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Amistad

"Freedom is not given. It is our right at birth. But there are some moments when it must be taken."

1997-12-10 Drama 2hr 35m

In 1839, the slave ship Amistad set sail from Cuba to America. During the long trip, Cinque leads the slaves in an unprecedented uprising. They are then held prisoner in Connecticut, and their release becomes the subject of heated debate. Freed slave Theodore Joadson wants Cinque and the others exonerated and recruits property lawyer Roger Baldwin to help his case. Eventually, John Quincy Adams also becomes an ally.

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Storyline

In 1839, the slave ship Amistad set sail from Cuba to America. During the long trip, Cinque leads the slaves in an unprecedented uprising. They are then held prisoner in Connecticut, and their release becomes the subject of heated debate. Freed slave Theodore Joadson wants Cinque and the others exonerated and recruits property lawyer Roger Baldwin to help his case. Eventually, John Quincy Adams also becomes an ally.

  • Released
    1997-12-10
  • Revenue
    $44,229,441
  • Budget
    $36,000,000
  • Runtime
    2hr 35m
  • Genre
    Drama, History, Mystery
  • Status
    Released
  • Language
    English, Español
  • imdb-logo
    7.3
  • Production
    DreamWorks Pictures, HBO Films

Crew

Steven Spielberg
Director
Debbie Allen
Producer

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Cast

Morgan Freeman

Morgan Freeman

Theodore Joadson
Nigel Hawthorne

Nigel Hawthorne

Martin Van Buren
Anthony Hopkins

Anthony Hopkins

John Quincy Adams
Matthew McConaughey

Matthew McConaughey

Roger Sherman Baldwin
David Paymer

David Paymer

Secretary John Forsyth
Anna Paquin

Anna Paquin

Queen Isabella
Chiwetel Ejiofor

Chiwetel Ejiofor

Ensign Covey
Ralph Brown

Ralph Brown

Lieutenant Gedney
Darren E. Burrows

Darren E. Burrows

Lieutenant Meade
Allan Rich

Allan Rich

Judge Juttson
Peter Firth

Peter Firth

Captain Fitzgerald
Jeremy Northam

Jeremy Northam

Judge Coglin
Arliss Howard

Arliss Howard

John C. Calhoun
Willie Amakye

Willie Amakye

Folowa - Amistad African
Luc Assogba

Luc Assogba

Gbatui - Amistad African
Mariah Campbell

Mariah Campbell

Masery - Amistad African
Habib Conteh

Habib Conteh

Bai - Amistad African
Stephen Conteh

Stephen Conteh

Morlai - Amistad African
Monguehy Fanzy

Monguehy Fanzy

Fabanna - Amistad African
Jimmy Fotso

Jimmy Fotso

Kwong - Amistad African
Adekunle Ilori

Adekunle Ilori

Kahei - Amistad African
Sheriff Kargbo

Sheriff Kargbo

Almamy - Amistad African
Saye Lah

Saye Lah

Kessebe - Amistad African
Sylvestre Massaquoi

Sylvestre Massaquoi

Santigiie - Amistad African
Samson Odede

Samson Odede

Kpona - Amistad African
Chike Okpala

Chike Okpala

Sorie - Amistad African
Willie Onafesso

Willie Onafesso

Jina - Amistad African
Samuel Pieh

Samuel Pieh

Suuleh - Amistad African
Lansana Sawi

Lansana Sawi

Morlu - Amistad African
Abu Sidique

Abu Sidique

Tsukama - Amistad African
El Hadj Malik Sow

El Hadj Malik Sow

Golabu - Amistad African
Lamine Thiam

Lamine Thiam

Mahmud - Amistad African
Austin Pendleton

Austin Pendleton

Professor Gibbs
Daniel von Bargen

Daniel von Bargen

Warden Pendleton
Rusty Schwimmer

Rusty Schwimmer

Mrs. Pendleton
Pedro Armendáriz Jr.

Pedro Armendáriz Jr.

General Espatero
Michael Massee

Michael Massee

Prison Guard
Roy Cooper

Roy Cooper

Pickney
Jake Weber

Jake Weber

Mr. Wright
Victor Rivers

Victor Rivers

Captain Ferrar
Steve Passewe

Steve Passewe

Cinque's In-Law
Matt Sarles

Matt Sarles

Young Aide
William Young

William Young

Businessman
Michael Riley

Michael Riley

British Officer
León Singer

León Singer

Don Pablo
Castulo Guerra

Castulo Guerra

Spanish Priest
Harry Groener

Harry Groener

Tecora Captain
Hawthorne James

Hawthorne James

Creole Cook
Ingrid Walters

Ingrid Walters

Woman Overboard with Baby
Harry A. Blackmun

Harry A. Blackmun

Associate Justice Joseph Story
Curtis Shields

Curtis Shields

Bassie - Additional Amistad African
Carlos Spivey

Carlos Spivey

Chike - Additional Amistad African
Charles Udoma

Charles Udoma

Kessebe - Additional Amistad African
Andrew L. Josiah

Andrew L. Josiah

Tamba - Additional Amistad African
Tony Onafesso

Tony Onafesso

Baa - Additional Amistad African
Peter Mansaray

Peter Mansaray

Kapr - Additional Amistad African
Clarence Mobley

Clarence Mobley

Kenei - Additional Amistad African
Brian Macon

Brian Macon

Yauai - Additional Amistad African
Edward Appiah

Edward Appiah

Followolo - Additional Amistad African
Denver Dowridge

Denver Dowridge

Kpau - Additional Amistad African
Paul Mwakutuya

Paul Mwakutuya

Sessi - Additional Amistad African
Rory Burton

Rory Burton

Vakina - Additional Amistad African
Samuel Orekhio

Samuel Orekhio

Fawni - Additional Amistad African
Omo Lara Tosin

Omo Lara Tosin

Kula - Additional Amistad African
Ransford Thomas

Ransford Thomas

Alkali - Additional Amistad African
Juliette Darko

Juliette Darko

Teme - Additional Amistad African
Charlean Isata Bangalie

Charlean Isata Bangalie

Margru - Additional Amistad African
Roosevelt Flenoury

Roosevelt Flenoury

Njaooni - Additional Amistad African
M.S. Kaleiwo

M.S. Kaleiwo

Kaleiwo - Additional Amistad African
Tesfay Yohannes

Tesfay Yohannes

Amistad African Extra
George Kamara

George Kamara

Amistad African Extra
Abdul-Fatai Balogun

Abdul-Fatai Balogun

Amistad African Extra
Yaya Sissoko

Yaya Sissoko

Amistad African Extra
Amadou Traore

Amadou Traore

Amistad African Extra
Marlon Francis

Marlon Francis

Amistad African Extra
Bundu Kamara

Bundu Kamara

Amistad African Extra
James Moses

James Moses

Amistad African Extra
Daniel Reid

Daniel Reid

Amistad African Extra
Seydou Coulibaly

Seydou Coulibaly

Amistad African Extra
Lawal Tajudeen

Lawal Tajudeen

Amistad African Extra
Lester Mombelly

Lester Mombelly

Amistad African Extra
Ibrahim Sesay

Ibrahim Sesay

Amistad African Extra
Jeremy Shelton

Jeremy Shelton

Amistad African Extra
Andrew Shoemo

Andrew Shoemo

Amistad African Extra
Prince Coke

Prince Coke

Amistad African Extra
Ahmed Bangura

Ahmed Bangura

Amistad African Extra
Bernard Singleton

Bernard Singleton

Amistad African Extra
Desere Mondon

Desere Mondon

Amistad African Extra
Baboucar Jobe

Baboucar Jobe

Amistad African Extra
Christopher Annino

Christopher Annino

Blacksmith (uncredited)
Susan Bergeron

Susan Bergeron

Tyler Speech Attendee (uncredited)
Eric Bruno Borgman

Eric Bruno Borgman

First Jury Juror (uncredited)
Luis Cabrera

Luis Cabrera

Spanish Guard (uncredited)
Craig Calman

Craig Calman

Abolitionist (uncredited)
KimStacy Carter

KimStacy Carter

Tecora Slave (uncredited)
Lisa Cavanaugh

Lisa Cavanaugh

Prostitute (uncredited)
Leonard Clifton

Leonard Clifton

Slave (uncredited)
Alex Daunis

Alex Daunis

Clerk of Supreme Court (uncredited)
Nino Del Padre

Nino Del Padre

Court Witness (uncredited)
Johnny Egan

Johnny Egan

Judge Coglin (voice) (uncredited)
Chris Fagan

Chris Fagan

Villager (uncredited)
Lawrence Gaughan

Lawrence Gaughan

Spaniard (uncredited)
Morgan Hobart

Morgan Hobart

Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Nick King

Nick King

Villager (uncredited)
Luis Muñoz

Luis Muñoz

Spanish Slave Guard (uncredited)
Ungenita Prevost

Ungenita Prevost

Tecora Slave (uncredited)
Glendon Rich

Glendon Rich

Slave / Abolishionist (uncredited)
Kevin M. Simon

Kevin M. Simon

Abolishionist (uncredited)
John H. Tobin

John H. Tobin

Supreme Court Reporter (uncredited)
Harrison Young

Harrison Young

Congressman (uncredited)
Al Conti

Al Conti

Defense Attorney (uncredited)

Videos and Photos

Amistad
Amistad
Amistad
Amistad
Amistad
Amistad
Amistad

Movie Reviews

Reviews for Amistad
reviewer avatar

A Review by Geronimo1967 7

Written by Geronimo1967 on 2022-06-24

Steven Spielberg took the helm for this rather classy, if very wordy, depiction of the celebrated legal battle that resulted from the mutiny... read more

Steven Spielberg took the helm for this rather classy, if very wordy, depiction of the celebrated legal battle that resulted from the mutiny of slaves aboard a Spanish ship in the late 1830s. A timely intervention from the US Navy rescued some of the crew, but then subjected the erstwhile cargo to an humiliating and debase battle for their "ownership". Roger Baldwin (Matthew McConaughey) takes up the cudgels on their behalf - at no small risk to himself, and with the assistance of former US President John Quincy Adams (Sir Anthony Hopkins) takes this principle all the way to the Supreme Court. It is most bizarre to watch this and even begin to contemplate a society in which the concept of one person, business, or nation claiming the possession of a human being is actually being discussed by rational people in a court of law, but here we have it. The film looks great, plenty of attention to the detail with the costumes and the sets but there is far too much incidental dialogue and the pace of the story seems more intent of delivering a story of epic length rather than meaningful drama. Sir Anthony delivers well in the last fifteen minutes with a most potent piece of oratory; this is probably the best effort we have yet seen from McConaughey and there are strong supporting roles from Sir Nigel Hawthorne (Van Buren); an impressive Djimon Hounsou - who has no English dialogue - as the leader of the incarcerated and Morgan Freeman also delivers well as he tries to facilitate the freedom and potential repatriation of these people back to modern day Sierra Leone. The moral and ethical issues here are writ large and presented in a well crafted, poignant and sometimes quite brutal fashion that make this a decent, if not great, film to watch.

Read Full Review (The thoughts and opinions expressed here are solely those of the reviewer.)
A Review by CinemaSerf

Steven Spielberg took the helm for this rather classy, if very wordy, depiction of the celebrated legal battle that resulted from the mutiny of slaves aboard a Spanish ship in the late 1830s. A timely intervention from the US Navy rescued s...

reviewer avatar

A Review by Geronimo1967 7

Written by Geronimo1967 on 2022-06-24

Steven Spielberg took the helm for this rather classy, if very wordy, depiction of the celebrated legal battle that resulted from the mutiny of slaves aboard a Spanish ship in the late 1830s. A timely...

read more