AMISTAD
In this largely unreported but true story, adapted for the screen by
David Franzoni, a group of illegally obtained African human beings, led
by a man named Cinqué (Djimon Hounsou), rose up against their captors
in 1839 on board the slave ship La Amistad and took control. Although
they tried to force the remaining crew to sail them back east, they finally
were captured off the New England coast, where they were put back in chains
and accused of murder and piracy. And from there, they underwent an incredible
legal battle that took them to the highest court in this foreign land.
Although Stephen Spielberg is known for his special effects wizardry,
this film shows that his Schindler's List was not a fluke: he is
capable of real drama. There is some unsettling action footage about the
transatlantic voyage, but most of the film is set in the courtroom. It is
a very complex case, because there are several factions laying claim to
La Amistad's valuable cargo, from the 11-year-old Queen Isabella
II of Spain (Anna Paquin), who also ruled Cuba at the time, to the two Spaniards
who survived the insurrection, to the Connecticut sailors who found the
ship and now claim salvage rights. The issue of whether the Africans should
be granted their freedom doesn't seem to be even under consideration. But
that issue is what their self-appointed legal counsel, Roger Baldwin (Matthew
McConaughey), must bring to light: If these were free people taken from
their homes, then they had the right to rise up against their captors, and
all the other claims are moot.
This movie is impeccably produced; every detail down to the most minute
is carefully researched. The acting by Hounsou is superlative, touching
to the very soul with Cinqué's emotional journey, that of one who
has been put through torture and humiliation and still has the dignity to
believe in himself and his people. Also impeccable is Anthony Hopkins, who
plays then former president John Quincy Adams, the only president in American
history (so far) to return to service in Congress after his presidency.
Adams, a known abolitionist, is sought out by Baldwin for his clout and
his knowledge of law, to help win this case. Hopkins, a British actor in
his second role as an American president, has captured the essence of Adams
late in life, a doddering old man, weary of politics, beaten down by his
stormy session in the White House. Having lived his life in the shadow of
his eminent father John Adams, architect of the nation, he is still sharp
enough to know the difference between what we say as Americans and what
we do. And still strong enough to fight for justice. "We have right
at our side," he explains to the disheartened Cinqué, after
the case has been won but appealed to the Supreme Court by president Martin
Van Buren (Nigel Hawthorne), who is up for re-election and concerned about
losing the Southern vote. "We have righteousness at our side."
McConaughey's performance is also excellent, showing the difficulty of
arguing a case when absolutely everyone in the room who understands, disagrees.
His character, Baldwin, is actually not a trial lawyer, but one who specializes
in the return of stolen goods, so he is not used to cases of this magnitude.
His struggle with the law and the language barrier, with his sometimes unwilling
witness and an unsympathetic populace, is shown in his face. But so is his
knowledge of truth. And another face in whose that truth is particularly
evident is that of Morgan Freeman, who plays Theodore Joadson, a freed slave
and abolitionist who is looked upon by his African counterparts as at once
a brother, a traitor, and a curiosity. When Freeman and Hounsou are face
to face, their mutual undercurrent of conflicting feelings is powerfully
evident.
Amistad is a moving work of art. It is not action-packed, but packed with emotion and good performances. It is every bit as good a work by Spielberg as Schindler's List, and as likely a portrayal of the drama of human suffering and triumph. *****