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Leads a revolt against the Spanish crew of the slave ship Amistad, finds himself on trial for murder in a small courthouse in the state of Connecticut. He has been suggested by fans for 3,287 roles on myCast, including Actors in Talent that should be in the MCU . Theodore Joadson In casting the role of Joseph Cinqu, Spielberg had strict requirements that the actor must have an impressive physical appearance, be able to command authority and be of West African descent. If you wish to inspire such hatred in a man, Mr. Joadson, speak to him in that fashion and it may come true. Former President John Quincy Adams agrees to defend the Africans. In October 1841, in an uncanny parallel to events on the Amistad, American slaves being transported from Virginia to Louisiana on the Creole seized control of the ship, killing some crew members and directing the mate to sail to the Bahamas. In 1792, 400,000 Britons, particularly women, boycotted slave-grown sugar. Spielberg was prepared to delay production by up to two years if he could not find the right actor. During the long trip, Cinque leads the slaves in an unprecedented uprising. , but it is his spirit, more than his physique, that fulfills the role. Two navigators, Pedro Montez and Jose Ruiz, are spared on condition they help sail the ship to Africa. However, as an introduction the function of flashbacks in literature and film can be discussed. [2], Morgan Freeman was cast on a first-hired basis as Theodore Joadson, one of the film's few fictional characters. Along with Lewis Tappan, he sought to free the Africans who were imprisoned during the Amistad trial of 1839, and, with the help of lawyer Roger Sherman Baldwin, they won the case. Joseph Cinqu, a leader of the Africans, leads a mutiny and takes over the ship. Roger S. Baldwin. I do . . Theodore Joadson Why, they're um they're from west Africa. In the U.S., slavery peaked in the nineteenth century, when the slaves mainly worked in the fields to meet the increased demand for sugar, cotton and tobacco. Amistad is a 1997 historical drama film based on the notable mutiny in 1839 by newly captured Mende slaves who took control of the ship La Amistad off the coast of Cuba, and the international legal battle that followed their capture by a U.S. revenue cutter.It became a United States Supreme Court case of 1841. Find out about the two American presidents John Quincy Adams and Martin Van Buren, as well as the Spanish Queen Isabella II (note their involvement with the issues of slavery and freedom) and present your findings to the class. Moreover, the movie offers a good opportunity to teach and discuss cinematic as well as rhetorical conventions in connection with the speech at the end of the film. : (Posted March 1998). A captive, Cinqu, leads an uprising against the crew, most of whom are killed. They organized the legal defense and raised money for the Mende Africans during their imprisonment. What was the "Underground Railroad" and what was its role in the anti-slavery movement? Baldwin and Joadson search the Amistad for evidence. District attorney William Holabird plays a very unpleasant and cynical role as prosecutor. The movie also omitted any reference to the extent to which the New England white missionaries worked zealously to rid the Africans of their names, language, customs and religious beliefs. Summarize the standpoints of Joadson and Adams during their conversation. Amistad is a 1997 American historical drama film directed by Steven Spielberg, based on the events in 1839 aboard the Spanish slave ship La Amistad, during which Mende tribesmen abducted for the slave trade managed to gain control of their captors' ship off the coast of Cuba, and the international legal battle that followed their capture by the Washington, a U.S. revenue cutter. The question was whether the Africans were born on Cuban plantations (and thus were slaves under Spanish law) or had been captured in Africa, which meant that they had been unlawfully acquired. There is a moving scene between Cinque and Baldwin. theodore joadson role in amistad. En'Joy" theodore joadson role in amistad [a slave speaks to Theodore in Mende] John Quincy Adams receives Cinque at his home. I know you, Mr. President. The actor who secured the role would also need to learn the Mende accent spoken by Cinqu. Discuss whether, in your opinion, it is legitimate to change historical facts in movies. Comment on the role of religion as conveyed in the film and in these particular scenes. The decision is upheld by the Circuit Court of Appeals. In June of 1839, the Africans were purchased as slaves by four Spaniards and put on the schooner La Amistad (Spanish for "the friendship") for a voyage to Principe, an island republic, off the west coast of Africa, in the Gulf of Guinea. One of the astonishing facts revealed in Steven Spielberg's "Amistad" is that seven of the nine U.S. Supreme Court justices in 1839 were slave-owning Southerners. Theodore Joadson. And that task, Sir, as you well know, is crushing slavery. African farmer who is kidnapped and sold into slavery. West Indians? What are a few outstanding elements of character, tone, and gesture which the actor Morgan Freeman brings into the role of Theodore Joadson? John Quincy Adams Theodore Joadson . I'm sorry, I don't understand. There are cross-cuts between him thinking and praying at a chapel and the Africans talking about the Bible back in prison. For example, federal Judge Andrew Judson declares the captives were actually free men and not Cuban slaves. United States Attorney William S. Holabird brings charges of piracy and murder against them, but they are simultaneously claimed as property both by Montez & Ruiz, and as salvage by two officers from the Washington. A majority of the Amistad justices, after all, were still on the Supreme Court in 1857 when, in Theodore Joadson, rather than real historical figures, And it fallaciously proclaims the case a "turning-point in the struggle to end slavery in the United States," Most galling, however, is the assumption that a subject does not exist until it is discovered by Hollywood, The guide ends with As the case of the slaves is of great importance for the future of the country and could lead to civil war, it is decided that the judge who is hearing the case should be replaced. Alas, the promise remains just that, a promise, and the ultimately disappointing Amistad loses its momentum once the action shifts from the sea to New England, where the 44 Amistad Africans end up. Referring to Adams being a former president, Cinque says, A chief cannot become anything less than a chief, not even in death. Discuss this statement, also referring to great statesmen. Baldwin and Joadson are shown waiting. Tappan William Holabird, U.S. lawyer Characters in amistad Rating: 5,3/10 1473 reviews. They are then held prisoner in Connecticut, and their release becomes the subject of heated debate. Amistad is a true story about 53 African slaves mutinying aboard a Spanish slave ship off the coast of Cuba in 1839. : Insatiable consumer demand (e.g. they are unbothered by the movie's invention of the black abolitionist Theodore Joadson because, as they see it, he is just a stand-in for the real-life black abolitionist J.W . But in the film he is caricatured and his role is minimized. Slavery was forbidden in the Thirteenth Amendment of 1865. Their decisions can only be overturned by another Supreme Court decision. [9], Retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackmun also appears in the film as Justice Joseph Story. No more so than these. The conversation among the Africans is not subtitled, and so the viewers have to draw conclusions from what they see. Morgan Freeman, Anthony Hopkins, Djimon Hounsou, and Matthew McConaughey had starring roles. If the authors of the study guide really want to promote an understanding of slavery, they should direct students not to this highly flawed film, but to the local library. The initial hearing of the Amistad case took place before a U.S. The Africans were able to secure their freedom and return to their homeland. . Over a three-day period, more than 3,000 whites paid 12 cents apiece to gawk at the Africans. The case was ultimately resolved by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1841. ", Even the main hero of the movie, John Quincy Adams, had such a solid record of political indifference and callousness toward the plight of black Americans that abolitionists in his own state dubbed him the "Madman of Massachusetts.". Adams' impassioned and eloquent speech convinces the court to confirm the judgement and release the Africans. : What is their story, by the way? Collect information on the real case of the Amistad slaves and compare it with its depiction in the movie. The Spanish government continues to press its claim for compensation up until the American Civil War. Despite the filmmakers orgy of self-congratulation for rescuing black heroes from oblivion, the main characters of Amistad are white, not black. There were fewer slaves in the North, where they mostly worked as servants. 63 Metascore; 1997; . Suppose he keeps a personal diary. Adams continues by telling his audience about the Mende tradition of evoking their ancestors in hopeless situations and walks past the statues of former presidents saying that they have not been asked for guidance for a long time. The camera shows faces and objects in close-up and thus Cinques agony is portrayed. The Amistad Case took place in 1839 when 53 illegally purchased African slaves were being transported from Cuba to the U.S. aboard the Spanish-built schooner Amistad. Most black people in America had already been declared to be the legal property and merchandise of white men. In the South, the abolitionist movement supported the Underground Railroad, a clandestine organization that helped Blacks escape to the North. "[15] Metacritic calculated an average score of 63 out of 100 based on 23 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". It wasn't as if . (Vocabulary: to rid oneself of evidence, inventory, provisions required for a journey, ghastly arithmetic, poundage, to have no merit, thorough reflection, utmost faith, to misrepresent sth., on the charge of), Analyze the different camera angles and movements throughout the court room scene and comment on their effect. An early Matthew McConaughey is quite good as the lawyer and future politician Roger Sherman Baldwin, and an ever-reliable Morgan Freeman submits fine work as the abolitionist Theodore Joadson. The Christians sing again. Actor and film director Spike Lee is believed to have been offered, and declined, the role. Sir? : There are two other men who play a very drastic role in the fate of Cinque and his people; those men are John Quincy Adams and Theodore Joadson. Freed slave Theodore Joadson (Morgan Freeman) wants Cinque and the others exonerated and recruits property lawyer Roger Baldwin (Matthew McConaughey) to help his case. Therefore, it has been divided into chapters (as they appear on the display of the DVD player) in the proposed lesson plan. Amistad does, however, present a notable event in the abolitionist movement in impressive pictures. No you're an ex-slave whose devoted his life to the abolition of slavery, and overcoming the obstacles and hardships along the way, I should imagine. Film crews spent four days there and employed around 300 extras[11] Numerous scenes were filmed in Newport, Rhode Island. Instead, they are taken to Connecticut, where they are brought to trial for murder. Circuit Court which referred it to the (lower) District Court as a civil case. The guide ends with a quote from Debbie Allen, Amistad's producer, castigating historians for suppressing the real history of African-Americans and slavery. Theodore Joadson The Joadson role is a . In your opinion, how convincing is this speech? but the lawyer is never particularly well-defined outside of his role in the La Amistad case. For the past forty years, no subject has received more scholarly attention. As in Glory, an earlier film about black Civil War soldiers, Amistad's black characters are essentially foils for white self-discovery and moral growth. Religion played a significant role . Write an entry that covers the last few days. [to John Quincy Adams] They have these - scars. No. About forty of them, including four or five children. Joadson seeks advice from Adams, who tells him that court cases are usually won by the side with the best 'story'. At a . Would you personally choose anyone else to play this part . : He and Joadson search La Amistad and find documents which prove the captives were kidnapped from Sierra Leone and transported across the Atlantic aboard the Portuguese slave ship Tecora before being transferred to La Amistad in Havana. . Amistad Movie Analysis. Before viewing this part, the students should be introduced to (or revise) camera angles and movements and the scenes should probably be shown twice. | Apart from the intrepid Cinque, the Africans' leader, we never learn how the captives responded to their ordeal. Under pressure from Senator John C. Calhoun of South Carolina, who represents the slave-holding interests of the American South, Van Buren appeals the case to the Supreme Court. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 78% based on reviews from 67 critics, with an average score of 6.9/10. Amistads problems go far deeper than such anachronisms as President Martin Van Buren campaigning for reelection on a whistle-stop train tour (in 1840, candidates did not campaign), or people constantly talking about the coming Civil War, which lay twenty years in the future. : Joadson is an African American . Thomas Gedney, Richard Meade, naval officers What is true, Mr. Tappan - and believe me when I tell you that I have seen this - is that there are some men whose hatred of slavery is stronger than any, except for the slave himself. Propose ways that could solve their language problem. Theodore Joadson and his interactions with Cinque struck me on a personal level.