REVIEWING THE GREAT DEBATERS; A FILM DIRECTED BY DENZLE WASHINGTON
About Director
DENZLE WASHINGTON; actor, director and producer, through this film has experienced his second work on directing, after Antwone Fisher in 2002. His first film also has dealt with the problems of black people in the society of America: an unhappy sailor who opens up to a naval psychiatrist.
Washington as an actor almost always has played his roles impressively. His first appearance was on T.V in 1977, when he was just 18 years old. This trend flourished through times and now as he is acting in two current films, has been nominated to play in a film, which is going to be screened on 2011. The prosperous way of life has endowed him with some awards including two-time Academy Awards.
About Director
DENZLE WASHINGTON; actor, director and producer, through this film has experienced his second work on directing, after Antwone Fisher in 2002. His first film also has dealt with the problems of black people in the society of America: an unhappy sailor who opens up to a naval psychiatrist.
Washington as an actor almost always has played his roles impressively. His first appearance was on T.V in 1977, when he was just 18 years old. This trend flourished through times and now as he is acting in two current films, has been nominated to play in a film, which is going to be screened on 2011. The prosperous way of life has endowed him with some awards including two-time Academy Awards.
THE GREAT DEBATERS
Summary:
Mr. Tolson is the professor of a college in Texas. He selects four students to form a professional debate group. They win all the contests with other colleges' debaters but they are black like themselves. In the racist mood of 1930s, when lynching blacks is not odd, an invitation from White Harvard for debating meant much. Mr. Tolson who had been involved in activities for freeing the blacks from those conditions, let his team to go by themselves lest his presence bring police and prevent them. The actual war of the team now three persons; was in Harvard and what made them win was telling about miseries of the black people.
Mr. Tolson is the professor of a college in Texas. He selects four students to form a professional debate group. They win all the contests with other colleges' debaters but they are black like themselves. In the racist mood of 1930s, when lynching blacks is not odd, an invitation from White Harvard for debating meant much. Mr. Tolson who had been involved in activities for freeing the blacks from those conditions, let his team to go by themselves lest his presence bring police and prevent them. The actual war of the team now three persons; was in Harvard and what made them win was telling about miseries of the black people.
Film Review:
This film is based on a true story, a historical event taken place in 1935. The characters are true as well as the place. Yes, Wiley College according to Wiley college site was initially founded in 1873, for minorities especially African-American students by the help of the Freedman's Aid Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church in order to provide education for the "newly freed men" and preparing them for a new life. This college is located in Harrison County,Texas.
Robert Eisele has written both the story and screenplay of this film. What is very pleasant while viewing this film is the resilience of minorities and victory of hope. Washington, in this movie, as Prof. Melvin Tolson, the head of debating team in college, has had being lived in the atmosphere of racism and thereby can produce a real air of that time. The real Tolson in wiley college in the 1930s was a professional debater. He himself even worked on the gesture of his students, wrote speeches for them, and practiced with them. He was so smart that could predict the rival's arguments and continue accordingly. To a viewer who has not any background from true Tolson, the acting of Washington brings to mind a clear image from that character.
After ups and downs in the story telling, comes the turning point and that is the scene in which for the first time the black team is invited to compete the debater's team of Harvard; a White and strong team. In fact the secret of their victory against such a strong and sophisticated debaters is their experiences of suffers they have been taken both in their lives and witnessing it in their concolorous fellowman.
sites:
http://www.hollywood.com/review/The_Great_Debaters/5024137
http://www.wileyc.edu/tgd.asp
http://www.moviefone.com/movie/the-great-debaters/29834/main
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0427309/
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000243/
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