The Great Debator's (2007)

Denzil directs and co-stars in this inspiring story of a history making debate team, from an all black collage in the depression era south. Cast of young performers a compelling one and the period detail is wonderful. I quite liked Denzil's character, a real crusading liberal, suitable for the admiration of all Nation readers.

1/12

The Great Debater’s (2007): Alternate Stub:

When I first heard about the movie The Great Debater’s I knew I’d have to see it. You see I did four years in the speech and debate program during high school and quite enjoyed it, but have long been disappointed at the lack of depictions of school sponsored competitive debate in movies. In fact prior to the release of Denzil Washington’s film I knew of only one movie that was about debate, and it stared Kirk Cameron. The Great Debater’s does a good job of depicting the discipline/sport that is competitive debate, at least as far as you’d like to see within a movie format. However the competitions that the Great Debater’s participate in, are of importance not so much in-and-of themselves, as they are within the context of proto-civil rights narrative in which they are presented, and in which in fact they did occur. This really is a strong entry in the pantheon of films about the struggle for black recognition and fuller integration into the ‘mainstream’ (for lack of a better word) of American society. To me it is more effecting then say ‘Remember the Titans’ (which also stared Washington), because it is about black American’s succeeding in a field that the conventional wisdom of many whites said they could never succeed in, namely a discipline of the mind. I’d like to see more movies depicting this kind of black achievement, as well as those depicting debate in any incarnation.