Amazing Grace the movie

Amazing Grace the Movie & Hugh Hewitt show ^

[airedale]

Hugh Hewitt was reviewing the movie Amazing Grace the story of William Wilberforce and his efforts to end slavery which opens on February 23, 2007. He gave it a big thumbs up review both as a movie and for its very positive message against slavery and for Christianity.

From the website linked above:

"Amazing Grace, based on the life of antislavery pioneer William Wilberforce, is directed by Michael Apted (The World is Not Enough, Coal Miner's Daughter) from an original screenplay written by Academy Award® nominee Steven Knight (Dirty Pretty Things).

The film stars Ioan Gruffudd (Black Hawk Down), Albert Finney (Erin Brockovich), Romola Garai (Vanity Fair), Michael Gambon (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban), Benedict Cumberbatch (Hawking), Rufus Sewell (Legend of Zorro), Ciaran Hinds (Rome) and introduces Youssou N'Dour.

Executive Producer is Jeanney Kim, with Mark Cooper as co-producer. Producers on the film are Terrence Malick (The Thin Red Line) and Ed Pressman under their Sunflower Productions banner, Patricia Heaton and David Hunt for FourBoys Films, and Ken Wales.

Gruffudd plays Wilberforce, who, as a Member of Parliament, navigated the world of 18th Century backroom politics to end the slave trade in the British Empire. Albert Finney plays John Newton, a confidante of Wilberforce who inspires him to pursue a life of service to humanity. Benedict Cumberbatch is William Pitt the Younger, England's youngest ever Prime Minister at the age of 24, who encourages his friend Wilberforce to take up the fight to outlaw slavery and supports him in his struggles in Parliament.

Elected to the House of Commons at the age of 21, and on his way to a successful political career, Wilberforce, over the course of two decades, took on the English establishment and persuaded those in power to end the inhumane trade of slavery.

Romola Garai plays Barbara Spooner, a beautiful and headstrong young woman who shares Wilberforce's passion for reform, and who becomes his wife after a whirlwind courtship. Youssou N'Dour is Olaudah Equiano. Born in Africa and sent as a slave to the Colonies, Equiano bought his freedom and made his home in London, where he wrote a best-selling account of his life and became a leading figure in the fight to end the slavery of his fellow countrymen."

How many of you find it hard to believe that a modern Hollywood movie would include this line (delivered by Albert Finney playing John Newton, former slaver and author of the hymn Amazing Grace,): "I know two things I'm a great sinner and Jesus Christ is a great Savior."

The film is being tied into the Amazing Change movement to end modern slavery. There are about 27 million slaves in the modern world as I write this. The Amazing Change website is at: http://www.theamazingchange.com/

[skr]

Thank you for the info!

[Sherman Logan]

There are about 27 million slaves in the modern world as I write this.

I wonder if this number includes sexual slaves. Many if not most "sex workers" are essentially enslaved by their pimps, bought and sold, etc.

[airedale]

Yes it does.

[fortheDeclaration]

An excellent recent work on the subject is 'Bury the Chains, Prophets and Rebels in the Fight to Free an Empire's Slaves' by Adam Hochschild.

[Miss Marple]

Thanks for posting this review. I will make an effort to see this movie.

[foundbythegrace]

Here is another example of John Newton's work. This, in context is showing the need of God's Amazing Grace.

The Day of Judgement
John Newton:

1 Day of judgement, day of wonders!
Hark! the trumpet's awful sound,
Louder than a thousand thunders,
Shakes the vast creation round!
How the summons will the sinner's heart confound.

2 See the Judge, our nature wearing,
Cloth'd in majesty divine!
You who long for his appearing
Then shall say, "This God is mine!"
Gracious Saviour, own me in that day for thine!

3 At his call, the dead awaken,
Rise to life from earth and sea:
All the pow'rs of nature shaken
By his looks prepare to flee:
Careless sinner, what will then become of thee?

4 Horrors past imagination
Will surprise your trembling heart,
When you hear your condemnation,
"Hence, accursed wretch, depart!
"Thou with Satan and his angels have thy part!"

5 Satan, who now tries to please you,
Lest you timely warning take,
When that word is past, will seize you,
Plunge you in the burning lake:
Think, poor sinner, thy eternal all's at stake.

6 But to those who have confessed,
Lov'd and serv'd the Lord below,
He will say, "Come near, ye blessed,
"See the kingdom I bestow;
You for ever shall my love and glory know."

7 Under sorrows and reproaches,
May this thought your courage raise
Swiftly God's great day approaches,
Sighs shall then be chang'd to praise:
We shall triumph when the world is in a blaze.

[GretchenM]

Ioan Gruffudd

He was Horatio Hornblower in the series by that name, among many other roles. I finally heard someone pronounce his name, as "YOWan." IMDb.com shows it as "YOan."

[Jessamine]

Does anyone know how it did Opening Weekend? Hubby & I saw it mid-day Saturday & theater wasn't very full, hope many more came at prime time.

[GretchenM]

Haven't seen any box office info on it.
I am hoping (God willing) to see it Tuesday afternoon.

What did you think of it?
Is there much violence?

[GretchenM]

Just did a web search and found this.
Weekend Box Office Actuals (U.S.)
Feb 23 - 25 weekend
http://movies.yahoo.com/mv/boxoffice/
This week 1 Last week 1 Name: Ghost Rider Wknd Gross $20,067,443 Total Gross $79,027,540 Theaters: 3620

Week 1: # 10 Name: Amazing Grace Wknd Gross $4,054,542 Total Gross $4,054,542 Theaters: 791

[GretchenM]

FYI
this is in the theater where I live now but I notice it only showed in 791 theaters for opening weekend. Usually the higher the box office take, the more theaters get the movie.

[ohioWfan]

Thanks for the ping, Gretchen.

I'll probably have to drive to the big city to see this. But I WILL.

[Txsleuth]

Thanks for posting this review.

I had no idea what the movie was about.

[SnarlinCubBear]

No violence Gem. It's the loveliest movie I've seen in ages.

The closest thing to violence is in the Parliament!

Oh, wait - one thing bothered me - at the start you see a horse being whipped. Wilberforce founded the SPCA, so in the movie, he stops his carriage and gives the abusers a piece of advice.

Just remember - it's all done by computer. No horse was actually harmed! Wouldn't be allowed.

[GretchenM]

Thanks for the info, very much appreciated. I hope to go Tuesday.

[drc43]

Saw it last weekend. We thought excellent. Great casting, sets, and well handled subject.

[daybreakcoming]

Thank you for the heads up. I only heard of this last week with no details. Is it kidproof? Hubby is back out of country again and so where I go, so do the kiddos.

[GretchenM]

FYI
pls excuse any double pings
This is in the theater where I live now but in its first weekend of release (last weekend) it was in only 791 theaters.

[GretchenM]

SnarlinCubBear posted some comments in #15. I haven't seen it yet but have read only good things about it.

Cubby, what is your call re children seeing it?