Amazing Grace Summary 5 Essay Example

become his future wife, Barbara Spooner.

With many signs of infatuation towards Wilberforce, Barbara gives Wilberforce a reason to exist, as he tells her his story, which allows the film to flashback to his gloomy days in Parliament. The flashback begins and we see Wilberforce as a young man. At this point, he is debating whether he should go into the ministry and abandon a political career altogether. His friend William Pitt tries to convince him not to, and tells Wilberforce of his magnificent plan to become prime minister and that he wants Wilberforce there with him. Pitt, still trying to convince Wilberforce to stay in Parliament brings a roup of people over to Wilberforce’s house for dinner. While eating, one of the men places a set of chains on the table and begins to explain how slaves are transported in ships.

A former slave, Oloudah Equiano, explains the process and shows Wilberforce the branding mark on his chest he got when he was sold. They tell Wilberforce that they need someone to help them to oppose the trade. John Newton, an elderly priest, served as captain of a slave ship who realized what he was doing was wrong. He then wrote a song to God to free him from the sin of his wrong doing in his correlation with the slave trade; this song was called “Amazing Grace. Newton acts as indefinite motivation for Wilberforce to continue his anti-slave movement. Parliament becomes impossible to persuade.

There are so many excuses set fourth by the Parliament explaining what effects the lack of trade will cause to the people of the city, as well as many industries.

Even with the research Wilberforce gathers and presents to the Parliament, including an autobiography written by his friend/former slave Equiano, but still not one thing happens. Wilberforce and his friends try year after year to get the abolition bill passed but results are without success. Wilberforce soon gets married to Barbara.

During the wedding reception, Wilberforce comes in contact with William Pitt. Pitt explains that now the Parliament will be more open again to talk of abolition, and encourages Wilber to come back and try. After the wedding, Wilberforce is motivated to re-gather his friends, and take another shot at Parliament. Eventually, and at last, Wilberforce gets an excellent collaboration force of friends that motivate the movement to a new degree. New ideas are created, and new ideas change the way the group thinks. One idea in particular—of which is the crux in the final abolition of slavery act—is genius.

One incredibly important character, James Stephen, comes up with a scheming political sidestep to assist them in abolishing the slave trade. The result of Stephen’s plan would allow for the seizure of neutral ships trading with ports under French control. Not only would this hurt France, but Stephen particularly desires its side effect: it would cut slave trade profits by nearly 80%. It would attack illegal slave ships flying the flag of a neutral country, specifically American, and severely reduce the supplies sent to the slave holding Caribbean colonies by ships using the American flag for protection.Not only does this help put a stop to much of the slave trade, the act itself looks patriotic in its action against the French.

Wilberforce later gets called to William

Pitt's home; Pitt is dying. Wilber goes in to see his old friend, Pitt tells him what will happen when he dies; Pitt has arranged things politically to be to Wilberforce's benefit. Wilberforce takes his hand in his; Pitt says quietly that he wishes he had Wilberforce's faith. In suspense, Parliament votes, and the abolition of the slave trade passes with great cheers and applause.

In 1833, Wilberforce dies, and we are told at the end of the movie that he was buried next to his best friend William Pitt. “Amazing Grace” was such an amazing learning tool. Anyone could walk into that movie, and one hour and fifty-one minutes later, walk out knowing so much more. Understanding so much more about what actually happened back in the years of fighting for the abolition of the slave trade, is so important. Amazing Grace is a movie which emphasizes character, Christian values, and yes, even virtues – something that you rarely see in Hollywood films nowadays.

It also makes its viewers aware that what is most needed in our society today is not only a change in our laws, but a change in the hearts of the people. The only thing bad about the movie is that it is so talky that it could gradually lose the audience’s interest, which is a real shame. The acting in the movie was incredibly done; brought everything to life. The lead actors in the movie are Ioan Gruffudd who plays William Wilberforce, Benedict Cumberbatch who plays William Pitt, Albert Finney who plays John Newton, and Romola Garai who plays Barbara—soon to be—Wilberforce.

The portrayal of the time period was amazing.Every scene

was filled with such great representation of what would have actually been seen over three-hundred years ago. The movie was positively historically precise with most of the scenes clearly demonstrating specific dates that do in fact match historic facts. If I were the director I would have reduced the amount of talking that took place in the movie. Although the movie was very complicated and did indeed require an abundant amount of information for the audience to appreciate the movie, I found myself very uninterested at some parts which led me to slowly stop paying attention.If I were the director I would give my self a pat on the back because of what great work I had done.

I would feel so good because I was able to educate so many people of what happened such a long time ago, and the importance of how free we are as citizens today. This movie truly was incredible and clearly demonstrates how one man risks everything, to speak for those, who could not. To make the blind see and to lead a movement that would change the world—“Remember that God made men…equal” (William Wilberforce).