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Amazing Grace

  • 20062006
  • PGPG
  • 1h 58m
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
25K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Romola Garai and Ioan Gruffudd in Amazing Grace (2006)
Home Video Trailer from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Play trailer2:30
1 Video
23 Photos
  • Biography
  • Drama
  • History

The idealist William Wilberforce (Ioan Gruffudd) maneuvers his way through Parliament, endeavoring to end the British transatlantic slave trade.The idealist William Wilberforce (Ioan Gruffudd) maneuvers his way through Parliament, endeavoring to end the British transatlantic slave trade.The idealist William Wilberforce (Ioan Gruffudd) maneuvers his way through Parliament, endeavoring to end the British transatlantic slave trade.

IMDb RATING
7.4/10
25K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Michael Apted
  • Writer
    • Steven Knight
  • Stars
    • Ioan Gruffudd
    • Albert Finney
    • Michael Gambon
Top credits
  • Director
    • Michael Apted
  • Writer
    • Steven Knight
  • Stars
    • Ioan Gruffudd
    • Albert Finney
    • Michael Gambon
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 161User reviews
    • 94Critic reviews
    • 65Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 3 wins & 6 nominations

    Videos1

    Amazing Grace
    Trailer 2:30
    Amazing Grace

    Photos23

    Benedict Cumberbatch in Amazing Grace (2006)
    Ioan Gruffudd and Benedict Cumberbatch in Amazing Grace (2006)
    Benedict Cumberbatch in Amazing Grace (2006)
    Benedict Cumberbatch in Amazing Grace (2006)
    Ioan Gruffudd in Amazing Grace (2006)
    Rufus Sewell and Youssou N'Dour in Amazing Grace (2006)
    Ioan Gruffudd and Youssou N'Dour in Amazing Grace (2006)
    Albert Finney in Amazing Grace (2006)
    Ioan Gruffudd in Amazing Grace (2006)
    Romola Garai and Ioan Gruffudd in Amazing Grace (2006)
    Ioan Gruffudd in Amazing Grace (2006)
    Romola Garai in Amazing Grace (2006)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Ioan Gruffudd
    Ioan Gruffudd
    • William Wilberforceas William Wilberforce
    Albert Finney
    Albert Finney
    • John Newtonas John Newton
    Michael Gambon
    Michael Gambon
    • Lord Charles Foxas Lord Charles Fox
    Romola Garai
    Romola Garai
    • Barbara Spooneras Barbara Spooner
    Benedict Cumberbatch
    Benedict Cumberbatch
    • William Pittas William Pitt
    Rufus Sewell
    Rufus Sewell
    • Thomas Clarksonas Thomas Clarkson
    Youssou N'Dour
    Youssou N'Dour
    • Olaudah Equianoas Olaudah Equiano
    Ciarán Hinds
    Ciarán Hinds
    • Lord Tarletonas Lord Tarleton
    • (as Ciaran Hinds)
    Toby Jones
    Toby Jones
    • Duke of Clarenceas Duke of Clarence
    Nicholas Farrell
    Nicholas Farrell
    • Henry Thorntonas Henry Thornton
    Sylvestra Le Touzel
    Sylvestra Le Touzel
    • Marianne Thorntonas Marianne Thornton
    Jeremy Swift
    Jeremy Swift
    • Richard the Butleras Richard the Butler
    Stephen Campbell Moore
    Stephen Campbell Moore
    • James Stephenas James Stephen
    Bill Paterson
    Bill Paterson
    • Lord Dundasas Lord Dundas
    Nicholas Day
    Nicholas Day
    • Sir William Dolbenas Sir William Dolben
    Georgie Glen
    Georgie Glen
    • Hannah Moreas Hannah More
    Nicholas Woodeson
    Nicholas Woodeson
    • Harrisonas Harrison
    Tom Fisher
    Tom Fisher
    • John Ramsayas John Ramsay
    • Director
      • Michael Apted
    • Writer
      • Steven Knight
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    In 1797, William Wilberforce (Ioan Gruffudd), the great crusader for the British abolition of slavery, is taking a vacation for his health even while he is sicker at heart for his frustrated cause. However, meeting the charming Barbara Spooner (Romola Garai), Wilberforce finds a soulmate to share the story of his struggle. With few allies such as his mentor, John Newton (Albert Finney), a slave ship Captain turned repentant Priest who penned the hymn, "Amazing Grace", future Prime Minister William Pitt (Benedict Cumberbatch), and Olaudah Equiano (Youssou N'Dour), the erudite former slave turned author, Wilberforce fruitlessly fights public indifference and moneyed opposition determined to keep their exploitation safe. Nevertheless, Wilberforce finds the inspiration in newfound love to rejuvenate the fight with new ideas that would lead to a great victory for social justice. —Kenneth Chisholm (kchishol@rogers.com)
    • pregnancy
    • christian feminism
    • slave
    • slave trade
    • abolition
    • 142 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • Behind the song you love is a story you will never forget.
    • Genres
      • Biography
      • Drama
      • History
      • Romance
    • Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
      • Rated PG for thematic material involving slavery, and some mild language
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The scene where William Wilberforce (Ioan Gruffudd) sings "Amazing Grace" at the card house was sung by Gruffudd at that moment. In the last several takes, a playback was used, but it is Ioan singing. Director Michael Apted had no idea whether or not Gruffudd could actually sing. Little did he know, Ioan is an accomplished soloist and choir singer. With a little practice, Ioan performed for the first time on-set while the cameras were rolling. All much to the surprise of the cast, crew, and director.
    • Goofs
      Near the end of the movie, Clarkson is sitting at the grave site of Equiano. While he's talking, the blowing wind causes the cardboard or foam headstone to move.
    • Quotes

      John Newton: Although my memory's fading, I remember two things very clearly. I'm a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior.

    • Connections
      Featured in Tavis Smiley: Episode dated 23 January 2007 (2007)
    • Soundtracks
      Amazing Grace
      Lyrics by John Newton

      Music by William Walker

      Performed by Ioan Gruffudd

    User reviews161

    Review
    Top review
    Inspiring but inaccurate
    To see this well mounted but simplistic and worshipful bio-pic, one would think that William Wilberforce (and to a lesser extent, young Mr. Pitt) were the only members of Parliament to speak out against the war with America, then against the slave trade. Not so, folks - next time you're in Westminster Abbey, you might check out the large abolitionist monument dedicated someone whose fight against the slave trade predated that of Wilberforce and was widely recognized during his liftetime: Charles James Fox.

    Yes, that same Fox so inaccurately identified in the film as a tame follower of Wilberforce, agonizing over the slavery question and finally swayed by the young man's eloquence. Truth is, Fox - whose pro-American, pro-French Revolution, anti-slavery and anti-absolute monarchy sentiments put him at odds with George III during nearly his entire political career - was a "phenomenon of the age" in the words of a contemporary, and one of Parliament's most eloquent speakers on a range of causes that certainly rivalled those of Wilberforce.

    He was also only 10 years older than Pitt, something you'd never guess from the fright-wig makeup Michael Gambon wears.

    You can understand why such scripting decisions are made: Wilberforce has to be young and sexy to be attractive, and his more priggish attitudes (he often urged Parliament to pass laws prohibiting all amusements on Sundays, and was appalled at what he deemed Fox's immorality: his drinking, gambling and womanizing) have to be eliminated. It's a shame, because Wilberforce was all the more interesting for being a complex human - but it's so much easier to make him terribly young, eager and dashing, and all other politicians of the day old and timid.

    Other strange egregious errors: Fox was not a lord, nor would you find any lords among Wilberforce's fellows in the House; lords do not sit in the House of Commons. The character identified as the king's son, the Duke of Cumberland, would have been about 12 years old at the time of the movie's action. Pitt was prime minister for some 20 years, yet his cautious political trimming was at least partly responsible for the slave trade continuing as long as it did.

    It was a pleasant enough film and rousing in parts, but I prefer my history more red-blooded and reflective of real human beings.
    helpful•19
    11
    • Sophie-3
    • Feb 24, 2007

    FAQ1

    • What is the flag in the slave ship scene?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 23, 2007 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United States
      • United Kingdom
    • Official sites
      • Official site
      • Official site (Japan)
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • 奇異恩典
    • Filming locations
      • Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England, UK
    • Production companies
      • Bristol Bay Productions
      • Ingenious Film Partners
      • Sunflower Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $21,250,683
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $4,305,000
      • Feb 25, 2007
    • Gross worldwide
      • $32,120,360
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 58 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • SDDS
      • Dolby Digital
      • DTS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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