A Triumph of the Heart: The Ricky Bell Story (1991) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language

1991 · 100 mins · English

Directed by

Richard Michaels

Starring

Lynn Whitfield, Mario Van Peebles, Susan Ruttan, Polly Holliday, Adam Faraizl, Lane R. Davis

Ricky Bell, an All‑Pro running back for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who succumbed to a rare muscle disease at the height of his career, and in his final season, forms a deep bond with a father‑less, disabled boy. Bell strives to be a big brother figure, and as his own illness progresses, the boy’s bravery becomes Bell’s source of inspiration.