Babe & Darcy 的貓物語

Amazing Grace

這是一部電影以是一首蘇格蘭的民謠取名的。關於這首民謠至今已流傳將近300年，中文譯為奇異的恩典或讚嘆天恩，常在全國性或民間的慶典、節日、歡樂的慶祝活動或甚至哀傷的紀念活動中做為主要的演奏或演唱的曲目，當音樂歌聲緩緩響起，其優美肅穆的樂聲，常令參與活動的人為之動容。Amazing Grace雖為蘇格蘭民謠，亦流行並被使用於整個英倫三島含英格蘭、威爾斯及愛爾蘭。後來隨著移民將其帶入美洲新大陸，現在亦成為美國全國性或民間慶典活動的最主要曲目音樂。堪稱為蘇格蘭民謠之第一把交椅。 
But anyway, 今天不是來討論這首歌，而是以這首民謠為名的電影。 
這是一部談論200年前，有關一位英國政治人物 William Wilberforce提出反對奴隸交易的提案的過程。
先來點本片劇情 

Gruffudd plays Wilberforce, who, as a Member of Parliament, navigated the world of 18th Century backroom politics to end the slave trade in the British Empire. Albert Finney plays John Newton, a confidante of Wilberforce who inspires him to pursue a life of service to humanity. Benedict Cumberbatch is William Pitt the Younger, England's youngest ever Prime Minister at the age of 24, who encourages his friend Wilberforce to take up the fight to outlaw slavery and supports him in his struggles in Parliament.

Elected to the House of Commons at the age of 21, and on his way to a successful political career, Wilberforce, over the course of two decades, took on the English establishment and persuaded those in power to end the inhumane trade of slavery.

Romola Garai plays Barbara Spooner, a beautiful and headstrong young woman who shares Wilberforce's passion for reform, and who becomes his wife after a whirlwind courtship. Youssou N'Dour is Olaudah Equiano. Born in Africa and sent as a slave to the Colonies, Equiano bought his freedom and made his home in London, where he wrote a best-selling account of his life and became a leading figure in the fight to end the slavery of his fellow countrymen.

基本上，整部片只能以 “So British” 來形容。不同於老美的拍法，少了灑狗血那套賺人血淚的橋段。反而是把整個故事放在William Wilberforce 拖著壓力過重，導致身體健康敗壞的情形之下，如何讓其他國會議員能支持他的提案。William Wilberforce 花了前後20年，才讓這提案成功的通過。從28歲開始為了黑奴的自由奮鬥到48歲，真的是讓人敬佩。 

整體感覺上，雖然少了賺人血淚、灑狗血部份，大部份的時間都是拍攝他們在國會裡爭論的過程比較多。



不過真讓我感到最了不起的就是..原來200年前跟200年後的國會開會情形，根本就沒有什麼差別嘛…都是分兩派辨論，只不過200年後的國會少了當時的服裝跟好笑的假髮。

基本上，這是真人實事的故事，再加上又是英國人拍的，少了加油添醋的部份。感覺很寫實就是了。整體上有點小悶，雖然整部片裡有穿插著英式幽默，但如果對英國早期文化不是很清楚的話，可能就不是很懂這部片了。這是一部會讓人深思的片子呢。