Jun 06, 2015 the mix of the historical underground railroad and slavery in the united states, tied in with the story of john newton writer of amazing grace, and the fictional story of samuel and his family made a brilliant subject. Prince william, the duke of clarence was not a member of the house of commons, but was, beginning in 1789, a member of the house of lords, where he did speak against the abolition of the slave trade. The novel is renowned for its historical accuracy, a. Behind the song you love is a story you will never forget from the makers of ray and acclaimed director michael apted, comes the inspiring story of how one mans passion and perseverance changed the world. His boring fidelity to historical accuracy including the endless, sleepinducing parliamentary debates is enlivened by some surprisingly affecting departures. This is not quite true newton continued being a slave trader after he had. In the film, it only takes a few sentences to keep the film going. Review aggregation website rotten tomatoes gives the film a score of. Amazing grace, a prettified take on the life and times of the 18thcentury reformer william wilberforce, carries a strong whiff of piety. Indiana has a rich history of underground railroad operations.
Rent amazing grace 2006 on dvd and bluray dvd netflix. Prior to being made a duke like his elder brothers and receiving a similar parliamentary grant, prince william had put pressure on his reluctant father by threatening to. Amazing grace 2006 evangelical cleric and hymn writer john newton plays a prominent part in this film about british abolitionist william wilberforce. That said, this is an historical movie, and the plot follows the history so closely that it has trouble fitting in the necessary dramatic plot points. Released 1974, amazing grace stars momsmabley, slappywhite, mosesgunn, rosalindcash the g movie has a runtime of about 1 hr 37 min, and received a score of out of 100 on metacritic, which. Newtons words are also a vivid autobiographical commentary on how he was spared from both physical and spiritual ruin. Apr 28, 2010 john newton was known as the great blasphemer. Hi, i put this in this section because the people over in the movie section probably dont know much about history anyways. The film begins with wilberforce severely ill and taking a holiday in bath, somerset, with his cousin, henry thornton. Jun 28, 2015 amazing grace was written by an englishman who in the early part of his life was an outspoken atheist, libertine, and slave trader. Amazing grace 2007 ioan gruffudd, benedict cumberbatch pg.
Uplifting, inspiring, an amazing movie the cinematography is gorgeous, the acting is stellar, the story is inspiring and heartrending at the same time. The beloved hymn and its author john newton, a former slave trader, have inspired a new broadway musical, but the true history is complex and ambiguous. Similar to chariots of fire and shadowlands in tone, amazing grace balances faith and filmmaking in a historical drama that depicts an ordinary christian doing extraordinary things because of his. Fans of british history, more specifically those interested britains role in the. What are some historical inaccuracies of the movie the. Feb 23, 2007 amazing grace, a prettified take on the life and times of the 18thcentury reformer william wilberforce, carries a strong whiff of piety.
Its text, a poem penned in 1772 by john newton, describes the joy and peace of a soul uplifted from despair to salvation through the gift of grace. It has been the cadence for civil rights marches and the theme of human rights campaigns. First appearing in print in the 1779 edition of olney hymns, the song amazing grace has brought words of hope to enslaved people and comfort to mourners for nearly three centuries. Yet, as square as this movie is, it has been made with eloquence and jaunty high. Based on actual events, this historical drama tells the story of william wilberforce, an 18thcentury english politician who launched an aggressive campaign to abolish british slavery, despite staunch opposition. Author christine schaub recently prescreened the upcoming movie amazing grace. Rise up with courage and grace steps for youth to take with the amazing grace. For others, the film is a shameful rewriting of history.
Samuels journey to freedom and his discovery of faith in gods promise, lead to a deeply moving end to this movie. The points of historical inaccuracy are minor, however they are numerous. Rise up with courage and grace program step 1 see the film and read a book the movie. These fugitive men and women frequently altered their routes and the locations of their stops in. Walden medias film amazing grace had been playing for forty minutes, and john newton was about to make his entrance. I want to know what stuff portrayed in the amazing grace any kind of detail is not historical accurate, including dates and stuff. Definitely amazing grace is one of the amazing pieces in the movie puzzle depicting the history of african americans, and it is worth seeing as such. In contrast, amazing grace isnt landing at the multiplex with a multimillion dollar ad campaign trumpeting its arrival. The films wilberforce is a fanatic, a true believer, a crusader, a man of action and god, of stirring principle and tireless will. Although he at first resists, she convinces him to tell her about his life.
It is here that he is introduced to his future wife, barbara spooner. Arguably the bestknown christian hymn is amazing grace. The films historical accuracy andor any artistic license. The song has been part of the burial of presidents and services for paupers. Overall, the film was not trying to be as historically accurate as possible, but was introducing an audience.
The more wilberforce sees through flashbacks and imagined visions pictured while remorseful slave ship captain amazing grace composer john newton albert finney recalls abusing and killing slaves. A little judicious editing might give the movie a tighter, more dramatic storyline. Amazing grace is a 2006 britishamerican biographical drama film directed by michael apted, about the campaign against the slave trade in the british empire, led by william wilberforce, who was responsible for steering antislave trade legislation through the british parliament. The wellshot scenes of the film however betray a wealth of inaccuracies both in its story line and in historical fact. Is amazing graces take on the slave trade historically. Many escaped slaves traveled across the hoosier state in the years prior to and during the civil war. In amazing grace, you never do hear the hymn all the way through, but the audience was singing along, laughing, crying and applauding, which in 2007 is pretty amazing in itself.
Sep 15, 2015 in the film amazing grace, there is a lot of dialogue. Is amazing graces take on the slave trade historically accurate. He demanded that much of the dialogue be taken from the diaries and reports of those who had fought at dday and hired former allied and german commanders to provide technical advice. Amazing grace offers its gentle yet instructive hand and like magic, you. The struggle to rid the world of slavery has been a black mark against humanity. Like jackmans earlier film, wesley, newtons grace is far more valuable as an historical narrative than as a spiritual inspiration.
Amazing grace, a bristol bay productions film, opens in theaters on february 23, 2007. The author who chronicled the life of john newton, writer of the widelyknown song amazing grace, recently prescreened and critiqued the upcoming movie amazing grace by bristol bay productions christine schaubs bestselling novel the longing season, chronicles the life of john newton and the story behind his most beloved hymn. Amazing grace 1974 stream and watch online moviefone. I sat in the movie theatre, staring at the screen with more than a little bit of worry. The film amazing grace focuses on william wilberforce, who led the. Mar 25, 2007 what are some historical inaccuracies of the movie the amazing grace. Ioan gruffudd, albert finney, michael gambon, romola garai, benedict cumberbatch, rufus sewell. Wilberforce often comes across as too good to be true, which may be why the fine welsh. The story of british slave trader john newtons voyage to west africa and the events that inspired him to write the worlds most popular hymn, amazing grace. With nick moran, scott cleverdon, mbong amata, fred amata. One mans role in the long battle to outlaw slavery in the united kingdom sets the stage for this historical drama from director michael apted. Broadway musical, but the true history is complex and ambiguous.
John newton was born in london in 1725, the son of a puritan. Amazing grace represents a step toward setting the record straight. The film also recounts the experiences of john newton as a. William wilberforce, as a member of parliament, navigated the world of 18th century backroom politics to end the slave trade in the british empire. Only gods amazing grace could and would take a rude, profane, slavetrading sailor and transform him into a child of god.
The novel is renowned for its historical accuracy, a result that came from painstaking research. He sank so low at one point that he was even a servant to slaves in africa for a brief period. Amazing grace is probably the most beloved hymn of the last two centuries. A rare departure for walden media from its stockintrade of adapting acclaimed childrens books, amazing grace is an inspirational historical biopic celebrating the crusade of english parliamentarian william wilberforce ioan gruffudd of fantastic four and ff2, a devout. We are too young to realize that certain things are impossible. Apr 30, 2017 amazing grace is a hymn thats recognizable to almost every american, regardless of religious background.
We see different types of dialogue through what is said. The movie was overseen by the influential hollywood producer darryl f. The guardian gave it a c for the entertainment value and an a for its historical accuracy. Amazing grace a blog about history in television, movies. Compared to filmed narratives where the object is spiritual, this film shines by concentrating on history rather than contrived emotional content. My only criticism is that the abolitionist movement is portrayed as a work of god and ordinary men. When a question was asked in the movie, it was never answered with just a yes or a now. A william wilberforce was a leading figure in the political campaign to abolish the slave trade in britain. Schaubs most recent bestselling novel, the longing season, chronicles the life of john newton and the story behind his most beloved hymn. Inspired by the way amazing grace continues to change and grow in popularity, acclaimed music writer steve turner embarks on a journey to trace the life of the hymn, from olney, england, where it was written by former slave trader john newton, to tiny plantain island off the. How historically accurate is the movie the longest day. Fans of british history, more specifically those interested britains role in the slave trade will not want to miss the film amazing grace, directed.
Amazing grace isnt just a docudrama about some random but important historical event, with quakers, lawyers and members of parliament sprinkled in because theyre important but random historical people. John newton the story of discovering amazing grace. Amazing grace film gets historical facts mostly right. Grace s two trapezoidal satellites will follow identical orbits, one some 220 kilometres ahead of the other. This thematic connection to the song amazing grace which wilberforce sings passionately in one scene informs the movie s own structure. Dec 20, 2006 official trailer for michael apteds amazing grace, starring ioan gruffudd, michael gambon, and albert finney. It seems kind of like an allpurpose, hopeful song, says steve turner. The beloved hymn and its author john newton, a former slave trader, have inspired a new broadway musical, but the true history is complex. Youth may also see the movie when it becomes available on. The story flashes back 15 years to 1782, and william recounts the events that led.
Walden medias film amazing grace had been playing for forty minutes, and. The title is a reference to the hymn amazing grace. Zanuck and he was very committed to historical accuracy. Featuring a number of highprofile british actors, including michael gambon and tom courtney, amazing grace is a skilfullyfilmed period drama. Amazing grace, a prettified take on the life and times of the 18thcentury reformer. This is about fascinating peoplefascinating history. In true british fashion, the film amazing grace makes no attempt to tell the truth about. The complicated story behind the famous hymn amazing grace. Prior to being made a duke like his elder brothers and receiving a similar parliamentary grant, prince william had put. They use a lot of strong and big words that add to the dialogue. Amazing grace is truly amazing, and i would show it to all my kids were it not for the scary content. Behind our most beloved hymn is a fascinating story spanning continents, cultures, and centuries. My only criticism is that the abolitionist movement is portrayed as a work of god and ordinary men and women, but without much prayer. Although discouraged by his latest defeat and physical ailment, wilberforce is.