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Amistad

1997 film directed by Steven Spielberg

Film · TMDB

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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: 1997-12-10155 minDir: Steven SpielbergDrama, History, Mystery

Cast

Morgan Freeman as Theodore Joadson
Nigel Hawthorne as Martin Van Buren
Anthony Hopkins as John Quincy Adams
Djimon Hounsou as Cinque
Matthew McConaughey as Roger Sherman Baldwin
David Paymer as Secretary John Forsyth

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Key facts

Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Written by: David Franzoni
Produced by: Steven Spielberg Debbie Allen Colin Wilson
Starring: Morgan Freeman Nigel Hawthorne Anthony Hopkins Djimon Hounsou Matthew McConaughey David Paymer Pete Postlethwaite Stellan Skarsgård
Cinematography: Janusz Kamiński
Edited by: Michael Kahn
Music by: John Williams
Production company: HBO Pictures
Distributed by: DreamWorks Pictures
Release date: December 10, 1997 ( 1997-12-10 )
Running time: 154 minutes
Country: United States
Languages

Key dates

Published: 26 February 1998

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Wikidata facts

Instance of: film
Award: European Film Academy Achievement in World Cinema Award
Country of origin: United States
Original language: English language
Director: Steven Spielberg
Screenwriter: David Franzoni
Cast member: Allan Rich
Composer: John Williams
Producer: Colin Wilson
Production company

Article

Amistad is a 1997 American historical drama film directed by Steven Spielberg and written by David Franzoni, 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 case was ultimately resolved by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1841.

Morgan Freeman, Anthony Hopkins, and Matthew McConaughey star, along with Djimon Hounsou in his breakout role as Cinqué; Pete Postlethwaite, Nigel Hawthorne and Chiwetel Ejiofor appear in supporting roles.