Resolved: There are enough reviews of The Great Debaters that begin with the word "resolved." And for those who haven't seen the movie, the word appears only a handful of times in a limited number of scenes, as the introduction to each formal debate. So instead, like the movie, I will argue the affirmative by focusing less on the debates, and more on the painfully obvious dichotomy that drives the film, one that nearly destroyed twentieth-century America: white/black.

In 1935, there was a bloody line between white and black, one that linked the two races as much as it affirmed their mutual exclusion. The Great Debaters explores the lives of those who tried to cross the line, erase the line, or simply pretend it did not exist. Scripted by Robert Eisele, directed by Denzel Washington, and produced by Oprah Winfrey, Debaters tells the true story of a small-town, African-American debate team that rose to challenge one of America's greatest (and whitest) universities. Though we need only reference history to see how the story ends, the film delivers a realistic and riveting experience that few books could convey.

White/black, rich/poor, and educated/uneducated are just a few of the dichotomies that battle on The Great Debaters' Texas frontier. Figures like Melvin Tolson (Denzel Washington), who believes that words can bridge the gap, Dr. James Farmer (Forrest Whitaker), who fights ignorance with knowledge, and hotheaded Henry Lowe (Nate Parker) embody the conflict between active and passive resistance. In the film's opening sequence, shots of Tolson pulling Lowe out of a fight are juxtaposed with Farmer's Sunday sermon, suggesting that action is the more effective option. However, it is Farmer's gentle reasoning that prevails against the racism-fueled Texas law enforcement.

Denzel Washington and Forrest Whitaker are well suited for their roles, though to an extent it is hard to see them as anything other than Denzel Washington and Forrest Whitaker in clothes that our great-grandparents would have worn. This is virtually unavoidable, however, and their combined effort, along with Philippe Rousselot's cinematography and James Newton Howard's emotional score, is definitely enough to merit the film's Golden Globe nomination.

In a refreshing contrast, equally important roles are given to younger actors Nate Parker, Jurnee Smollett, and Denzel Whitaker. Whitaker's performance as the brilliant son of James Farmer is easily the highlight of the film; his acting has steadily matured (his early work includes a small role in Training Day and an episode of The Suite Life of Zack and Cody) and promises great things in the future.

Though the title The Great Debaters seems like a plot summary in itself, and the final result is no surprise, the film is less concerned with the students as debaters, and seems more interested in the things that actually made them "great." Their speeches on capitalism, welfare, civil disobedience, and other subjects are paralleled by events in the film -- the horrors of a lynching mob, the desperation of rural American farmers. Surviving and excelling despite these tragedies is what distinguishes Henry Lowe, Samantha Booke, James Farmer Jr., and of course their real-life counterparts. Their attempt to bridge the gap is the essence of their greatness, and the success of that effort is undebatable.
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