Revival House: "The Great Debaters"

Imagine this: a movie as exciting as any action picture, as harrowing as a top-notch thriller and sometimes as amusing as a classic comedy --- and it is about the power of the mind and the spoken word. "The Great Debaters" (2007), directed by Academy Award winning actor Denzel Washington, is the overlooked gem featured in this edition of "Revival House."

Words can be thrilling and a mind, fully engaged, is one of the most riveting things of all.

Denzel Washington stars as Professor Melvin B. Tolson, a brilliant and charismatic debate teacher at Wiley College, a small college for black students in Marshall, Texas. In a time of crushing racial discrimination, lack of opportunity, and violent racial attacks, a group of young African American students prove themselves equal to --- and even better than --- the most honored debaters in the country.

Nate Parker portrays Henry Lowe, Jurnee Smollett is Samantha Booke, and Denzel Whitaker appears as James Farmer Jr. The film also stars Forest Whitaker as Dr. James Farmer Sr. Every performance is nuanced and authentic, and the film as a whole was nominated for and won a number of awards, including the Golden Globes, the Image Awards, the Christopher Awards and others.

Anyone who appreciates listening to Barack Obama's eloquent thoughts (or the speeches of the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King Jr., a contemporary of James Farmer Jr.) will appreciate the film's word portraits and the supple intellect of these young people. I think I appreciate the film even more, in a current era where some people, even in the highest positions, prefer to play dumb, and even some of my fellow and sister African Americans think that to speak well is to imitate being white. Oh, hell, no --- the English language belongs to all, and only a person who strives to master his or her mind can make the most of life.

I love a brilliant mind.

This movie is not a dry recitation of events from the distant past. There are scenes in this movie where I as a viewer felt tension and fear, was moved to anger or celebrated vicarious victories, and times where I cheered or laughed out loud. Not to be overlooked: the insightful humor; the many moments where a character struggles to move forward and, after stumbling and crashing, learns to soar; the successes achieved despite appalling racism.

The film is "inspired by a true story." (Tolson and the Farmers were real, the other debaters composites.) The location of the climactic debate was also changed, but the accomplishments portrayed were no less real because of these few dramatic liberties.

"The Great Debaters" is a thoroughly entertaining film. Don't miss it.

For photos and film clips, visit the official site at thegreatdebatersmovie.com


"The Great Debaters" is available at Amazon.com.



"Revival House" is a recurring feature, spotlighting some of the first-rate, innovative and other noteworthy projects that were overlooked upon initial release.