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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Credits: TheMovieDb.
Film Cast:
- Theodore Joadson: Morgan Freeman
- Martin Van Buren: Nigel Hawthorne
- John Quincy Adams: Anthony Hopkins
- Cinque: Djimon Hounsou
- Roger Sherman Baldwin: Matthew McConaughey
- Secretary John Forsyth: David Paymer
- Holabird: Pete Postlethwaite
- Tappan: Stellan Skarsgård
- Yamba: Razaaq Adoti
- Fala: Abu Bakaar Fofanah
- Queen Isabella: Anna Paquin
- Calderon: Tomas Milian
- Ensign Covey: Chiwetel Ejiofor
- Buakei: Derrick N. Ashong
- Ruiz: Geno Silva
- Montes: John Ortiz
- Lieutenant Gedney: Ralph Brown
- Lieutenant Meade: Darren E. Burrows
- Judge Juttson: Allan Rich
- Attorney: Paul Guilfoyle
- Captain Fitzgerald: Peter Firth
- Hammond: Xander Berkeley
- Judge Coglin: Jeremy Northam
- John C. Calhoun: Arliss Howard
- Folowa – Amistad African: Willie Amakye
- Gbatui – Amistad African: Luc Assogba
- Masery – Amistad African: Mariah Campbell
- Bai – Amistad African: Habib Conteh
- Morlai – Amistad African: Stephen Conteh
- Fabanna – Amistad African: Monguehy Fanzy
- Kwong – Amistad African: Jimmy Fotso
- Kahei – Amistad African: Adekunle Ilori
- Almamy – Amistad African: Sheriff Kargbo
- Kessebe – Amistad African: Saye Lah
- Santigiie – Amistad African: Sylvestre Massaquoi
- Kpona – Amistad African: Samson Odede
- Sorie – Amistad African: Chike Okpala
- Jina – Amistad African: Willie Onafesso
- Suuleh – Amistad African: Samuel Pieh
- Morlu – Amistad African: Lansana Sawi
- Tsukama – Amistad African: Abu Sidique
- Golabu – Amistad African: El Hadj Malik Sow
- Mahmud – Amistad African: Lamine Thiam
- Professor Gibbs: Austin Pendleton
- Warden Pendleton: Daniel von Bargen
- Mrs. Pendleton: Rusty Schwimmer
- General Espatero: Pedro Armendáriz Jr.
- Crier: Frank T. Wells
- Prison Guard: Michael Massee
- Pickney: Roy Cooper
- Mr. Wright: Jake Weber
- Captain Ferrar: Victor Rivers
- Birmaja: Joseph Kosseh
- Cinque’s In-Law: Steve Passewe
- Cinque’s Wife: Sherly Acosta Williams
- Young Aide: Matt Sarles
- Marshal: George Gerdes
- Magistrate: Gerald R. Molen
- Missionary: Kevin J. O’Connor
- Guardsman: Robert Walsh
- Courier: Sean McGuirk
- Farmer: Tony Owen
- Businessman: William Young
- British Officer: Michael Riley
- Don Pablo: León Singer
- Spanish Priest: Castulo Guerra
- Tecora Captain: Harry Groener
- Creole Cook: Hawthorne James
- Woman Overboard with Baby: Ingrid Walters
- Associate Justice Joseph Story: Harry A. Blackmun
- Bassie – Additional Amistad African: Curtis Shields
- Chike – Additional Amistad African: Carlos Spivey
- Kessebe – Additional Amistad African: Charles Udoma
- Tamba – Additional Amistad African: Andrew L. Josiah
- Baa – Additional Amistad African: Tony Onafesso
- Kapr – Additional Amistad African: Peter Mansaray
- Kenei – Additional Amistad African: Clarence Mobley
- Yauai – Additional Amistad African: Brian Macon
- Followolo – Additional Amistad African: Edward Appiah
- Kpau – Additional Amistad African: Denver Dowridge
- Sessi – Additional Amistad African: Paul Mwakutuya
- Vakina – Additional Amistad African: Rory Burton
- Fawni – Additional Amistad African: Samuel Orekhio
- Kula – Additional Amistad African: Omo Lara Tosin
- Alkali – Additional Amistad African: Ransford Thomas
- Teme – Additional Amistad African: Juliette Darko
- Sanpha – Additional Amistad African: Isaac Mayanja
- Margru – Additional Amistad African: Charlean Isata Bangalie
- Njaooni – Additional Amistad African: Roosevelt Flenoury
- Kaleiwo – Additional Amistad African: M.S. Kaleiwo
- Amistad African Extra: Tesfay Yohannes
- Amistad African Extra: George Kamara
- Amistad African Extra: Abdul-Fatai Balogun
- Amistad African Extra: Yaya Sissoko
- Amistad African Extra: Amadou Traore
- Amistad African Extra: Marlon Francis
- Amistad African Extra: Bundu Kamara
- Amistad African Extra: James Moses
- Amistad African Extra: Daniel Reid
- Amistad African Extra: Seydou Coulibaly
- Amistad African Extra: Lawal Tajudeen
- Amistad African Extra: Lester Mombelly
- Amistad African Extra: Ibrahim Sesay
- Amistad African Extra: Jeremy Shelton
- Amistad African Extra: Andrew Shoemo
- Amistad African Extra: Prince Coke
- Amistad African Extra: Ahmed Bangura
- Amistad African Extra: Bernard Singleton
- Amistad African Extra: Desere Mondon
- Amistad African Extra: Baboucar Jobe
- Blacksmith (uncredited): Christopher Annino
- Senator (uncredited): John D. Bair
- Tyler Speech Attendee (uncredited): Susan Bergeron
- First Jury Juror (uncredited): Eric Bruno Borgman
- Spanish Guard (uncredited): Luis Cabrera
- Abolitionist (uncredited): Craig Calman
- Tecora Slave (uncredited): KimStacy Carter
- Prostitute (uncredited): Lisa Cavanaugh
- Slave (uncredited): Leonard Clifton
- Clerk of Supreme Court (uncredited): Alex Daunis
- Court Witness (uncredited): Nino Del Padre
- Judge Coglin (voice) (uncredited): Johnny Egan
- Villager (uncredited): Chris Fagan
- Spaniard (uncredited): Lawrence Gaughan
- Courtroom Spectator (uncredited): Morgan Hobart
- Villager (uncredited): Nick King
- Slave Trader (uncredited): Tommy Lynch
- Spanish Slave Guard (uncredited): Luis Muñoz
- Tecora Slave (uncredited): Ungenita Prevost
- Slave / Abolishionist (uncredited): Glendon Rich
- Abolishionist (uncredited): Kevin M. Simon
- Supreme Court Reporter (uncredited): John H. Tobin
- Congressman (uncredited): Harrison Young
Film Crew:
- Original Music Composer: John Williams
- Producer: Steven Spielberg
- Producer: Colin Wilson
- Director of Photography: Janusz Kamiński
- Editor: Michael Kahn
- Production Design: Rick Carter
- Casting: Victoria Thomas
- Writer: David Franzoni
- Associate Producer: Bonnie Curtis
- Executive Producer: Walter F. Parkes
- Stunts: Jimmy Ortega
- Stunt Coordinator: M. James Arnett
- Stunts: Seth Arnett
- Art Direction: Tony Fanning
- Executive Producer: Laurie MacDonald
- Sound Editor: Richard C. Franklin
- Supervising Sound Editor: Charles L. Campbell
- Art Direction: William James Teegarden
- Art Direction: Christopher Burian-Mohr
- Set Decoration: Rosemary Brandenburg
- Costume Design: Ruth E. Carter
- Makeup Department Head: Bill Corso
- Stunts: Robert Apisa
- Stunts: Henry Kingi
- Producer: Debbie Allen
- Co-Executive Producer: Bob Cooper
- Co-Producer: Tim Shriver
- Music Editor: Kenneth Wannberg
- Stunts: Keith Woulard
- Stunts: Chuck Zito
- Sound Editor: Jeff Clark
- Stunts: Eric Chambers
- Stunts: Frank Ferrara
- Stunts: Richard L. Duran
- Makeup Department Head: Ve Neill
- Stunts: John Escobar
- Stunts: Sharon Schaffer
- Stunts: Mark Stefanich
- Production Sound Mixer: Ron Judkins
- Associate Producer: Paul Deason
- Assistant Editor: Michael Trent
- Stunts: William Washington
- Supervising Sound Editor: Louis L. Edemann
- Still Photographer: Andrew Cooper
- Sound Editor: Ronald Eng
- Gaffer: David Devlin
- Leadman: Ray Fisher
- Rigging Gaffer: Roger Meilink
- Sound Editor: Ed Fassl
- Sound Editor: Howard Neiman
- Stunts: David Williams
- Sound Editor: Leonard T. Geschke
- Sound Editor: Chuck Neely
- Stunt Coordinator: Pat Romano
- Script Supervisor: Janna Stern
- Stunts: Ingrid Walters
- Stunts: Kevin L. Jackson
- Sound Editor: Bruce Richardson
- Sound Editor: Gary Krivacek
- Casting: Tere López
- Stunts: Irving E. Lewis
- Stunts: Mary Fallick
- Stunts: Alphonse Walter
- Stunts: Donna Wilson
- Stunts: Gene Williams
- Stunts: Terrence Walters
- Stunts: David Noble
- Stunts: Lisa Davis
- Stunts: Denise Barker
- Set Decoration: Trish Luberti
- Camera Department Production Assistant: Daryl Tucker
Movie Reviews:
- 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 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.