‘Amazing Grace’ a fine movie

Rexton Kuchinsky

November 23, 2007 12:04 am

— It is not often today that Hollywood produces a really fine movie. By fine, I’m not talking about special effects. Those are a dime a dozen these days. I’m talking about a great story.

The following film is not a Hollywood extravaganza. Instead it is an English film with English actors and about an extraordinary Englishman. The movie stars one of my favorite young actors, Ioan Gruffudd. For those of you who don’t think you’ve heard of him, he plays Mr. Fantastic of the Fantastic Four. He also has appeared in “Titanic” and plays Horatio Hornblower in the A&E series by that title.
The movie is “Amazing Grace” a true story of a man who had principles and stuck by them, no matter how long it took for the majority to agree with him. Also starring with Gruffudd in this marvelous period piece is Ciaran Hinds (Caesar of Rome), Albert Finney, Romola Garai and Rufus Sewell.
Gruffudd plays William Wilberforce, the man who eventually brings an end to the British slave trade. Romola Garai plays Barbara, the woman who shares his beliefs and marries him; Albert Finney is John Newton, the slave ship captain who repents and pens the famous song “Amazing Grace;” and Ciaran Hinds plays Lord Tarleton, Wilberforce’s main opponent in Parliament.
The settings, the costumes, the screenplay and the story are all first-rate. This was a movie that intrigued me from beginning to end.
The movie covers the political life of Wilberforce from the end of the revolutionary war until the early 19th century. During this time Wilberforce fights to pass legislation in Parliament outlawing the British slave trade to America. Needless to say, politics hasn’t changed much over the centuries. Special interests during this time influenced enough members of Parliament to defeat Wilberforce’s attempts to outlaw the trade.

Though Wilberforce almost gives up, it is the former slave ship captain John Newton who convinces him not to abandon his beliefs and to continue fighting for the cause.
If you did not get the chance to see this movie at the theater I suggest you rent or purchase the DVD and watch it at home. Most critics seem to like movies with social redeeming values and certainly “Amazing Grace” has it in spades, but it is also a very good historical drama. Gruffudd seems to be an exceptional actor in period roles and I like his performance here. I think you will agree.
“Amazing Grace” is 110 minutes in length and is rated PG.

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