The Abolitionist (2012)

Characters: Richard Brooks (Frederick Douglass), Jeanine

Serralles (Angelina Grimke), Neal Huff (William Lloyd Garrison),
Steve Annan (Theodore Weld) etc.

Director: Rob Pabley.

Synopsis: American Experience: The Abolitionists. Radicals.
Agitators. Troublemakers. Liberators. Called many names, the
abolitionists tore the nation apart in order to create a more perfect
union. Men and women, black and white, Northerners and
Southerners, poor and wealthy-these passionate anti-slavery
activists fought body and soul in the most important civil rights
crusade in American history.

Review:
This production is filmed in a unique fashion. It's a mix of
documentary presentation (with interviews with various historians,
as well as narration), and a large amount of reenacting of events in
the lives of pioneering abolitionists, such as Frederick Douglas,
John Brown, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and William Lloyd Garrison.
The end result of these efforts is riveting and highly informative. I
was sucked in when I started watching this in History Class.
One of the scenes I think captures the spirit of the Movie is in 1852,
following the tragic death of her own song and moved by the plight
of slave families being torn apart by the Fugitive Slave Law, Harriet
Beecher Stowe published Uncle Toms Cabin. An instant and minds
of Americans by depicting slavery through the eyes of its victims.

A stunning level of attention was applied to the set pieces that are
used for the acting portions of the program. Everything from the
majestic plantation homes of the south to the wardrobes is
rendered with great care. The cities of period Boston, Baltimore,
and New York are similarly recreated with great success, though
they are shown in limited scope (which is understandable, given the
presumably small budget). Even the horse and buggies (not to
mention the dirt roads they traverse) seems to ring of genuine
authenticity. Also the lighting, sound and music added value to the
movie, while the Actors played their roles effectively. Granted, I'm
not an expert on history, but I was sold on everything, and instantly
transported to another time. Also of great use is that the acting is
top notch, and the HD presentation provides fantastic resolution.
Please be warned that there are some scenes, which while brief in
length, are disturbing for some considering the audience are 7 th and
8th graders. Lynch mobs and whippings are depicted, though they
are not graphic, nor are the violence in any way gratuitous. Given
the serious subject matter, the inclusion of this limited violence is
certainly understandable.
I wholeheartedly recommend this movie to not only to fans of
American history or history in general but to everyone whether
Canadians or Americans but to every individual because slavery
takes hold of few but many take hold of slavery as that is what
depicts The Abolitionist. It does an admirable job of presenting the
stories of some of this country's greatest heroes- those who dared to
oppose the institution of slavery at the expense of their own safety,
and in the face of what seemed insurmountable opposition and it is
well worth a few hours of your time.