BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / Amazing Grace

**Posted by besleybean** October 1, 2013 5:56 pm

Amazing film!

**Posted by Harriet** October 1, 2013 7:50 pm

Slightly too evangelical if one doesn't consider the contexts, if you ask me...

**Posted by besleybean** October 1, 2013 7:53 pm

Well people can do the right thing, whatever their motivation,

**Posted by Harriet** October 1, 2013 7:58 pm

Folks: Read Adam Hochschild, read about Quaker history, read the historical sources, and last not least enjoy Amazing Grace

**Posted by SusiGo** October 1, 2013 8:00 pm

Or enjoy the film and have someone who does the background reading and tells you everything you need to know.

**Posted by Harriet** October 1, 2013 8:03 pm

I mentioned a 10 minutes audio primer here in this thread a while ago

Last edited by Harriet (October 1, 2013 8:11 pm)

**Posted by Harriet** October 28, 2013 5:39 pm

"English Abolition: The Movie"
Long and detailed critic of the movie, written by Adam Hochschild.
First Published In The New York Review Of Books Volume 52, Number 10, June 14, 2007.
Reproduced at the webiste of Bristol Radical History Group, by kind permission of the author.

http://www.brh.org.uk/site/articles/english-abolition-the-movie/

Last edited by Harriet (October 28, 2013 5:40 pm)

**Posted by Harriet** December 22, 2013 10:04 pm

Contemporary image of Billy:

**Posted by SolarSystem** December 22, 2013 10:08 pm

Oh dear, look at the Prime Minister...!

**Posted by tobeornot221b** December 22, 2013 10:11 pm

Pitt taking his medication - just what his doctors ordered...

**Posted by Harriet** December 22, 2013 10:12 pm

Alas, yes. Exactly 3 bottles - a day

Last edited by Harriet (December 22, 2013 10:12 pm)

**Posted by SusiGo** December 22, 2013 10:21 pm

This makes me a bit sad.

**Posted by besleybean** December 22, 2013 10:23 pm

Me too.

**Posted by Harriet** December 22, 2013 10:57 pm

Upon someone else's request: A Gillray caricature of Billy making his former private university tutor Pretyman become a Bishop - certainly a big favour.

For more of Gillray see http://www.npg.org.uk

**Posted by SolarSystem** December 22, 2013 11:01 pm

I'm so glad to see he was not only known for his drinking.

**Posted by This Is The Phantom Lady** February 24, 2014 5:15 pm

I just watched this. And I still have a tear in my eye at his last scene... That was almost too well acted!

I like his character a lot in this; he is such a gentleman in every sense of that word and he knows how to hold himself. He also played the healthwise downfall so good; getting worse every time we saw him.

I have so much respect for him as an actor. Such a talented man he is! And I had to, despite it all giggle at some very 'Sherlock-ish' moments. The IOU of course, and him refusing to do anything before he got to make his shot.

Other than just Benedict this was a fantastic movie! I am really glad I finally got around to watch this; now that I learned Benedict is in it!

**Posted by Tinks** February 24, 2014 5:27 pm

I'd love to see this!
Did you watch it on DVD? I keep hoping it'll be shown on TV!

**Posted by This Is The Phantom Lady** February 24, 2014 5:32 pm

I borrowed the DVD from the library. The library is my best friend right now!

**Posted by Tinks** February 24, 2014 5:43 pm

Maybe I should join one!
I keep searching TV listings hoping one of his older films will be on, but not much luck so far.

**Posted by Tinks** February 28, 2014 1:00 pm

I found this on netflix and have watched it now.
I did think Benedict played his part really well, as is so often the case, I forgot it was him and was drawn to the character he played.
There were a lot of other actors in the film, in fairly small roles, who I always enjoy watching, too.
It's one of those films that, given it's subject matter, it seems unkind to criticise it in any way but, if I'm really honest I didn't enjoy Ioan Gruffyd's performance.
I can't quite explain why it didn't sit right with me, but of all the cast, he was the one that I was aware was acting all the time - I felt he perhaps tried to convey too much saintliness about the character and in the process lost his human touch.