Racism? Welfare Reform? Must Be 'The Great Debaters' in Mission Viejo

Racism, civil rights, welfare reform—all topics up for debate at Mission Viejo City Hall Sunday.

But the arguments were on the silver screen that afternoon, not in City Council seats.  

After a free viewing of the 2007 Golden Globe-nominated movie The Great Debaters, residents got the chance to meet the screenwriter as part of the city’s Movies of Character film series. 

“I think it really does explore the theme of unity,” said screenwriter Robert Eisele, who attended the screening with his wife, Diana. “I’m very proud of it.”

The movie details the story of the 1935-36 debate team at Wiley College, a historically African-American college in Marshall, TX.

In the film, the members of the debate team work to show themselves as great debaters as well as to overcome oppression and prejudice in a segregated America. 

The story also spotlights the debate coach and professor Melvin Tolson (played by Denzel Washington) as he tries to get the local sharecroppers to unionize, an action others use to brand him a communist. 

About 50 people attended the event in council chambers, and Mark Major of Laguna Beach was one of them.

He attended the film with his son. 

“My son Jack, he’s a film student, and I thought it would be a good opportunity,” Mark Majors said. 

Jack Majors said that he found the movie insightful and “full of great performances.”

After the movie, Eisele answered questions from attendees. 

“I think everyone has the right to his political beliefs in this country,” said Eisele. “That’s what makes this country great.”

Eisele praised Washington’s direction and the acting of the cast. He said that he also felt the movie should have been nominated by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences for best picture and that the actors should have “at least” received an award for best ensemble performance from the Screen Actors Guild of America. 

Executive producer of the Showtime series Resurrection Blvd., Eisele also wrote Hurricane Season starring Forest Whitaker and the ESPN movie 3 (the Dale Earnhardt story). 

Eisele said this was his first time in Mission Viejo.

“My God, this a gorgeous place,“ He said. “And it smells good too.” 

The screening was part of the Films of Character series and was selected by the Community of Character Committee of Mission Viejo for exemplifying "unity," which the city wants to champion during February. 

Pat Felbinger, an area resident since 1980 and member of the committee, said she'd never seen the movie before. 

“I do think it’s just as true now as it was for those times,” Felbinger said. 

The next movie in the series will be Walt Disney’s Pinocchio, showing Sunday, March, 20 at 2 p.m.  in the council chambers in City Hall, at 200 Civic Center. 

For more information call 949-470-3094.