A Powerful and Moving Historical Drama
Written: Mar 31 '07 (Updated Apr 11 '08)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Great performances, photography, music, script...
Cons: ... just one rather silly plot twist...
The Bottom Line: Amazing Grace is among the most powerful movies I've ever seen.
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| captaind's Full Review: Amazing Grace |
Biopics seem to be all the rage at the moment, and Amazing Grace chronicles the life of William Wilberforce, and his fight to get the slave trade abolished in England. This fight lasted many years and was undertaken with the tacit support of young Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger, who is portrayed as having the same ideals but putting his career ahead of them, and a group of “itinerant clergymen”. This is one of the most powerful films I’ve ever seen, and what was most striking about it was that while the dialogue and imagery were excellent, the most powerful aspects of the film were what remained unsaid. I was expecting scenes depicting the many unfortunate victims of the slave trade on ships, yet while we were shown the shackles and cramped confines of the slaves’ cramped and painful housings for the voyage, and heard descriptions of the conditions they endured, we did not see anything that Wilberforce himself would not have seen. The implication is that Wilberforce and his supporters did not need to actually see the atrocities going on with their own eyes to understand how abdominal they were, and see that they must be stopped. With strong political enemies and the great profit brought to the British Empire by the sugar trade, which was itself fuelled by the slave trade, and the dependence of the large, influential ports, the battle seemed doomed to failure from the outset. Slowly, however, the plight of the many thousands of African victims was put across to the people.
Early in his career Wilberforce has to make a choice – have a career in politics, or choose a Godly path. It is suggested to him that by pursuing the abolition of slavery, he could actually do both at the same time. His good friend William Pitt the Younger wants him to take on all-comers in getting a bill passed to abolish slavery, but it is clear that he will not lend his official support as it would be too hazardous in his position as aspiring Prime Minister and later Prime Minster. Both men feel the conflicting loyalties toward the crown, toward God, and toward humanity. The decisions they take lead them down different paths, but perhaps with the same final destination…
Apart from the excellent script and powerful message (on the 200th anniversary of the Abolish of the Slave Trade in Great Britain), there are so many inspired, and perhaps inspiring performances in this film that it is going to be hard to beat for any film wanting to be known as the best film of the year. Ioan Gruffudd is good in the lead role of Wilberforce, while Benedict Cumberbatch is excellent as Pitt the Younger. We have the nearly 71 year-old Albert Finney still in top form as John Newton, the former slave ship captain of 20 years who repented of his sins and penned the words to the song that inspired Wilberforce to embark on his crusade, and which lends the film its name. Michael Gambon is superb as Lord Charles Fox, a wily old politician who joins Wilberforce’s movement, Stephen Campbell Moore effective as James Stephen, who goes to the West Indies to see for himself what’s happening to the slaves on the plantations, and Bill Patterson playing a grumpy Scot (as ever!), in this case Lord Dundas, a man whose allegiances are never certain. Ciaran Hinds plays Lord Tarleton, the politician most opposed to the abolition of the slave trade (who even makes the astonishing claim that “the Africans themselves have never stated that they are unhappy about it”). Toby Jones as the Duke of Clarence, a vile character by all accounts but who shows himself to have some honour when the Bill is finally passed as law (”My nobility forces me to recognise an extraordinary commoner”), and Senegalese actor Youssou N'Dour lends a quiet intensity to his character of Oloudaqh Equiano, an African former slave. But there’s more… Rufus Sewell plays an unusual part for him as Thomas Clarkson, a rough-looking proponent of any means to abolish the slave trade, while finally Jeremy Swift gives a good performance as Wilberforce’s Butler (who likes to quote Francis Bacon – he doesn’t just dust the books in the library!). Actually there are some other fine performances, but those mentioned above stood out – and I really do mean that all of them stood out.
Throughout, the film displays a very dry wit that relieves tension from the serious plot and yet compliments it at the same time. There is some stunning photography and lavish sets throughout with great attention to detail, and an unobtrusive yet effective musical score by David Arnold which subtly adds to the film’s already impressive atmosphere. There is one point near the end where the script uses a rather silly device to build some tension, but the end of this scene is defused with more dry humour which stops it from appearing too silly for the rest of the film.
Along with the challenges of getting the Act to abolish the slave trade passed, the film deals with Wilberforce’s sometimes strained friendship with Pitt, his meeting and marriage to Barbara (played by Romola Garai), his battle with chronic colitis, and his internal battle with feelings of inadequacy.
All in all, Amazing Grace is a phenomenal film that I’d recommend to anyone. Definitely a strong contender for my film of the year (and it’s only March yet!!) It seems to have only been given a limited release in the cinemas, but hopefully over time it will come to attain to the recognition it so thoroughly deserves.
Other Information
Director: Michael Apted
Runtime: 118 minutes
Rating: PG for thematic material involving slavery, and some mild language.
Related Links
Amazing Grace was set in the same time period as The Madness of King George
One of the few other films to affect me as much as this one was Hotel Rwanda
Ioan Gruffudd also starred in The Fantastic Four
Romola Garai was also in Vanity Fair
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See also my Top Ten Dramas list.
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Recommended:
Yes
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