I am not usually one to put down a film because of the inaccuracies, but since. Spielberg does a great job in recreating the amistad revolt that spurred a series of trials beginning in the lower courts of connecticut and ultimately. Their suffering, their pain, and the fight to be free. It is carrying a cargo of africans who have been sold into slavery in cuba, taken on board, and chained in the cargo hold of the ship. The movie gives little time to the bloody slave mutiny led by sengbe. Parents need to know that amistad is a 1997 oscarnominated steven spielberg movie about west africans on a slave ship who revolt against their captors but still must fight for their freedom in the courtrooms of america. It shows how, even though the case was won at the federal district court level, it was appealed by president martin van buren to the supreme court, and how former president john quincy adams took part in the proceedings. Trivia in real life, roger sherman baldwin matthew mcconaughey was an older, and more experienced lawyer than his character is in the movie. Teaching american history and the movie amistad american. The slaves kill all the crew except for two people, and demand that they be sailed back to africa.
In february of 1839, portuguese slave hunters abducted a large group of africans from sierra leone and shipped them to havana, cuba, a center for the slave trade. Amistad was filmed in connecticut, puerto rico and some in california. The highly intriguing film left me searching for more, which pate dutifully provided. List of amistad characters, including pictures when available. They kill most of the spanish crew but leave the two ship owners alive to sail the ship back to africa. In 1839, several africans were captured and transported by spanish slave traders to be sold to plantation owners in. As history, this account of a cuban slave ship seized in 1839 by its african captives, and their legal travail that ended in the u. The movie amistad 1997 the spielberg film tells the story of a group of slaves who, at the beginning of the film, overwhelm their spanish captors on the ship amistad and try in vain to return to africa. These characters from amistad are ordered by their significance to the film, so main characters are featured at the top while minor characters and cameos are further down on the list. Djimon hounsou in amistad 1997 djimon hounsou and razaaq adoti in amistad. The film begins in the hold of the ship as a group of captured africans succeed in breaking their chains.
Also sign me up for fanmail to get updates on all things movies. Amistad is the name of a slave ship travelling from cuba to the u. Amistad omits some truths that must be told baltimore sun. Feb 06, 2019 the amistad slave rebellion, 175 years ago. He prosecutes cinque and his colleagues for the murder of the spanish crew of the amistad, and he probably would have agreed. Instead, they are taken to connecticut, where they are brought to trial for murder. Amistad is a 1997 steven spielberg film based on the true story of a slave revolt which took place aboard a ship of the same name in 1839, and the legal battle that followed. Led by cinque, they arm themselves, take control of the ship and reclaim their freedom.
Spanish for friendship was a 19thcentury twomasted schooner, owned by a spaniard living in cuba. In this essay he explores the problems faced by the producers of amistad and the shortcomings of both the film and its accompanying study guide in their attempt to portray history. The amistad slave rebellion, 175 years ago history. In 1839, the slave ship amistad set sail from cuba to america. Middle passage, baldwins argument, bible scene, abolitionists. Supreme court justices in 1839 were slaveowning southerners. Amistad 1997 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. The character portrayed by morgan freeman is a fictional composite of several historical figures. The films protagonist, sengbe pieh, most known by his spanish name, cinque, painstakingly picks a nail out of the ships structure and uses it to pick the lock on his shackles. His new film centers on the legal status of africans who rise up against their captors on the high seas and are. As movie theaters close, studios are turning to videoondemand. This alone makes a movie like amistad well worth seeing.
Movie analysis to amistad essayswere these characters alive. It shows how, even though the case was won at the federal district. The same can be said about the cast of characters, despite the very worthy efforts of the actors, which is by far amistad s strongest asset. Most often, it is a waste of your time to read a book after you see a movie. Djimon hounsou as sengbe pieh joseph cinque matthew mcconaughey as roger sherman baldwin anthony hopkins as john quincy adams. But his will is challenged by former president john quincy adams, who comes. A brief summary of legal positions that were presented in the amistad case. Jan 08, 2011 the genre is that of a courtroom drama or a social problem film.
Amistad is a moving and uplifting but at times violent story of heroes battling overwhelming odds to win their freedom. The same can be said about the cast of characters, despite the very worthy efforts of the actors, which is by far amistads strongest asset. These characters were alive in 1839 and are still alive to. During the long trip, cinque djimon hounsou leads the slaves in an unprecedented uprising. Amistad and the abuse of history commentary magazine. Engage your students during remote learning with video readalouds. Strangely enough, the same need also drives amistads hagiography of adams, whoalone among the white charactershas his role ennobled. The original events took place in africa, britain, and spain. Amistad is one of them films that when the credits roll you just sit there and think what a wonderfull film that was,what a well directed and well acted movie i have. The movie starts off with cinque, one of the slaves, breaking free from his shackles, and leading a revolt on the ship. Spielberg does not set out to create a documentary, and he has the liberty of bending facts and characters to fit. Them leader of the slave revolt, cinque, and the other africans are. It became renowned in july 1839 for a slave revolt by mende captives, who had been captured by portuguese slave hunters in sierra leone in violation of all extant treaties and brought to cuba.
Former president john quincy adams anthony hopkins is reluctant to become involved, but when the case moves on to the supreme court. The alwaysreliable freemans presence is always welcome, but his character is a minor background player at best. Oct, 2018 list of amistad characters, including pictures when available. A few of the amistad rebels stayed with the missionaries, including the four children, who all took english names, but most apparently made a. In the summer of 1839, on a stormy night off the coast of cuba. Amistad cast and crew cast photos and info fandango. Spanish crew of the slave ship amistad, he soon finds himself on trial for murder in a. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. This seems like as good a time as any other to read amistad, the novelization of the 1997 spielberg film now played in high school history classes the world over including in my grade 12 history class. However, this is not the case with pates amistad, based on the screenplay of spielbergs extravaganza.
One of the astonishing facts revealed in steven spielbergs amistad is that seven of the nine u. This is the trailer of the movie where you can see the majority of the sets. Amistad characters cast list of characters from amistad. What is most valuable about amistad is the way it provides faces and names for its african characters, whom the movies so often make into. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing amistad near you. The plot is typically spoiled, while your expectations are shattered. If amistad pretends otherwise, it is only because cinque, by the movies lights, has to be seen to be freeing himself in court just as he did on board the slave schooner. A scene where cinque sees african violets in john quincy adams. The movie focuses on a littleknown armed insurrection carried out by 53 heroic africans against their slave masters on july 1, 1839. Amistad had a lot of memorable characters, which is part of the reason why the movie is so beloved by people around the world. When a group of men and women were kidnapped from the.
A grandson of roger sherman signer of the declaration of independence and the constitution, baldwin was in his late 40s, and a member of the connecticut state senate when he took the defense of the amistad captives. In 1839, several africans were captured and transported by spanish slave traders to be sold to plantation owners in cuba and the united states. From the discovery section of this website you can learn the history of the real amistad revolt of 18391842 on which steven spielbergs 1997 feature film amistad was based, a shipboard uprising off the coast of cuba that carried itself, inadvertently but fatefully, to the united stateswhere the amistad captives set off an intense legal. The opening scene, showing the slave revolt on board the amistad, is very violent, with blood and death from swords, axes. Slavery could, i suppose, be seen largely as a matter of laws and propertyat least to those benefitting from it. This abduction violated all of the treaties then in existence. This film is based on a true story, that took place in 1839. Historian eric foner, dewitt clinton professor of history at columbia university, examines the issues surrounding the historical film amistad. Doc critical analysis of the spielberg movie amistad. They made the sets look very similar to those they were mimicking. Amistad 1997 cast and crew in 1839, the slave ship amistad set sail from cuba to america. Several characters are altered or added for the sake of the films dramatic effect.
Meet the cast and learn more about the stars of amistad with exclusive news, pictures, videos and more at. The opening scene, showing the slave revolt on board the amistad, is very violent, with blood and death from swords, axes, and muskets. Overall, however, as a movie amistad is simply a bore. Was there something you didnt understand about the movie.
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