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Amazing Grace
Mar. 25th, 2007 07:00 pmSo, I went to see Amazing Grace this afternoon as I didn't think it would be a film of wider interest. I expect I'm correct on that score, but I would still encoruage anyone who enjoys a good historical film or biopic to give it a try - it's an earnest, emotional, and mostly accurate portrait of William Wilberforce and the abolition movement in England in the late 18th and early 19th Century. (Liberties were taken with the timeline and political alliances, but that sort of thing is to be expected.)
Other reasons to watch include Ioan "Hornblower" Gruffudd as William Wilberforce, Benedict "Edmund Talbot" Cumberbatch as William Pitt the Younger, Rufus Sewell, Michael Gambon, Ciarán Hinds, Romola Garai, and more Hey-It's-That-Guy historical drama talent than you can shake a stick at. Oh, and me being me, I must comment that the (historically based) friendship between Wilberforce and Pitt is completely charming - they race each other, snark, fight, make up, everything. The film even closes with the note that they were buried next to each other in Westminster Abbey, for crying out loud! In conclusion, Wilberforce/Pitt the Younger = OTP. (They're up there with Wellington/Arbuthnot in my collection of 19th Century political pairings. Yes, I am really weird. ;)
One odd thing that struck me was mid-way through the film, someone mentioned the name "Sir William Dolben" and the name pinged for me, although I couldn't figure out why - in the film, he's just another MP who makes a brief appearance. After spending the entire walk home fretting over it, and googling his name with no success, it finally hit me - we have a portrait of a Sir William Dolben (not the one in the film, likely his ancestor as it is a 17th Century painting) that takes pride of place in the office over the fireplace - Dolben the Elder was apparently a close friend of Lord Nathaniel Crewe, a principal benefactor of the College.
Anyway - Amazing Grace - it's got wigs, Whigs, stirring speeches, emotional exchanges, a superb cast and an uplifting ending. Consider watching it!
Other reasons to watch include Ioan "Hornblower" Gruffudd as William Wilberforce, Benedict "Edmund Talbot" Cumberbatch as William Pitt the Younger, Rufus Sewell, Michael Gambon, Ciarán Hinds, Romola Garai, and more Hey-It's-That-Guy historical drama talent than you can shake a stick at. Oh, and me being me, I must comment that the (historically based) friendship between Wilberforce and Pitt is completely charming - they race each other, snark, fight, make up, everything. The film even closes with the note that they were buried next to each other in Westminster Abbey, for crying out loud! In conclusion, Wilberforce/Pitt the Younger = OTP. (They're up there with Wellington/Arbuthnot in my collection of 19th Century political pairings. Yes, I am really weird. ;)
One odd thing that struck me was mid-way through the film, someone mentioned the name "Sir William Dolben" and the name pinged for me, although I couldn't figure out why - in the film, he's just another MP who makes a brief appearance. After spending the entire walk home fretting over it, and googling his name with no success, it finally hit me - we have a portrait of a Sir William Dolben (not the one in the film, likely his ancestor as it is a 17th Century painting) that takes pride of place in the office over the fireplace - Dolben the Elder was apparently a close friend of Lord Nathaniel Crewe, a principal benefactor of the College.
Anyway - Amazing Grace - it's got wigs, Whigs, stirring speeches, emotional exchanges, a superb cast and an uplifting ending. Consider watching it!