Amistad (film) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Amistad
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Steven Spielberg
Produced by	Steven Spielberg Debbie Allen Colin Wilson
Written by	David Franzoni
Starring	Morgan Freeman Anthony Hopkins Djimon Hounsou Matthew McConaughey Nigel Hawthorne David Paymer Pete Postlethwaite Stellan Skarsgård
Music by	John Williams
Cinematography	Janusz Kamiński
Editing by	Michael Kahn
Studio	HBO Films DreamWorks Pictures
Distributed by	DreamWorks Distribution LLC
Release date(s)	December 10, 1997 (1997-12-10) (Limited) December 25, 1997 (1997-12-25) (General)
Running time	154 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English Mende Spanish Portuguese
Budget	$39 million
Money made	$58.3 million

Amistad is a 1997 American historical drama film directed by Steven Spielberg. It tells the true story of events that happened in 1839. On a Spanish ship called La Amistad, a group of Mende individuals, who had been kidnapped and forced into slavery, managed to take control of the ship.

This happened off the coast of Cuba. Later, a U.S. ship captured them, leading to a big legal battle in the United States. The case eventually went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court in 1841.

The film stars Morgan Freeman, Anthony Hopkins, Djimon Hounsou, and Matthew McConaughey. It received good reviews and earned over $58 million worldwide.

What Happens in the Film?

The Mutiny and Capture

In 1839, the ship La Amistad was carrying people who had been kidnapped from Africa and forced into slavery. While off the coast of Cuba, a brave captive named Cinqué led a rebellion. They took control of the ship.

Cinqué and the others spared two Spanish navigators, Pedro Montez and Jose Ruiz. They made the navigators promise to sail the ship back to Africa. However, the Spaniards tricked them and sailed into U.S. waters instead. There, a U.S. ship called the Washington stopped La Amistad, and the Africans were arrested.

The Legal Fight Begins

A complicated legal battle started over the fate of the Africans. The U.S. government brought serious charges against them. At the same time, Montez and Ruiz claimed the Africans were their property. Two officers from the Washington also claimed them as "salvage," meaning they found them and should own them.

The Spanish government, led by Queen Isabella, also got involved. They supported Montez and Ruiz, citing an old treaty. To avoid problems with Spain, U.S. President Martin Van Buren wanted his Secretary of State, John Forsyth, to support the Spanish claim.

Meanwhile, an abolitionist named Lewis Tappan and his friend Theodore Joadson, who was a former slave, decided to help the captives. They asked John Quincy Adams, a brilliant lawyer and former U.S. president, for help. He was not sure at first. So, they hired a young lawyer named Roger Sherman Baldwin.

Uncovering the Truth

Baldwin could not talk directly with the Africans because of the language barrier. He suspected they were not Cubans, but Africans who had been illegally kidnapped. The transatlantic slave trade had been banned.

Baldwin and Joadson searched La Amistad. They found documents proving the captives were taken from Sierra Leone. They had been transported across the Atlantic on a Portuguese slave ship called Tecora before being moved to La Amistad in Havana. The judge was impressed and planned to release the Africans.

A New Judge and Powerful Testimony

To stop this, President Van Buren replaced the judge with a younger one, hoping he would be easier to control. Joadson asked Adams for advice. Adams told him that court cases are often won by the side with the best "story."

Baldwin and Joadson found a freedman named James Covey who could translate. This allowed Cinqué to speak directly in court. He described how he was kidnapped from his home and the terrible journey across the ocean. Baldwin also called Captain Fitzgerald of the Royal Navy to support Cinqué's story.

Cinqué's powerful words moved Judge Coglin. He ruled that the Africans should be set free. He also ordered Montez and Ruiz to be arrested for illegal slave trading.

The Supreme Court Case

Under pressure from Senator John C. Calhoun, who supported slavery, President Van Buren appealed the case to the Supreme Court. Baldwin and Joadson visited Adams again. After meeting Cinqué, Adams agreed to represent the Africans before the Supreme Court.

Adams gave a very strong and moving speech. His words convinced the court to agree with the earlier decision and release the Africans.

After the Trial

Later, Royal Marines stormed the slave fort called Lomboko, where many people were held captive. They freed the slaves there and destroyed the fort.

President Van Buren lost the 1840 election because of his failure to stop the Africans' release. The Spanish government continued to ask for money for many years.

Cinqué eventually returned to Africa. However, he could not find his family because of a civil war in Sierra Leone.

Meet the Cast

How the Actors Were Chosen

For the role of Cinqué, director Steven Spielberg had specific requirements. The actor needed to look strong, be able to show authority, and be from West Africa. They also had to learn the Mende accent.

Many actors tried for the part, including Cuba Gooding Jr. and Will Smith. Spielberg even held auditions in London, Paris, and Sierra Leone. With only nine weeks before filming, the role was still open. Spielberg was ready to delay the movie for up to two years if he could not find the right person.

Finally, Spielberg watched an audition tape of a less known actor, Djimon Hounsou. Hounsou read a speech in English and then learned it in Mende. Spielberg was so impressed that he cast him as Cinqué. Hounsou had only hoped for a small role and did not know the story before getting the part. He read many books to learn about the rebellion and trial.

Morgan Freeman was chosen early on to play Theodore Joadson, one of the few characters in the film who was not a real person. Chiwetel Ejiofor made his film debut as Ensign James Covey. He auditioned while studying at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.

Even a retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice, Harry Blackmun, appeared in the film as Justice Joseph Story. Blackmun was happy to be in the movie, calling it an "important film about our nation's struggle with slavery."

Making the Film

Learning a New Language

Djimon Hounsou had only 10 days to learn the Mende language for his character. Even though he was also from West Africa, his native language from Benin was very different. Hounsou could not learn all his lines perfectly in Mende. For some parts, he spoke them phonetically. But for the most important scenes, he made sure he understood every word.

Hounsou said one of the hardest parts of filming was being locked in real chains and shackles. It made him feel like quitting on the very first day.

Filming Locations

The film was shot in several real places. Mystic Seaport was used to look like New Haven. Film crews spent four days there and had about 300 extra actors. Many scenes were also filmed in Newport, Rhode Island.

The court scenes were filmed in the historic Old Colony House. The prison scenes were shot inside Fort Adams.

During a scene where Cinqué and John Quincy Adams meet for the first time, actors Hounsou and Hopkins found it hard not to cry. Spielberg had to keep telling them to hold back their tears because it was not right for that moment in the scene. Hopkins reportedly cried once the scene was finished.

Finishing the Movie

The entire film was made in just 51 days. It cost about $39 million to produce.

Music from the Film

The music for Amistad was created by John Williams, a famous composer. A soundtrack album with the film's music was released on December 9, 1997.

How Accurate is the Film?

Many experts have discussed how accurate Amistad is to the real historical events. Some, like professor Eric Foner, have pointed out that the film sometimes makes it seem like the Amistad case changed how Americans thought about slavery in general.

However, the case was mainly about the Atlantic slave trade, which was illegal by international agreement in 1840. At that time, it was possible for people to be against bringing slaves from Africa but still support slavery within the United States.

The film also has some small historical mistakes. For example, President Martin Van Buren is shown campaigning by train in 1840, but candidates did not campaign like that back then. Also, characters often talk about the coming American Civil War, which was still 20 years away.

See Also

In Spanish: Amistad (película) para niños

• List of films featuring slavery
• Supreme Court of the United States in fiction
• Trial film