The Great Debaters (2007)

My general rule is not to review films that already have at least 100 reviews here on IMDB. On rare occasions I make an exception.We've certainly all seen bad movies. And good movies. And even great movies. And once in a while a movie comes along that's truly inspirational. This movie is inspirational. And, with a few adjustments to history, it's true. It's the story of a debating team from a "Negro" college in Texas which goes on to national acclaim. The film was produced by Ophra Winfrey (among others), and directed by Denzel Washington. I give Denzel great credit for what he brought together here.Denzel Washington not only directed the film, but starred in it...sort of. I actually would call it more of an ensemble cast. But Washington is excellent here as the professor who leads the debating team. as Melvin B. Tolson, who became a noted poet and author (among other things). I've never been impressed with Forest Whitaker (who plays the father of James Farmer, Jr. here), but this time I thought his performance was quite good. Denzel Whitaker, a young actor and rapper plays a thoughtful role here as James Farmer, Jr., the man who later founded the Congress Of Racial Equality, and is one of the debaters here. I thought he did well here, but I'll need to see him in some other things before I can decide whether he is a steady actor (he is in "Black Panther", which happens to be in theaters as I write this). When I first saw Nate Parker starring in "Birth Of A Nation", I was not impressed. Here, as one of the debaters, I was impressed. Jurnee Smollett (brother of Jussie) plays the female debater here. I think it's a decent performance, but perhaps the accent was slathered on a bit heavy. I've seen her in other things (such as "Underground"), and she is quite a good actress.I won't relate the whole story here, but I will point out a couple of things. First, the segment where the debaters and their coach run into a lynching is quite jarring, but very well done. I don't why Denzel Washington, as director, changed the climactic debate from the University Of California to Harvard...the deviation from actual history made no sense to me. I do fault the film for not explaining how Denzel's character does show up at Harvard, when he was legally prevented from leaving Texas. It could have been explained in about 30 seconds.But that's nitpicking. This is a truly fine film.

It's a good film definitely but something that could have been much better. Racism is what this film is about I can say. But the debates are equally interesting. It's tough to debate on anything without having much knowledge about the topic. If we were to debate then we must have full knowledge of what we are talking about. The actors here have precisely done that, they seem to be in control of a good director and make us believe that they are fully aware of the topic of the debate.Denzel Washington is the director and also acts in the movie and I am sure this was the toughest thing to do. To act is much easy than directing, but to do both and still make it good is terrific. I am happy that Denzel almost pulled it off with neat direction.Yes, I have qualms from this movie. It's very nicely packaged but at the end leaves a void and leaves us with a wish of how much could this have been. I wish it was more about debates than about personal turmoil and conflict. There is a love story, a parent-child relationship and the relationship of teacher and students. Except for the love-story, the other things are fine. I wish still that this love-story that was between Samantha Booke (played by Jurnee Smollet) and Nate Parker (played by Henry Lowe) was not needed.It's a film based in 1930's and the production design, the art direction have worked well. They are pretty decent and seem to take us through that period of 1930's. The cinematography was just good, but I believe there was lot much scope in this film and considering that film was made in 2007, I suppose full potential of camera was not used. My biggest crib is editing though, there are few scenes that I believe were not needed and cut have been cut. The second biggest crib is in writing, I suppose that the material given was good, but not enough to make an interesting movie. So, I think that's the reason why uncalled from drama and relationships had to be added up in the screenplay.Surely, this is a good film, but some deep down thought and more focus on debating would have made it a great film. A 3/5 for a good film. For others, it's up to them to decide.

Based on the efforts of Melvin B. Tolson (Denzel Washington), who brought blacks from Wiley College to set an equal footing with the whites.This was the dark age of where the blacks lives in fear, afraid to walk places where ruled by the whites because they knew they would be lynched and hung alive.Set in 1930s, Tolson is a debate coach for Wiley Coach, also an educator who guide his fellow students to victory against Harvard College.Also on Wiley's debate team is James L. Farmer Jr. (Denzel Whitaker), Samantha Booke (Jurnee Smollett).Booke is the first woman and black to ever participated in the debate team simultaneously also defeating the Harvard College alongside with Farmer Jr.--During the 1930s, some states of United States of America still enslaved the black people. They discriminate them and lynch them alive and hang them for the vultures.The white supremacy in that era was strong and some still adapt the old culture of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK). The blacks are always living in fear until a few would stood for their rights.In The Great Debaters, we explore to see both black and white culture and their upbringing. There were racism and discrimination in every way. It's a great film. Somehow, it still reflects on our today's society.And it's almost like having Barack Obama as the first black president of United States.

It isn't often you can enter a theater to view an interesting film and leave with a sense of emotional awe. Each time we risk a trip back in our time to not only witness what our predecessors did, we also experience the shocking mayhem, violence and tragedies of the day. Indeed we further allow ourselves to become immersed in the ugly ignorant world of human reality. Time was when the events which take place in this movie called " The Great Debators " was the basis for a story, ostensible written by Robert Eisele and ably directed by Denzel Washington. Having a featured role, Mr. Washinton also portrays Melvin B. Tolson a social activist and debate teacher. The film relates the story of how he selects a group of talented black students and instructs them in the art of the verbal debate. Their ability and intellectual growth is mirrored through their lives and social interactions. Each is subject to the hatred and prejudice of time. Further, each witnesses the enormous pressures of a subjugated people and their demeaning subservient role. Despite the enormous danger of mob violence which could exploded on any given day or time, the students are able to rise to the challenge of expressing through words, their feelings, emotions and eventual victory to overcome their racial bonds and shackles. The movie is a remarkable triumph for Washington and the entire cast who allow us to join them in a time which reminds us of our social inhumanity. The best and worse remains and only time will tell whether we have learned anything from our past. Nate Parker, Denzel Whitaker, Jermaine Williams, and John Heard complete the fine cast. ****