The Great Debaters
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Inspiring tale, based on true events, about a gifted and demanding debate coach (Denzel Washington) at a small African-American college in 1930s Texas who guides his forensics team of three male (Denzel Whitaker, Nate Parker and Jermaine Williams) and one female (Jurnee Smollett) student to unprecedented nationwide success. Washington, who also directed, creates an intimate character study that transcends the formulaic and presents an uplifting message in a thoroughly enjoyable way. Scenes of violence, including a lynched corpse; brief nongraphic, nonmarital sexual activity; and four uses of the s-word and two profanities. Possibly acceptable for older teens. A-III -- adults. (PG-13)
2007
The Great Debaters
Resolved: "The Great Debaters" (MGM), with a story line drawn from real events, is an uplifting and thoroughly enjoyable film. The ayes have it.
Melvin B. Tolson (Denzel Washington, who also directed) is a gifted professor and debate coach at Wiley College, a small African-American school in 1930s Texas. As the new academic year begins, he sets out to choose the four members of his forensic team out of dozens competing for the honor.
The young people he eventually selects, including the first female student in the team's history, make up a varied and dynamic group. There's volatile Henry Lowe (Nate Parker), the more subdued Hamilton Burgess (Jermaine Williams), passionate, self-confident Samantha Booke (Jurnee Smollett) and, most intriguingly, 14-year-old prodigy James Farmer Jr. (Denzel Whitaker).
As the demanding Tolson tries to unify the new teammates, he faces a number of challenges. Frictions arise when James, who cherishes a secret affection for Samantha, finds himself overlooked in favor of the more mature Henry. Henry himself has a taste for the wild life to be found off campus, while Hamilton's parents are disturbed by Tolson's left-wing convictions.
Tolson puts his principles into practice by trying to organize a union for the local sharecroppers, one that will include both black and white farmers. When James follows Tolson to one of the union's clandestine meetings and is caught up in a raid, the need to keep that experience secret brings him into conflict with his stern theologian father (Forest Whitaker).
As the undefeated debaters begin to attract attention in the wider world, they eventually receive invitations, not only from some of the country's most prominent African-American colleges, but from white institutions as well. Tolson's ambition to pit his team against the Harvard Crimson -- the nation's premier debating team -- provides the lead-in to the film's stirring climax.
Washington, who collaborated with producer Oprah Winfrey on the project, creates an intimate character study that transcends the formulaic. His predominantly young cast demonstrates a remarkably sure touch, while cinematographer Philippe Rousselot makes the rural setting look wonderfully inviting.
A quality production in every respect, "The Great Debaters" manages to inspire without ever pausing to preach.
The film contains scenes of violence, including a lynched corpse; brief nongraphic, nonmarital sexual activity; and four uses of the s-word and two profanities. It is possibly acceptable for older teens. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.
Movies have been evaluated by the U.S. Conference of Catholic
Bishop's Office for Film and Broadcasting according to artistic
merit and moral suitability. The reviews include the USCCB rating,
the Motion Picture Association of America rating, and a brief
synopsis of the movie.
The classifications are as follows:
- A-I -- general patronage;
- A-II -- adults and adolescents;
- A-III -- adults;
- A-IV**
- L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. L replaces the previous classification, A-IV.
- O -- morally offensive.
** Discontinued classification. All archived movies that were originally in the A-IV category are now classified as L.