“It’s About Change”: When Gene Hackman Opened Up About the Message Behind Iconic Movie “Hoosiers”

Revered actor Gene Hackman’s passing shocked everyone in the industry, but to fans of Indiana basketball, Hackman was more than just an Oscar winner. He was the singular driving force behind the legendary film “Hoosiers,” a movie that has become somewhat of a fan favorite in the state.

After news broke of Hackman’s passing, people involved in the film spoke up and placed credit for its success largely in his hands. An article from the Associated Press provides insight into what Hackman envisioned when he signed on for the starring role.

The movie was loosely based on real-life events, but Hackman’s portrayal of the coach of an underdog team was legendary. The movie became a huge hit among fans of the game for obvious reasons, but it endeared many others to the story as well.

In 2020, after a long, drawn-out online discussion on sports in media, AP ranked “Hoosiers” as the best sports movie of all time.

While talking about the movie in the past, Hackman claimed, “It’s about change.” He added that the movie reflects what happens to people who change and how they learn, understand, and deal with said change.

Hackman once said of the movie, “It’s about what happens with change, how we deal with it, where we learn to give up our ideas about who we are as people.”

The movie also provided the players in the legendary 1954 Milan High School Championship run a lot of recognition from future generations.

The unlikely high school champions that inspired “Hoosiers”

Filmed in and around Indiana, “Hoosiers” provided fans and locals not only some truly heartwarming shots of an underdog team but also the joy of seeing places they recognized get immortalized on the silver screen.

Of course, “inspired by” is the key word here, as dedicated fans have uncovered some tweaks that made the film more entertaining in cinemas, like the way the MHS team won their games.

In the movie, the team just edged their opponents out with mostly single-digit-point wins. According to the records, though, the Milan High School team won most of their games convincingly and by double digits.

In fact, the team was so good that their record by the end of the season was 28-2, with a 19-2 regular season record.