in which i am never allowed to see a serious period piece again

[artyartie]

Last night, after nearly a year of waiting on my part, ainsley and I went to see 'Amazing Grace,' the biopic of William Wilberforce, the British abolitionist who worked tirelessly, with many others, to end the slave trade. (There was an interesting article in the Guardian about the dangers of singling out Wilberforce to the neglect of others). The movie was very well done - it was a very heavy movie in places, given the nature of the topic. The scenes of the slaver - a ship had never seemed so menacing and dark to me before. Even the exterior of the ship had an aura about it. The acting was very well done - Ioan put in an astounding performance - he seemed very confident in this role. Ciaran Hinds, of 'Rome' fame, put in an excellent performance as Lord Tarleton, among others. The soundtrack, however, was rather melodramatic - we don't need to know a scene is dramatic by the swell of the violins.

The implication for faith and politics is rather interesting, and people on both sides of the political spectrum have been engaging in online flame wars over whether liberals or conservaives carry Wilberforce's legacy. There's a lot that I could say about the subject in general, but that would take more intellectual capacity than I have at the moment.

And now for the entirely inapproriate bits. In one of the many flashbacks, a young Wilberforce and a very young (and very boyishly handsome) William Pitt are frolicking about the lawn in their breeches and shirts, and at the end are all but read to tumble in each other's arms. About halfway through, ainsley and I just lost it - even without the somewhat permanent slash goggles, the scene was just adorable. Later, after Wilberforce has met his female love interest (which was well done - maybe the reason I see slash so much is because most heterosexual romance comes off as an obligatory plot point, with no chemistry or attraction), and married her, SpurnedLover!Pitt comes to the wedding. Wilberforce catches him sulking in a chair and the two proceed to have one of the best 'conversations' with their eyes I have ever seen. Even Wilberforce's wife knows there's something up between the two. We were furiously giggling during this entire scene, probably annoying everyone around us. Like I said, this is why I can never, ever watch serious period pieces ever again.

And now I need to head out, finish a paper on a Bronze Age boat, write my long overdue chapter for the longpidcc ficathon, and mull over the Anthony/Cicero story I'm writing for the Ides of March challenge for rome_fic. Even if Rome doesn't count so much as a serious period piece, this story is going to break my brain three ways to Sunday.

Comments

[twirlychelengk.livejournal.com]

Whoaaa. Pitt!slash. Who would've thought...

*runs to the nearest cinema*

[ladyhamilton.livejournal.com]

I was trying so hard not to slash this movie, but when it got to the frolicking in shirtsleeves scene, the thought just popped into my head, "OMG they're going to kiss!"
But yes, very good movie. I can't really do the intelligent thinking thing right now either. ;)