iMushoo

Updated last March 08, 2010, 9:23 pm (Philippine Time)

Amazing Grace is a movie that portrays the efforts of William Wilberforce against slave trade wherein Africans were ‘captured’ to forcefully make them slaves in plantations like sugar fields; and abolition that exist in the British Empire during the period of 1780’s and early 1980’s. Moreover, it also shows the accurate portrayal of the British abolitionists and their deeds before the 1801 Abolition Act.

Released (in the U.S) by Samuel Goldwyn Films, Roadside Attractions, Bristol Bay Productions presentation and others in the commemoration of the passing of the Bill that banned slave trade, an event that constitutes the climactic scene.

The title ‘Amazing Grace’ comes from the song, Amazing Grace itself from the mentor of Wilberforce, John Newton, the adviser of William in times of his sharp crossroads.

The main body of the movie was completely rooted on the slavery and the Abolition Act. What does not make clear is that the bill did not abolish slavery itself, which persist in Jamaica and other British colonies after 30 years.

Slave trade starts in the year 1472 wherein Portuguese negotiate the first slave trade agreement that also includes gold and ivory. By the end of the 19^th century, over 11 million Africans would arrive in the Americas than Europeans. In 1823, Wilberforce felt compassion of Africans that he addresses the persistence of the institution in his “Appeal in Behalf of the Negro Slaves in the West Indies”. Always on the religious moralist (he was Evangelical), Wilber looked at slaves showing generosity and a breaking heart unto them, quoted “we should treat with candour and tenderness the characters of the West India proprietors.” “Slavery was the almost destitution of religious and moral instruction among the slaves.”

For a movie about the British parliamentary process, Amazing Grace ‘gets all the clocks’. The movie balances the time with the Parliament, the meeting with the Wilberforce’s allies and the ‘jumps’ from time to time.; form past to present to future; which makes a vivid representation of the paces of the events.

The film revealed both Wilbur’s compassion as he fed dozens of poor, enough to cause his chief cook to almost have a breakdown and the soft spot for animals which merely means antislavery which was revealed in the beginning of the film as a horse is beaten nearly to death. In some places this shot is intensely violent neither visually or in dialogue. There is a relatively long sequence of extreme brutality and intense human misery. The inclusivity about the terrors faced by the slaves are somewhat effective in imparting the intensity of the evil they suffered. But it is not simply Wilberforce’s compassion that is at work here-that would be an insufferable cliché. The man reacts threateningly to Wilberforce’s intervention, he shows sympathy from Wilbur’s ‘pure reasons’ which appears to man’s interest. This is precisely what Wilberforce would go on to do as a member of the Parliament. He wants to explain to his countrymen the facts about slavery and abolition to let them do the right thing.

Some would say Amazing Grace is a normal lesson not a movie. Religion was also certainly suffused but it is not a ‘religious film’. Most of it deals with politics and the treatment of it in those years. Issues and consequences appear consequently in the heart of the character’s motivation.

On the case of John Newton who writes the song ‘Amazing Grace’, gives definition to the phrase “I was blind but now I see”. Newton plotted ships to carry 20, 000 slaves from Africa then became a staunch of abolishing slave trade as “20, 000 ghosts haunted him”. This theme of light and darkness is taken up in the narrative in the story of John Newton. It was ironically shown as the prominent line when he loses his sight but speaks to Wilberforce of his real ability to ‘see’, given him by God. John’s characteristic towers strength, harrowing doubts and personal guilt was indeed stated clearly in the film the powerful illustration of each person’s need for a Savior.

While the film could be used as an educational tool, it bears disturbingly dark and bitter tales and portrayals of terror suffered by African abductees.

The film shows the transition of Britain from societies in which a small aristocracy rules without the immense effect of public influence. This is in great part a manifestation of the world changing effects of Protestantism; Amazing Grace shows that relationship by depicting the central place of Wilberforce’s evangelical zeal in motivating his entirely quixotic ambition to end the slave trade throughout the British Empire. (S.T Karnick, 2007)

Wilberforce’s aspiration opposes everyone’s interest to keep slavery in keeping it going because it ingrain’s British economy. Hence, at first there is overwhelming opposition to Wilberforce’s ambitious proposal. He has to struggle for years before he can even get close to victory. The members of the Parliament, otherwise has a fear in such a basic change that they have thought it will bring vast social disorder, poverty and catastrophic defeat in an imminent war with the French.

The radicals, represented by Clarkson, are too impatient to accept gradual change. They want an immediate transformation of English society such as that the entire aristocracy will be thrown out immediately as it happening to France. (S.T Karnick, 2007).

On the other hand, Wilberforce and his allies are looking on ways with equal detoriation of liberty and order. Clarkson argues to a change in the order of the French Revolution while Wilbur points out that prudence and justice must be in an orderly way. However, a perfect liberalism would be a hard star to catch.

The most startling thing in the film is its vivid illustration of the Christian foundations of liberalism. Both William’s life and efforts against slavery is balancely illustrated. However, the ‘real’ people’s movement especially the working class upon the issue was not clearly seen in the way of the body of the film, instead it was ‘embodied’ through 300, 000 of names and signature which William used during the 1^st debates. On the other hand, tension between reason and compassion was, however, clearly equalized in harmony of theme o0f the event. In any particular case, it is up to the body of believers to find where the two come together, in the greatest balance of liberty and order in which human condition was made consisted and endurable.

Amazing Grace shows motivations through politics with the color of religious pessimism. Furthermore, the film seldom strays outside the Parliament or from Wilberforce’s country estate [William was wealthy]. However, the situation in the country and members of the government and the system itself was definitely seen in the film and in such it can be an effective use for interaction and development of people, politics and administration.

Links:

http://www.amazinggracemovie.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazing_Grace

U.S. Library of Congress Amazing Grace collection

Cowper & Newton Museum in Olney, England

Amazing Grace: Some Early Tunes Anthology of the American Hymn-Tune Repertory