I was a little sceptical of this movie until I saw it. I’d heard all sorts of rumours such as it glamorised slavery and ignored the resistance of the slaves in the West Indies.Ìý Not so. Having seen the movie it is quite clear that it is an insight into the personal and emotional struggle that William Wilberforce had to get his bill to abolish the transatlantic slave trade in the British Empire - through Parliament. Wilberforce is portrayed by Ioan Gruffudd who took the lead in 'Hornblower'. The movie clearly outlines the mood of the times during which Britain had lost the War of Independence with America, been at war with France as well as witness the French revolution. The level of resistance and hostility by the pro-slavery MPs in Parliament towards Wilberforce is fever pitch at times and the movie illustrates quite well the level of opposition to the abolition of the slave trade let alone slavery itself. Ciaran Hinds plays Liverpool MP Lord Tarleton who brings to life the selfish concerns that ending the slave trade would bring to his city. The movie does not attempt to illustrate slavery or the misery of the trade which involved the forced migration of Africans across the Atlantic to plantations in disease riddled boats, since this was out of sight of British society. What the film does do very well is portray the importance of the abolitionist movement in raising awareness of the plight of the enslaved.Ìý Rufus Sewell plays Thomas Clarkson and gives a clear personality to this freedom activist who rode thousand of miles on horseback throughout Britain armed with ironware to demonstrate the barbaric treatment of slaves. Musician and actor Youssou N’Dour plays former slave and abolitionist Olaudah Equiano a man who raised awareness by selling copies of his biography which detailed his capture and enslavement.Ìý The portrayal of the remaining abolitionists is told well and includes the falling out between individuals like Wilberforce and Thomas Clarkson as well as Prime Minister William Pitt. The movie also tells how Wilberforce met, fell in love with and married Barbara Spooner.Ìý One thing is made quite clear by the movie and that is the relentless times that the slave trade abolition bill was presented in Parliament.ÌýÌýÌý ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý'Amazing Grace' will be on general release on 23 March 2007 | 
