to.
The team is very disoriented at first, not knowing what to do. Gerry, and the rest of his white teammates, do not want anything to the black comrades and is even more mad at them because he thinks they are the reason that Coach Yoast was being replaced with a black coach whose name was Coach Boone. However, with all this going on, Gerry develops a strong hatred for one of his rivaling black team mates, named Julius Campbell at football camp. So, Coach Boone decides to be bold and makes everyone on the team talk and get to know the other race until they all know something unique about one other.
Then, Gerry accidentally ends up singling out and calling out Julius at practice, and Julius is not liking that so later on they try to end up fulfilling Coach Boone’s wish of them getting to know each other, moreover Julius says stuff so that Gerry winds up realizing that Julius was not gonna play for a team that did not respect him, and knowing that, Gerry became aware that if he wanted to win all these football games, he had to respect them, no matter what color, nationality, or race they were. Finally, Gerry and Julius, along with the others, become friends, and before they know it, family.
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Throughout the film, Gerry Bertiers perspective changes from thinking that black people were useless, worthless, and basically every other bad adjective you could ever imagine to thinking of them as just another human being with basic human rights, mainly because of Julius and the talks he had with them, good or bad.
In the beginning, Gerry believes that all black people are horrible people who he does not want to be associated with. In the movie, Gerry says, “Hell why don’t you kick them all off the team? I don’t want to play with any of those black animals” (Yakin 2001). which is pretty self explanatory. He doesn’t want them on the team, and would do anything for them to ‘mind their own business’.
Another piece of evidence is, “I’m Gerry Bertier, the only all-American you got on this team. If you want any of us to play for you, reserve half the open the positions for Hammond players, half the offense, half the special teams. We don’t need any of your people on defense. We’re already set” (Yakin 2001). Which says that he thought that the white kids on his team were better, regarding skill at the actual sport. Likewise, another thing it means is that he thought he could be in control of them and could get away with it since he’s ‘the superior race’.
Nevertheless, later in the story he comes to his senses and realizes how wrong he has been this entire time. After Gettysburg during training camp, Gerry says, “What was that Ray? Whatever it is, it ain’t blockin’!”. Ray, in response, says “Give me a break, Gerry.” Gerry retorts with, “You want a break, I’ll give you a break!”. Coach Yoast interrupts Coach Boone from interfering and says, “Wait a minute, wait, wait. Let them handle this.”
Gerry proceeds with, “If we get to Rev once, just one time, I swear to god, I’m gonna hit you so hard, by the time you come to, ooh, boy, you’re gonna need a new haircut. You understand me?” (Yakin 2001). What this means is that he took what Julius said about blocking Rev better. This also means that he’s trying to improve him and Julius’s friendship. In addition to that, he is regarding their little feud that they just had.
Another piece of evidence for my claim is when Gerry is at home in his room. Gerry says, “I’m going to the Berg.” His mom questions him, “What are you going to do down at the Berg?”. He responds with, “I’m going to play basketball with Julius, and then we’re coming back here for dinner.” His mom is not pleased, and remarks with, “If your father were alive to see this.” Gerry is disappointed and says, “Ma, just give him a chance. If you got to know him. If you just listen to him for two seconds.”
Gerry’s mom comes back with, “I don’t want to get to know him! You’re coming to church with your mother” (Yakin 2001). This means that he is trying to convince others that just because Julius is a different color it doesn’t mean that he isn’t any more different than a white person. It also means that he is trying to put everything from his and Julius’s past’s aside and that he’s being thoughtful.
Finally, Gerry (and the rest of the team) put every fight and argument that they’ve ever had aside and ignore what others have to say about them. A piece of evidence to prove my point is after Rev’s injury at the Groverton game, Gerry says, “I want Ray off the team coach.” Coach Boone responds with, “You know my policy, Gerry.” Gerry then replies with, “Yes I do, and I respect it. I know that Ray missed that block on purpose. Sometimes you just gotta cut a man loose.” Coach Boone then considers it and says, “Hmm.. Well, you’re the captain. You make a decision, but you support your decision” (Yakin 2001).
Gerry then proceeds to kick Ray off the team a couple seconds later. What this shows is that Gerry saw that there was still racism going on between the two races, and did not appreciate that. He did what he could to get rid of all bad energy that still remained from the previous quarrel they had. Another solid piece of evidence to support my claim is from after Gettysburg during training camp. While in the cafeteria, Gerry says to Julius, “Let me ask you something, Mr. Campbell.”
Julius answers him with, “Uh-huh.” Bertier questions him, “What kind of power you got?” Campbell responds easily with, “Oh man, you know I got some soul power.” Gerry repeats his question, “What kind of power you got?” Julius, then again responds with, “What kind of question is that? I got soul power!”. Bertier encourages him with a, “Yes, you do!” However, Campbell isn’t finished yet and asks Gerry, “Let me ask you something now, Mr. Bertier. How strong are you?” Gerry quickly replies with, “I’m too strong!”. What this shows is that they are now encouraging each other like true brothers and do, cheering each other up and all.
Obviously, Gerry’s perspective on black people changed because at first, he thought of them as useless and a waste or air, time, and space but now he came to his senses and realized that he had no reason to think that and was just bandwagoning along with everyone else in the 1970’s. His perspective changed when Julius and him had a heart-to-heart talk about what they truly think about each other, although it might’ve hurt to hear what they had to say about each other, it was the main thing that helped them come together as brothers. What readers can learn from Gerry is that you should never overdose on your own pride or let your pride get the best of you, as it can lead to the worst choice in your life. To never take the chance to reconcile a friendship that should have meant the world to keep.
References
- Remember the Titans – IMDb
- Remember the Titans – Wikipedia
- Remember the Titans True Story – Real Coach Herman Boone
- Remember the Titans | Warner Bros. Entertainment
- History Vs Hollywood – Remember The Titans | michaelbenchik […]
- Remember the Titans: The United States’ Struggle with Racism in Motion Picture and Television](https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/etd/6163/)]
- Remember the Titans Trailer
