The Great Debaters

late to the party but my wife and I just watched this little movie. I say little since I didn't hear much about it - no blockbuster talk - no Oscar talk etc. but I have to say except for a few things - it was a pretty good movie.

Directed by Denzel Washington (who also stars) along with Forest Whitaker. I think Oprah was one of the producers.

I have no idea how true the story is - and by that I mean how much it was tweaked for dramatic effect. But apart from the amazingness of it, the movie takes you back to a time and place most of us can not even imagine and by that I mean the Jim Crow south of the 30s. More than anything (except maybe that the role models played - especially by Forest Whitaker) would be good for anyone to emulate. Early in the movie Washington's character asks some of his students to quote various passages - and they do. They have their own favorite quotes etc. Now remember this is at a small all-Black college in East Texas in the 1930s. I'll bet if you walked into the best school of any type in America today and asked some of those questions, students would be hard-pressed to remember much more than "To be or not to be ..." and think that because they can quote a little Shakespeare they are educated. I know my education was sorely lacking in the classics. These kids could quote Langston Hughes. I know who he is but can't quote him or probably couldn't recognize his work if someone quoted it to me.

Anyway I heartily recommend this movie and depending on the ages of your kids - watch it with them. There are some disturbing scenes and some themes may not be appropriate - it is a PG-13 but nothing sexually graphic, not a lot (if any) language. The most disturbing scene is one people should be made to watch anyway to remember some of the horrible things people have done to others because they are different.

It is uplifting, informative, entertaining and well-done.