The movie script that moved Denzel Washington most: “I felt an emotional connection”
Few actors have commanded the respect and admiration of fellow performers and fans alike quite like Denzel Washington. A true master of the acting craft, Washington honed his early talent on the stage, first at the American Conservatory Theater and then in a series of off-Broadway productions.
Before long, Washington was an acclaimed name in Hollywood. Following a performance in the NBC medical drama series St. Elsewhere, Washington went on to make some of the most memorable cinematic efforts in the history of contemporary film, including those in Glory, Training Day, Philadelphia, Man on Fire, Inside Man, and American Gangster.
However, while Washington is indeed known and loved for giving some of the most memorable performances in modern cinema, he has also given the directing profession a try on a number of commendable occasions, beginning with 2002’s Antwone Fisher and following up with 2007’s The Great Debaters.
In fact, the second feature that Washington handled was one that left a deep emotional impression on him. With a screenplay by Robert Eisele, based on a 1997 American Legacy article by Tony Scherman, The Great Debaters tells of the Wiley College debate team in Texas in 1935, a story that was taken in its arms by its director.
When discussing the film with Oprah, Washington noted, “Man, it just moved me. I felt an emotional connection.” When conducting research for the film, starring Washington, Forest Whitaker, Denzel Whitaker and Kimberly Elise, Washington learned “that many black colleges, like Wiley and Morehouse, opened during the decade following the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation”.
At the time, it was widely believed that education was “the way out” of poverty for a number of young African-Americans, and Washington explained that following the end of “when millions of black people were finally let go after almost 250 years”, they started to open up schools and educate themselves to a higher degree.
Wiley College’s debate coach Melvin B. Tolson, played by Washington himself, is at the centre of The Great Debaters, and Washington believes that he inspired his team to “beat these other national teams in the ’30s”. Such figures, also including W.E.B. Du Bois, “couldn’t teach at schools like Harvard or Columbia”, but in setting up their own schools, they were able to inspire a new generation of young students.
The actor and director also noted, “But the film is really about the kids and the journey of one boy in particular.” It’s commendable that Washington not only directed The Great Debaters, but also starred in it, and in the interview with Oprah Winfrey, he explained whether there was a challenge to having a dual role in the film’s production.
“When I’m directing, I can’t focus the way I’m used to focusing as an actor because I don’t have the quiet time,” Washington said. “I’ve always taken 40 deep breaths for relaxation before I do a scene. During this movie, 40 breaths was all the time I had to myself! I’m not that great at spinning ten plates at a time. I know that about myself.”
Still, even without the time for preparation that Washington was used to, he still delivered a brilliant performance, one that he holds close to his heart for the kind of emotion it raised in him and its importance in telling a significant African-American narrative.
