Code Breakers (film)


Code Breakers is an ESPN Original Entertainment television film that was first broadcast December 10, 2005 at 9 pm ET on ESPN and ESPN HD. The movie followed the Heisman Trophy presentation.

Synopsis

Based on the first three chapters of the 2000 novel A Return to Glory, the movie chronicles the 1951 cheating scandal at West Point and its impact on Army's football team, which was forced to cut loose virtually its entire squad. The film begins going into the 1950 Army–Navy Game, the Cadets football team was heavily favored, yet went on to lose to a weak Midshipmen squad, 14–2. The Academy and football team were then thrown into a scandal when 90 cadets, including 37 lettering football players, resigned in a cheating scandal which broke the Academy's Honor Code. The film follows the cadet Brian Nolan, who is led to a ring of cheaters when he is need of academic help to pass. A serious piece of the film involves the relationship of Coach Blaik, played by Scott Glenn, and his son Bob Blaik played by Corey Sevier. Bob, who was a cadet responsible for breaking the Academy Honor Code by cheating in academics deals with the guilt along with the other football players also involved.

Cast

A principal shooting location was Victoria College, Toronto.
Director Thomas Del Ruth used his father's 1950 film The West Point Story as a template in recreating West Point in the 50s.