Amistad

Amistad is a historical drama film directed by Steven Spielberg. It stars Morgan Freeman, Anthony Hopkins and Djimon Hounsou. Based on a true story, the movie details the Supreme Court trial that followed an 1839 African slave mutiny on the Spanish ship Amistad.

Fast Facts

1. Release date: December 12, 1997
2. Director: Steven Spielberg
3. Screenwriter: David Franzoni
4. Producers: Debbie Allen, Steven Spielberg and Colin Wilson
5. Distributor: DreamWorks Distribution
6. MPAA rating: R
7. Run time: 152 minutes
8. Nominated for four Academy Awards and four Golden Globe Awards¹
9. Total U.S. gross: $44,229,441²

Plot Summary

A shipload of African slaves, led by Joseph Cinqué (Djimon Hounsou), stage a violent revolt against their captors. The few remaining crew members agree to take the slaves home to Africa, but instead sail the ship into the northern United States, where the slaves are imprisoned. Legal battles ensue as the courts argue whether the Africans have a right to return home as free men or must remain as slaves. Former president John Quincy Adams (Anthony Hopkins) argues for the slaves' release in the Supreme Court trial.

Cast

• Morgan Freeman: Theodore Joadson
• Anthony Hopkins: John Quincy Adams
• Nigel Hawthorne: President Martin Van Buren
• Djimon Hounsou: Joseph Cinqué
• Matthew McConaughey: Roger S. Baldwin

Related Pages on Mahalo

Steven Spielberg | Morgan Freeman | Anthony Hopkins | Djimon Hounsou | Matthew McConaughey | Schindler's List | Saving Private Ryan | Blood Diamond | The Shawshank Redemption | We Are Marshall | Martin Van Buren | John Quincy Adams | The U.S. Supreme Court

Categories