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| Maurie | |
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| Directed by | Daniel Mann |
| Written by | Douglas Morrow |
| Produced by | Douglas Morrow Frank Ross |
| Starring | Bernie Casey Bo Svenson Bill Walker Maidie Norman Ji-Tu Cumbuka |
| Cinematography | John Hora |
| Edited by | Walter Hannemann |
| Music by | Joe Raposo |
Production company | Ausable Films |
| Distributed by | National General Pictures |
Release date |
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Running time | 113 mins. |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Maurie (also known asBig Mo) is a 1973 Americanbiographicaldrama film directed byDaniel Mann. Distributed byNational General Pictures, the film covers the lives and relationship of twoNBA Hall of fame basketball players, the forwardJack Twyman, and his teammate theforwardMaurice Stokes.
The film chronicles Twyman's and Stokes's relationship from Stokes's rookie year in the NBA up until his death. Stokes and Twyman are teammates on theRochester Royals during the 1950s (during which time the team relocates toCincinnati). Stokes falls ill three days after the last game of the 1957–58 NBA season, inMinneapolis. In that final game, Stokes had driven to the basket, drew contact and fell to the floor, hit his head, and was knocked unconscious. He was revived withsmelling salts, and he returned to the game.
Three days later, after an opening-round playoff game against theDetroit Pistons, Stokes becomes ill during the team's flight back to Cincinnati, suffers a seizure and falls into a coma. He awakens in a Cincinnati hospital three weeks later. Stokes never fully recovers from the brain injury, and is left permanently paralyzed. He is confined to bed or a wheelchair as an almost completely paralyzedquadraplegic, and needs constant nursing care.
Twyman offers his friendship and continuous moral support and financial aid to Stokes and his family (even legally adopting him). Stokes dies from a heart attack in 1970.
The film starred then-newcomer actorBernie Casey (a formerNFL player) as Stokes, and the Swedish actorBo Svenson as Twyman.
The cast included actorsBill Walker andMaidie Norman as Maurice's parents; Janet MacLachlan played Stokes's college girlfriend, Dorothy (Stokes was carrying a diamond ring in his pocket, all set to propose to her, when he had the seizure on the plane); and actorJi-Tu Cumbuka portrayedOscar Robertson.
The song "Winners", composed byJoe Raposo was performed by African-American singerArthur Prysock . In October 1973,Frank Sinatra included a version of the song on his LPOl' Blue Eyes Is Back.
Film criticA. H. Weiler ofThe New York Times wrote in his review: "As a potentially inspirational saga that respects the awesome truth that generated it,Maurie, now at Loews State and Cine Theaters is, unfortunately, rarely moving as drama. The heroism, tragedy and friendship of Maurice Stokes, the black basketball star destined to die, and his white teammate, Jack Twyman, formerly of the Cincinnati Royals, evolves on screen with largely soap-opera effects."[1]
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