# Directors: Denzel Washington
# Rating: PG-13
# Release Date: 25 December 2007 (USA)
# Studio: Genius Products (TVN)
# DVD Release Date: May 13, 2008
# Run Time: 124 minutes

# Actors: Denzel Washington, Forest Whitaker, Damien Leake, Gregory Nicotero, Brian Smiar

When the nation was in need, he inspired them to give us hope.
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.

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