The Great Debaters
A visionary debate coach rallies a team of underdog African‑American college students to challenge Harvard’s elite, risking their futures as they fight for dignity and justice through the power of words.
“When the nation was in need, he inspired them to give us hope.”
Synopsis
A true story about a gifted yet politically radical debate team coach who empowers a group of underdog African-American college students, helping them become a historic force that challenges the Harvard elite through the power of words.
Credits
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How many hands made this film
The scale of the collaboration
A crew of 335+ credited
Why a floor?
This is a minimum, not a total. We only count the credits we’ve captured so far, and coverage is uneven — a blockbuster might show a few hundred names while another of the same size shows a couple dozen. The real crews all ran into the thousands. The number here only grows as full credits are enriched — so we frame it as a floor, never a headcount.
Craft leads on file
Edited by Hughes WinborneShot by Philippe RousselotScored by Peter GolubDesigned by David J BombaSound by Kami AsgarCostumes by Sharen Davis Nm0205446VFX by Brian Mcnulty
Box Office
2007 · Box office
⚖️ Fell short of break-even — grossed 2.0× its budget
Why 2.5×?
Cinemas keep roughly half of every ticket sold, and a wide release’s marketing often costs about as much again as the film — so a movie needs to gross around 2.5× its production budget just to break even theatrically. It’s a rule of thumb, not the studio’s ledger (home video and streaming come later).
Worldwide gross
$30.2M
Also known as
- The Great Debaters - Die Macht der Wortede
- The Great Debaters - Il potere della parolait
- (Alternative Title)O Grande Debate
- (Bosnian)Veliki borci riječima
- (Bosnian, literal title)Veliki govornici
Release dates around the world3 countries · showhide
- United StatesDec 11, 2007
- CanadaDec 25, 2007
- BrazilJan 25, 2008
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Cast & Crew
335 unique people credited
Top billed cast
Denzel Washington
as Melvin B. Tolson
Forest Whitaker
as Dr. James Farmer Sr.
Kimberly Elise
as Pearl Farmer
Nate Parker
as Henry Lowe
Jurnee Smollett
as Samantha Booke
Denzel Whitaker
as James Farmer Jr.
Jermaine Williams
as Hamilton Burgess
Gina Ravera
as Ruth Tolson
John Heard
as Sheriff Dozier
Devyn A Tyler
as Helen Farmer
Trenton Mcclain Boyd
as Nathaniel Farmer
Ritchie Montgomery
as Deputy
Supporting cast
99Jackson Walker
as Pig Owner
Tim Parati
as Pig Farmer
Robert X Golphin
as Dunbar Reed
Justice Leak
as Harland Osbourne
Glen Powell
as Harvard Debater #1
Brad Watkins
as Harvard Debater #2
Brian Smiar
as Harvard Dean
Damien Leake
as Wilson
Voltaire Sterling
as Paul Quinn Debater #1
Stephen Rider
as Paul Quinn Debater #2
Gordon Danniels
as Paul Quinn Debate Judge
Donny Boaz
as Oklahoma City College Debater #1
Samuel Elliott Whisnant
as Oklahoma City College Debater #2
Bonnie Johnson
as Dr. Jennings
Charissa Allen
as Benita
Michael Beasley
as Trudell
Gary Mattis
as Enormous Man
George Wilson
as Samuel
Fahnlohnee R Harris
as Clementine
Harold Evans
as William Taylor
Jd Evermore
as Captain Wainwright
Sharon Jones
as Lila
Kelvin Payton
as Joseph
Southey Blanton
as White Labor Organizer
Michael Mattison
as White Sharecropper #1
Jeff Braun
as White Sharecropper #2
Milton R Gipson
as Prairie View Professor
Frank Ridley
as Security Guard
Jeremiah Kissel
as Radio Announcer at Harvard Debate
Jack Radosta
as White Man at Lynching
Marcus Lyle Brown
as Howard Debater #1
Alvin Youngblood Hart
as Juke Joint Musician #1
Dom Flemons
as Juke Joint Musician #2
Justin Robinson
as Juke Joint Musician #3
Rhiannon Giddens
as Juke Joint Musician #4
Ahmad Powell
as Fisk Professor
Michael C Mike Allen
as Deputy Texas Ranger
Razmig Arabian
as Harvard Student
Kevin Beard
as Klansman at Lynching
Ellen Becker Gray
as Faculty at Harvard Debate
Chad Boldini
as Harvard Debate Attendee
Matthew N Bourgeois
as Harvard Scholar
Crystal Brown Tatum
as Female Teacher, Dance Chaperone
Gio Castellano
as Harvard Debate Attendee
Thomas Cataloni
as Sailor
Ashley Cerrone
as Harvard Student
Michael Demello
as Debate Observer
Roger Dillingham Jr
as Upscale Traveler
Sal Dimino
as Reporter
Tommy Jay Dwyer
as Harvard Student
Curtis Eames
as Reporter
Chaz Echols
as Wiley College Student
Brian D Evans
as Harvard Student
Ben Fisher
as Harvard Student
Jaishon Fisher
as Newspaper Boy
Jamai Fisher
as Kid at Train Station
Steve Flynn Iii
as Harvard Dean
Hugh Guiney
as Harvard Student
Hevin Hampton
as Bar Patron
Joel B Hayden
as Harvard Professor
Patrick Mel Hayes
as Harvard Alumni
Benjamin Healy
as Harvard Student
Zan Jabara
as Harvard Student
Michael Knight
as Harvard Student
Chris Kosiavelon
as Harvard Student
Kenneth Lecompte
as Share Cropper and Grocer
Jimmy Lee Jr
as Lyncher
Aqua Lee
as Juke Joint Couple
Christopher J Long
as Harvard Student
Michael M Luzzi
as Reporter
Robert Masiello
as Harvard Alumni
Josh Mcbride
as Harvard Student
Paul Mcgillicuddy
as Harvard Debate Attendee
Alex Milne
as Shoe Shine Boy
Tarek Moussa
as Harvard Student
Jason Mulcahy
as Harvard Student
Ed O Keefe
as Harvard Scholar
Nefertara Ozella
as Extra
Giovanni Pantaleo
as Havard Student
Cory Patt
as Wiley Student
James Paul
as Riot Starter
Jeannie Perrin
as Lynching Participant
Todd Poudrier
as Radio Tech
Cyndy Powell
as Harvard debate audience
Breon Pugh
as Wiley Debater
Alan Resnic
as Harvard Scholar
Robert M Saunders
as Harvard Student
Cory Reed Smith
as Harvard Debate Attendee
Scott Sousa
as Harvard Student
Michael Stanton
as Harvard Professor
Heath Stewart
as Reserve Harvard Debater
Bill Stinchcomb
as Lynch Mob
Charles Sutherland
as Man at Train Station
Ian Wallace
as Harvard Student
Mario Wanza
as Wiley Student
Donald Warnock
as The Chief Harvard Judge
Mike Wendt
as Havard Student
Russell Woron Simons
as Harvard Debate Attendee
Adam Zalt
as Harvard Student, Navy Sailor
Directors
1Writers
3Producers
14Bob Weinstein
executive producer
Brian Mcnulty
visual effects producer
Christian Prejza
digital intermediate producer: Efilm
David Crockett
executive producer
Harvey Weinstein
executive producer
Joe Roth
Producer, Producers
Kate Forte
Producer, Producers
Melody Fowler
associate producer: Harpo Films
Molly Allen
co-producer
Oprah Winfrey
Producer
Scott Freeman
Avid Technician / Dailies Producer / digitizer (uncredited)
Todd Black
Producer, Producers
Unjoo Lee Byars
title producer: Pacific Title
Valerie Scoon
associate producer: Harpo Films
Other crew
212Mindy Jones
accounting clerk
Patrick Bensimmon
additional camera assistant
Geraud Brisson
additional editor
Eric Yellin
additional key second assistant director: Boston
George Bott
additional second assistant director
Tommy Martin
additional second assistant director (uncredited)
Kim Drummond
adr supervisor
Kate Carlin
adr voice casting
Allan Marasco
apprentice editor
Dillon Jim Breithaupt
art department assistant
John R Jensen
Art Director
Marcel Wolthers
assembly editor
Parents Guide
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