Christians in Cinema

“The Great Debaters” is a terrific film. It delivers on all levels. The acting is superb, the screenplay is excellent, it’s filmed well and it hits on an emotional level.

I watched it yesterday afternoon with a good crowd of people. That was nice to see, since a lot of the movies I’ve watched lately have been in semi-empty theaters.

At first I thought Denzel Washington was channeling Robin Williams in “The Dead Poets’ Society.” He climbs up on top of his desk and begins quoting literature; testing his students. But after that, he’s completely Denzel.

Besides being the story of a debate team from a small black college in Wiley, Texas, the movie is also about the early civil rights movement in the South. Washington’s character is revealed to be not only a college professor, but also a union organizer, considered by some to be a communist.

The youngest debater, Denzel Whitaker in a standout role, became a key part of the civil rights movement at the age of 21, when he organized the first “Freedom Ride” from the north to the south.

There are two scenes of a sexual nature; one so brief as to be missed by those blinking at a strategic point. The other is a scene of betrayal, and unnecessary to the film. Aside from that, it’s a film that I heartily recommend to anyone. It’s a great reminder of what was suffered by African-Americans in our country as recently as 50-60 years ago, and some would even argue, today.