Amistad (1997)

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10/12/1997 (US)•Drama, History, Mystery•2h 35m

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Freedom is not given. It is our right at birth. But there are some moments when it must be taken.

Overview

In 1839, the slave ship Amistad set sail from Cuba to America. During the long trip, Cinque leads the slaves in an unprecedented uprising. They are then held prisoner in Connecticut, and their release becomes the subject of heated debate. Freed slave Theodore Joadson wants Cinque and the others exonerated and recruits property lawyer Roger Baldwin to help his case. Eventually, John Quincy Adams also becomes an ally.

Top Billed Cast

Morgan Freeman
Theodore Joadson
Nigel Hawthorne
Martin Van Buren
Anthony Hopkins
John Quincy Adams
Djimon Hounsou
Cinque
Matthew McConaughey
Roger Sherman Baldwin
David Paymer
Secretary John Forsyth
Pete Postlethwaite
Holabird
Stellan Skarsgård
Tappan
Razaaq Adoti
Yamba

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Reviews 1

A review by CinemaSerf

7.0

Written by CinemaSerf on Jun 24, 2022

Steven Spielberg took the helm for this rather classy, if very wordy, depiction of the celebrated legal battle that resulted from the mutiny of slaves aboard a Spanish ship in the late 1830s. A timely intervention from the US Navy rescued some of the crew, but then subjected the erstwhile cargo to an humiliating and debase battle for their "ownership". Roger Baldwin (Matthew McConaughey) takes up the cudgels on their behalf - at no small risk to himself, and with the assistance of former US President John Quincy Adams (Sir Anthony Hopkins) takes this principle all the way to the Supreme Court....