Enslavement: The True Story of Fanny Kemble (2000)

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It tells the true story of British 19th century actress, Fanny Kemble (Jane Seymour), who try at her best to free the slaves from her husban's plantation. This movie is an American drama movie who released on 23 April 2000 and directed by James Keach. It also starring

  • Jane Seymour as Fanny Kemble
  • Keith Carradine as Pierce Butler
  • James Keach as Dr. Huston
  • Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Joe
  • Colin Fox as John Quincy Adams
  • Francois Klanfer as Daniel Webster

Plot

Tired of traveling the provinces, the British stage legend Fanny Kemble (Jane Seymour) accepted the proposal of Pierce Butler (Keith Carradine), owner of the American plantation. Ingenuous Fanny doesn't mind quitting her job, but balks at her values being betrayed. The fearless Pierce, however, lied about freeing his slaves. By improving the medical care of the slaves, headstrong Fanny crosses Pierce when they arrive in Georgia in 1846.

Although Pierce tries to keep her barefoot and pregnant, Fanny becomes the patron saint of his human "property." Not satisfied to defy Pierce's forceful superintendent, she keeps company with the local abolitionist, Dr. Huston (James Keach), who introduces her to the Underground Railroad. When Pierce starts threatening to separate her from her children, Fanny uses her acting skills to play dotted wife by day and activist by night, but how long can she bet on runaway slaves without being unmasked?[1]

Pro

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The movie depicts how Fanny help those slave and even try to free them because she believes that they are also human being like her and cant be threated as a slave even though her action will make her husband loses his temper. She manages the construction of a new slave infirmary, teaches slaves to read under the cover of a Bible class, and, with the support of the local physician Dr. Houston (James Keach), sends small groups of slaves to safety in the North on the Underground Railroad. And all the time, she keeps a diary of her life on Butler's Island in the form of letters to a friend back in Philadelphia—a necessary deception, as Pierce refused to allow her from writing a diary.[2]

Controversy

There is a scene where she finds out about the plantation (Butlers Island) that surprised her: disgraceful living conditions for slaves, women forced to have as many babies as possible in order to maximize the wealth of their owners, and men and women enduring cruel punishment for slight infractions of capricious laws. The film depicts how cruel slavery was at that time, and they cant do anything because they are someone's property[3]

Reference

  1. Robert Pardi. Synopsis. Retrieved January 15, 2021
  2. MaryAnn Johanson. Enslavement: The True Story of Fanny Kemble (review). April 25, 2000. Retrieved January 15, 2021
  3. MaryAnn Johanson. Enslavement: The True Story of Fanny Kemble (review). April 25, 2000. Retrieved January 15, 2021