The importance of the theme of acceptance is illuminated in Boaz Yakin’s film “Remember the Titans” (2000) through the interactions of the various characters. Set in the 1970s, the racial barriers present in society at the time are projected onto the characters who belong to a football team called “The TCW Titans”, causing conflict between the coaches and as a result, among the players. However, as the film progresses, Yakin highlights the importance of accepting one another's identity despite differences, by depicting members of both racial groups beginning to understand each other and finally working in harmony. Furthermore, the significance of acceptance is shown through the strong bond between Gerry Bertier and Julius Campbell, a friendship transcending the tension surrounding race at the time. Therein, Yakin endeavors to send the message that racial barriers must be broken, and acceptance of variety must be obtained by everyone in the community in order to have a well-functioning and fair society.
The value of acceptance is examined through the development of the relationship between Coach Yoast and Coach Boone. At first, Coach Yoast develops a bad impression of Coach Boone due to the fact that Boone had replaced him as the head coach of Titan's Football team. In the scene where Boone and Yoast have their first encounter, the close-up tracking shot of Yoast’s daughter’s piercing and distasteful gaze at Boone encapsulates the overall feeling of dissatisfaction and rejection from the White members towards the new black coach. The slow and grandiose nature of the non-diegetic trumpet sets a serious tone, accentuating the problematic nature of rejection and discrimination which is occurring vividly in the scene.
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As the training camp conducted by Boone begins, Yoast’s inability to accept Boone’s capabilities as a coach is depicted through the harsh training which clashes with his own more sensitive approach. Here, Yoast is unable to accept change, as he interrupts the training, depicted in a medium shot of the two coaches. The camera focus placed on the coaches symbolically standing opposite each other draws attention to their conversation, where Yoast criticizes Boone, “There’s a fine line between tough and crazy, and you’re flirting with it.” The metaphor of Boone “flirting” with the “fine line” that distinguishes tough and excessive training establishes Yoast’s complete rejection of Boone’s training regime.
However, Yoast’s rejection of Boone is slowly replaced by acceptance built on empathy for one another as fathers of young children. In the film, a brick is thrown through the windows of Boone’s residence, endangering his own family as well as Yoast’s daughter who happened to be visiting. As Yoast accuses Boone of putting his daughter at risk, Boone opens up about his daily experiences, solemnly stating, “I’m sorry about what happened to your daughter last night, I really am. But maybe you got a taste of what my girls go through. Welcome to my life, Yoast.” The usage of the point-of-view shot allows audiences to physically view the situation from Yoast’s perspective, hence empathizing with not only Boone but also the tremendous impact the conservation leaves on Yoast. After these words, Yoast begins to empathize with Boone, finally realizing the racial prejudice felt by Boone and his family.
Consequently, Yoast’s renewed perspective on acceptance allows him to guide Boone into seeing the value of acceptance himself, in the context of being able to accept the loss. In the scene depicting the final match, the somber, non-diegetic strings emphasize the severity of the situation, as Yoast explains to Boone, “Everything is not about winning and losing.” This transitions to the next scene, where Boone exclaims to the team during a time-out, “Win or lose, you’re going to walk out of the stadium tonight with our heads held high”. The repetition of the words “win or lose” reveals Boone’s acceptance and acknowledgment of Yoast’s words. After the Titan’s close victory in the match, the somber mood is replaced with a triumphant theme through the blasting fanfare as Boone and Yoast symbolically embrace and clutch the trophy together. This victory by the team represents what can occur when two clashing characters are able to accept each other’s differences and work harmoniously as depicted by Boone and Yoast’s relationship.
Similarly, the compelling friendship that sprouts between players Julius Campbell and Gerry Bertier emphasizes the value of overcoming differences and accepting one another. Initially, the racial discrimination towards African Americans instilled in Gerry by his environment is reflected by his aggressive attitude towards Julius. When assigned as roommates, Gerry’s extreme disgust of Julius’s “Black Power” poster is demonstrated through his threatening yelling, “ Put that down man cos I ain’t gonna look at that for two weeks.” The commanding tone of this statement highlights Gerry’s initial hatred towards the black community, and his refusal to understand or accept them.
Subsequently, the difference in playing style and commitment to the team between Julius and Gerry further divides the pair. Gerry’s opinion that Julius is unmotivated and selfish in his playing leads the two into an argument, where the mutual attacks emphasize the inability to accept each other’s differences. The successive cuts between close-up shots of Julius and Gerry’s faces depict the rivalry between the two, further solidified by Julius’s spiteful retort at Gerry, “Attitude reflects leadership, Captain.”
However, the two bond over their love for football and their common positions in the sport, depicted in the late-night training match where Gerry and Julius yell back and forth in football terminology, “Strong side!, Left side!”. Their smiling faces and proximity to each other visually represent the shift in a relationship from hostility to friendship. As the friendship progresses, the characters learn to focus on their similarities rather than their differences, forming a relationship equivalent to that of a familial bond. This is shown in the scene where Gerry deems Julius as a brotherly figure, “Don’t you see the family resemblance? That’s my brother.” The depth and strength of the bond between Julius and Gerry capitalize the importance of looking beyond the differences and striving to find acceptance, even in the most divisive times in history.
In conclusion, the importance of acceptance and overcoming differences is underlined by the growing relationship between Boone and Yoast, as well as the brother-like bonds formed by Julius and Gerry. These bonds are what allows every character to grow, as well as what unifies the team, leading them to victory. This film projects the importance of acceptance as an integral factor of social justice and motivates modern-day audiences to push past differences to form a more accepting and harmonious world.
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