The great debaters
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | The Great Debaters - The Power of Words |
| Original title | The great debaters |
| Country of production | United States |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 2007 |
| length | approx. 127, PAL approx. 122 minutes |
| Age rating | FSK 12 |
| Rod | |
| Director | Denzel Washington |
| script | Robert Eisele |
| production |
Todd Black , Kate Forte , Joe Roth , Denzel Washington , Oprah Winfrey |
| music |
Peter Golub , James Newton Howard |
| camera | Philippe Rousselot |
| cut | Hughes Winborne |
| occupation | |
| |
The Great Debaters is an American film drama from the year 2007 . Directed by Denzel Washington , who also took on the lead role and co-produced the film; the script was written by Robert Eisele .
action
The action takes place in the USA in the 1930s. Melvin B. Tolson runs a college debating club in Texas where he teaches rhetoric to African American students.
Of the 360 students, 45 reported, whom he invited to his home. He finally chooses four of them. (Samantha Booke, the only girl; Henry Lowe, an aggressive drunkard; James Pharmer, the son of a theologian; Hamelton Burgess, a senior year student.)
James Pharmer is next seen on a family outing where his father hits a pig. The white owner demands money from his father, who gives him his $ 17 paycheck. The white man lets go of him and the father has to pick him up. The father continues to be humiliated by having to carry the pig with him.
Mr. Tolson begins training the four so they get to know each other better. After a school ball, James runs after Mr. Tolson. He holds a secret meeting with farmers in a barn, which is forcibly stormed by the police and other whites. While Tolson pulls the shocked James with him, the barn burns down.
The first debate is coming up, which is supposed to be the same with the best Negro collage in the country. Mr. Tolson writes the case for it. The four win and there are more victories against about 10 other collages. You will receive further invitations.
The four meet at Tolson's for dinner. Because of rumors about the teacher and his political views, Burgess resigns out of fear. Samantha replaces his speaker's seat and her first debate goes well. At the party that follows, she goes with Henry and they spend the night together.
Mr. Tolson is arrested after testifying from a tortured black man, and black people demonstrate outside the precinct. He is released with the words "An unjust law is not a law" from James' father. Even so, they lose a lot of invitations.
The four do not give up and want to debate with Havard. In order to impress them, they drive to a debate, and on the way they overhear a lynching. Terrified, they flee from the whites, who even shoot them.
Henry runs away and gets drunk again. Back at the house, he's making out with a girl. Samantha and James see that. Then Samantha runs away and James argues with Henry. At the debate, James took Samantha's place but couldn't get a word out. The first defeat.
Henry eventually organized Havard and persuaded Tolson to let Samantha back on the team.
They prepared the debate with Havard using Tolson's arguments and ended up having to go to Havard without him because he was not allowed to leave the police.
In Havard, the three marveled at the huge debate room and were happy about the $ 5 daily allowance for each.
Then they got the message Teacher's arguments are not allowed and the subject is changed. You would have 48 hours to work on the new topic. They quarreled in preparation and Henry ran away again. Something about the evening eventually brought him to his senses and he let Samantha and James lead the debate.
The debate, which was broadcast internationally, was eagerly followed by friends, family and school. Tolson had snuck into the room.
You won the discussion. (Proof: I saw the movie ...)
Reviews
Todd McCarthy wrote in the online version of Variety magazine on December 18, 2007 that the film was "tailor-made for maximum inspirational, historical and educational impact" . However, it would lack realism and psychological depth ( "the film lacks in realism and psychological depth" ).
Awards
The film received the National Board of Review's Freedom of Expression Award in 2007 . It was nominated for a Golden Globe Award in the Best Motion Picture Drama category. Denzel Whitaker was nominated for the Young Artist Award in 2008. At the Image Awards 2008 , The Great Debaters received awards in the categories of Best Picture , Best Actor (Denzel Washington), Best Actress (Jurnee Smollett) and Best Supporting Actor (Denzel Whitaker); Denzel Washington as director, Nate Parker, Forest Whitaker and Robert Eisele were nominated for the same award. The film received the Christopher Award and the Stanley Kramer Award in 2008 and was nominated for the Golden Reel Award for sound editing (music) .
backgrounds
The film was shot in various locations in Texas and Louisiana , on the grounds of Harvard University and in Boston . Its production amounted to an estimated 15 million US dollars .
On December 3, 2007, a screening for the critics was held in Beverly Hills . The widespread release in US cinemas began on December 25, 2007. The film grossed approximately 30.2 million US dollars in US cinemas.
The film describes the Free Wiley Debate team , which defeated Harvard College. In truth, it wasn't Harvard, but the University of Southern California team . This team was the reigning champion. Wiley College won this competition. According to Robert Eisele, Harvard was chosen as an example to underline the importance of the debating club. Despite their victory, the team was not allowed to call themselves winners as blacks were not officially admitted until after World War II
Web links
- The Great Debaters at the Internet Movie Database (English)
- The Great Debaters at Rotten Tomatoes (English)
Individual evidence
- ^ Film review by Todd McCarthy, accessed December 19, 2007 ( Memento December 20, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
- ^ Filming locations for The Great Debaters, accessed December 19, 2007
- ^ Opening dates for The Great Debaters, accessed December 19, 2007
- ^ Box office / business for The Great Debaters, accessed May 21, 2008
- ↑ Laura Beil: For Struggling Black College, Hopes of a revival , The New York Times . December 5, 2007.
- ↑ The Great Debater's . Roger Ebert . December 24, 2007. Retrieved June 29, 2008.
- ↑ " For Struggling Black College, Hopes of a revival ." New York Times , December 5, 2007.