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Of slavery, power and God

By GAIL HOLLENBECK
Published March 3, 2007

OCALA - "That was powerful!" one woman said last weekend after viewing Samuel Goldwyn Films' latest production, Amazing Grace.

Her comment was representative: A packed theater applauded at the film's conclusion.

The movie, which placed 10th in the box office rankings for its first weekend, recounts the political career and personal life of William Wilberforce, a member of Parliament and an abolitionist who lived in 18th and 19th century England.

The true story is told in flashbacks as Wilberforce (Ioan Gruffudd), who is exhausted physically and emotionally from his 15-year battle in Parliament to end England's participation in the slave trade, recounts his efforts to Barbara Spooner (Romola Garai), a fellow abolitionist who later becomes his wife.

As the story is told to Spooner, the film takes viewers back to the younger Wilberforce as he makes himself known as the member of the House of Commons from Yorkshire by arguing for removing British troops from the United States.

In so doing, he finds strong opposition from Lord Fox (Michael Gambon) and Lord Tarleton (Ciaran Hinds).

While playing a card game with the Duke of Clarence (Toby Jones) in a club populated by Parliament members, Wilberforce tosses in his winning hand rather than accept his opponent's offer of his slave as part of the stakes. He returns later, speaks to his friend and ally William Pitt the Younger (Benedict Cumberbatch), and then climbs on the gaming table to sing a song for them.

The song, Amazing Grace, was written by his minister, John Newton.

While considering his relationship with God - "You found God, sir?" asks his servant. "No, I think he found me," Wilberforce replies - Wilberforce is faced with a perplexing decision: Does he give his life to the ministry or continue to serve in Parliament?

Pitt endeavors to convince his former college friend to see things his way.

"Do you use your beautiful voice to praise the Lord or change the world?" Pitt asks him, while sharing his own ambition to become the youngest prime minister, for which he would like to have his friend's support.

"People of Christianity need action as well as meditation," Pitt says.

Meanwhile, Wilberforce becomes acquainted with abolitionists like Thomas Clarkson (Rufus Sewell) and former Nigerian slave Olaudah Equiano (Youssou N'Dour), who has written a best-selling book relating his experiences as a slave.

The men show Wilberforce an actual slave ship, complete with neck and leg shackles and tiny slave compartments. Wilberforce is sickened by the sight.

To drive his point home, Equiano shows Wilberforce the brand that has been burned into his chest. "They do this to let you know that you no longer belong to God," he says, "but to a man."

At a dinner with his abolitionist friends, Wilberforce hears an opinion that would solve his quandary of what to do: "We humbly suggest that you can do both."

But while some, like Clarkson, believe revolution might be necessary to abolish slavery, Wilberforce will not hear of it: "I've pledged my loyalty to the king ... never speak of revolution in my presence again."

Still unsure of his calling, Wilberforce decides to visit the Rev. Newton (Albert Finney), who was a slave trader before his conversion to Christianity and is haunted by the memory of suffering of the 20,000 slaves he transported.

Newton has a firm opinion on the matter: "You have work to do. Do it. Take them on. Blow their dirty, filthy ships out of the water. Do it ... for God's sake."

Wilberforce decides that he can serve both God and mankind by remaining in Parliament, and finds a surprise ally in Lord Fox.

The rest of the film, as they say, is history, told in poignant detail, as Wilberforce passionately battles both Parliament and a dependency on the painkiller laudanum to secure a victory that takes him 28 years to achieve: the 1807 law that ended slave trading by his country.

IF YOU GO

'Amazing Grace'

- 12:40, 3:55, 7:05 and 9:50 p.m. at the Regal Hollywood 16, at 2801 SW 27th Ave. in Ocala.

- 1:35, 4:10, 7:10 and 9:45 p.m. at AMC Lake Square 12, 10401-015 U.S. 441 S, Leesburg.

Call the theaters for schedule changes at (352) 861-2695 or 861-2699 in Ocala or (352) 787-2807 in Leesburg. To see trailers for the film and read more of the history of William Wilberforce, visit amazinggracemovie.com.

[Last modified March 3, 2007, 00:07:17]