KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The new film "The Express" - about legendary Syracuse running back Ernie Davis - holds special importance for Helen T. Gray, The Kansas City Star's religion editor.

She and Davis - the first African-American to win the Heisman Trophy - were dating and had talked about marriage when Davis became ill during his first season with the Cleveland Browns. He was diagnosed with leukemia and died in May 1963 after a year of treatment. He never got to play in an NFL game.

Gray, who was Helen Gott back when she attended Syracuse University, was not involved in the making of the film (filmmakers changed her character's name to "Sarah"), but she saw an advance screening of "The Express" the week before last (it opens Oct. 10). The Star's movies editor, Robert W. Butler, spoke with Gray about her time at Syracuse with Davis.

Robert W. Butler: This is funny. ... I've worked with you for more than 30 years and until we saw this movie together I didn't even realize your history with Ernie Davis. Why is that?

Helen Gray: Well, I'm a private person. I don't go around talking about myself. Very few of my friends here in Kansas City even know about that part of my life. Anyway, I came to Kansas City and started a new life, marrying and having a child. You don't go around talking about your past boyfriends.

It has a good message. I didn't leave the movie depressed and bummed out and sad. I left inspired. And I'm hoping other people who see the movie feel the same way. It's inspiring even for people who don't care about sports.

There have been so many people who wanted to do scripts about Ernie over the years, and I haven't cooperated with any of them. I didn't have too much faith because they always claimed the movie would be "based on a true story."

But this one came out of the blue. I had heard it was in the works but was caught off guard a few months later when I saw the preview while watching another movie. When I saw the actress who was playing me, I turned to my friend and said, "That's me." She was shocked. She's a huge sports fan, and I'd never told her about Ernie.

The scene where he has a fight in the locker room with a white player who says something racial ... John Brown says that really happened, although it was in the dorm and Ernie said to the guy, "Let's take this outside."