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 When a man with the extraordinary talent of Denzel Washington and a dynamic woman like Oprah Winfrey work together, only good things can happen. The film, The Great Debaters, directed by Mr. Washington and produced by Ms. Winfrey, is one of those good things.
Set in Marshall, Texas in 1935, this film depicts the real life story of the debate team at a small all-black institution, Wiley College . Mr. Washington portrays the team’s coach, Melvin B. Tolson , a noted poet, social activist and educator. Mr. Washington’s fierce performance is enhanced by the four young actors who portray the team members, Henry Lowe (Nate Parker), a well read young man with self-destructive tendencies; Hamilton Burgess, (Jermaine Williams), a faithful eager beaver; Samantha Booke (Jurnee Smollett), an aspiring lawyer with strong a feminist streak; and James Farmer, Jr. (Denzel Whitaker), a thoughtful 14-year-old college student. Just as the debate sequences stir the soul, the two scenes that depict the oppressive Jim Crow south and the lynching of a black man, hurt the heart. James Farmer Sr., as portrayed by Forest Whitaker, accidentally hits a pig owned by a white sharecropper. And as a result, he must endure being humiliated in front of his family. While driving on a dark Texas road, Tolson and the debate team, come upon a bloodthirsty mob lynching a black man. The mob, hungry for more blood, set their sights on Tolson and his passengers. The emotional impact of seeing a lynching is felt throughout the rest of the film. It is true that this film tells a timeless tale of how underdogs use perseverance and teamwork to achieve victory. Some people might even say that this film is manipulative, sentimental and lacking subtly, but these people would be missing the point. This film is meant to educate the audience about an ugly time in our country and how great things can and should be achieved despite either real or imagined obstacles. This film accomplishes this goal very well indeed. Recommendation: Highly recommended Warning: This film contains one graphic scene depicting a lynching and one mild sexual scene. Film URL: http://www.thegreatdebatersmovie.com/ Author’s Note: Because I am a person of color, I enjoyed this movie because it showed that African Americans are a diverse, three dimensional, driven, intelligent and bright. This is a depiction that is rarely seen in comedy shows and feature films. I had a friend of mine tell me that when the film ended she, “wanted more.” I felt the same way; I wanted more. In addition, most feature films and television shows have only one African American character who is also the only one in a big city like New York, San Francisco, Chicago or Los Angeles. I am always excited and surprised to see more than two people who look like me in a film or a television show. Unfortunately, because it is so rare to see more than one person of color in movies, I habitually count the number of African Americans that I see on screen. One day I would like to stop counting. The Great Debaters is one step towards this glorious day. There is hope. Look at our Presidential race. -By Bernadette Steele
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