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Amazing grace - Ioan Gruffudd, Romola Garai, Rufus Sewell, Michael Gambon, Michael Apted

Threat advisory: Elevated - Significant risk of entertaining activities

Movie propaganda

Behind the song you love is a story you will never forget.

From acclaimed director Michael Apted comes Amazing grace, a moving historical epic about the life of anti-slavery pioneer William Wilberforce (Ioan Gruffudd).

Amazing grace follows Wilberforce's career through his 20s and 30s, as he and his fellow humanitarians make the issue of slavery a talking point, not only in political circles, but also throughout the country. They wage the first modern political campaign, using petitions, boycotts, mass meetings and even badges with slogans to take their message to the country at large.

Theatrical propaganda posters

Amazing grace theatrical one sheet image

Target demographic movie keyword propaganda

Film drama true UK slavery protest politics law repeal British Empire

Persons of interest

Stephen Campbell Moore .... James Stephen
Benedict Cumberbatch .... Pitt the Younger
Nicholas Day .... William Dolben
Nicholas Farrell .... Henry Thornton
Albert Finney .... John Newton
Michael Gambon .... Lord Charles Fox
Romola Garai .... Barbara Wilberforce
Georgie Glen .... Hannah More
Ioan Gruffudd .... William Wilberforce
Ciarán Hinds .... Lord Tarleton
Toby Jones .... Duke of Clarence
Sylvestra Le Touzel .... Marianne Thornton
Youssou N'Dour .... Oloudaqh Equiano
Bill Paterson .... Lord Dundas
Richard Ridings .... Speaker
Rufus Sewell .... Thomas Clarkson
Jeremy Swift .... Richard
Steven Knight .... Screenwriter
Michael Apted .... Director

Cinematic intelligence sources

Amazing grace official movie site
Amazing grace film production notes
Amazing grace QuickTime movie trailers
Awards and film festivals:

See also Amistad, The four feathers, The patriot
Studios and distributors:

Rialto Entertainment

Intelligence analyst

Special Agent Matti

Theatrical report

It's a tad ironic to see Ioan Gruffudd being William Wilberforce at the same time that he's also being Horatio Hornblower; Horry and Willy both live at the (prolonged) height of the British Empire (on which the sun never sets). That distracted me somewhat while I was watching Amazing grace but only somewhat: the drama of the struggle to free all humans from slavery is more than enough to overcome.

On top of that, there's all the marvellous old world architecture and antiques. Wilberforce has a table with a polished shine that has to be seen to be believed. How I yearn for the days when things were made to one day be old rather than replaced. Planned obsolescence sucks. Capitalism sucks!

Getting back to the movie, Ioan and Romola Garai have a chemistry that sparkles. You will so want them to get together. Ioan and Benedict Cumberbatch (now there's a good English name) also have a chemistry, that of young friends who become old friends. And if you like historical detail, there're golf, horse riding, servants, clothing, transport, ships, powdered wigs, chandeliers and, of course, slavery. Most people believe that slavery is bad. Amazing grace is less about how bad it is than about how hard it is to make a paradigm shift, especially when there's money involved. And power. And politicians.

Bloody politicians.

Even were this film not based on truth it would be a good drama, as it is, it's a very good drama. I heartily recommend it.

The drama, true, UK movie Amazing grace is directed by Michael Apted and stars Ioan Gruffudd, Romola Garai, Rufus Sewell, Michael Gambon.