IN THEATRES DECEMBER 25, 2007

Denzel Washington directs and stars in this uplifting drama based on a true story about a small East Texas all-black college in 1935 that rises to the top of the nation's debate teams in a duel against Harvard. A poet and debating coach at Wiley College, Professor Melvin Tolson (Washington) sees debating as "a blood sport" and recruits the meanest and brightest, including troubled Henry (Nate Parker), driven Samantha (Jurnee Smollet), and the 14-year-old prodigy James Farmer, Jr. (Denzel Whitaker). Oscar winner Forest Whitaker (no relation) plays Farmer's father, the initially unsupportive president of the school. There's tough training, romantic heat over the attentions of fiery Samantha (the first girl on the team), and some no holds-barred racism (including a witnessed lynching) before the big match-up against the Ivy League school, adding to the overall emotional force. Though feel-good historical competition movies like this have been done before, Washington serves up his effort as a lean, mean family dinner, with minimum fuss and maximum nutritional-educational value. Historical accuracy may be thrown to the wind more than once--Farmer is the only real student among the team, and the final debate was against USC, not Harvard--but the acting is uniformly superb. It's great to watch these kids slowly incorporate Tolson's incredible poise and intellectual rigor into their lives, and the message is as important as ever. Oprah Winfrey served as producer.

DVD Features:

Region 1
Keep Case
Anamorphic Widescreen
Audio:
Dolby Digital Stereo - English
Additional Release Material:
Audio Commentary
Deleted Scenes
Featurettes on Music
Music Videos
Text/ Photo Gallery:
Casting
Costume and Design
Poetry of Melvin Tolson

Denzel Washington: American actor, GLORY/TRAINING DAY
Forest Whitaker: American Actor/Director
Nate Parker: Actor, THE GREAT DEBATERS
Jurnee Smollett: Television actress
Denzel Whitaker: Actor, THE GREAT DEBATERS
Jermaine Williams: Actor, FAT ALBERT (2004)
John Heard: American Actor, HOME ALONE (1990)
Kimberly Elise: Actress/"Set It Off"
Gina Ravera: Actress

Denzel Washington: American actor, GLORY/TRAINING DAY

Todd Black: Producer, ANTWONE FISHER (2002)
Kate Forte: Producer
Oprah Winfrey: Talk Show Hostess/Actress
Joe Roth: American Producer/Director

Robert Eisele: Screenwriter, THE GREAT DEBATERS

James Newton Howard: Composer, KING KONG (2005)
Peter Golub: Music, WORDPLAY (2006)

Hughes Winborne: Editor, CRASH (2005)

"[With] strong, emotionally grounded performances....It radiates nobility of spirit."
"Working hard on both sides of the camera, Washington has grafted his intensity onto this production....The essential story of the film is both remarkable and true."
"THE GREAT DEBATERS soars with words and feeling..." -- Grade: B