The Great Debaters poster

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Streaming data from JustWatch

The Great Debaters

2007 · Movie · 126 min
B

MEANRANK

76/100

Averaged across 11 ratings · 205.4K votes

Every rating

Platform pages last read 29 September 2026. IMDb’s figure comes from IMDb’s own data file, which we re-read about once a month.

Google: Google retired the star ratings it used to show in search results, so this one no longer updates. More on where the numbers come from →

55–94 out of 100

Split

Lowest is Criticker on 55, highest is Google on 94.

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In the 1930s Jim Crow South, a professor at a small black college forms the school's first debate team. He coaches his students with intense discipline, using the power of words and reason as their weapon. The team overcomes deep-seated racism and prejudice, defeating larger white universities and eventually earning the right to debate an international team on a national stage.

Details

Released
25 December 2007
Country
United States
Language
English
Runtime
126 min
Rated
PG-13
Budget
$15.0M
Box office
$30.2M
Awards
1 win, 0 nominations

This title elsewhere

Denzel Whitaker

Denzel Whitaker

James Farmer Jr.

Denzel Washington

Denzel Washington

Melvin B. Tolson

Nate Parker

Nate Parker

Henry Lowe

Jurnee Smollett-Bell

Jurnee Smollett-Bell

Samantha Booke

Forest Whitaker

Forest Whitaker

Dr. James Farmer Sr.

Kimberly Elise

Kimberly Elise

Pearl Farmer

Jermaine Williams

Jermaine Williams

Hamilton Burgess

Gina Ravera

Gina Ravera

Ruth Tolson

Awards & nominations

See all 1 →

1 major award won · 1 win from 1 nomination across 1 ceremony

Producers Guild Stanley Kramer Award 2008 Producers Guild Stanley Kramer Award Winner

Awards from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA.