Anthony's Film Review - Harriet (2019)

The history of American slavery and a prominent heroic slave are nicely brought to life on screen...

I have a confession to make. History was not one of my favorite subjects in school growing up, nor was it taught sufficiently well to me. If you were to ask me historical trivia questions, I may answer the very easy ones, but blank out on the harder ones. For instance, if you were to ask me who Harriet Tubman was, I could say that she was a slave in pre-Civil War America who was renowned for helping to free other slaves, through something called the Underground Railroad. Beyond that, I couldn't say much. Also, the only picture of her that I've seen is the famous one that undoubtedly makes the rounds in history textbooks and other related resources. So other than the basic one-line description, I know virtually nothing about who Harriet Tubman was.

For me, seeing the movie Harriet was both an enjoyable cinematic experience and a mind-opening intellectual experience. It allowed me to fill in my major knowledge gaps about Harriet Tubman, like those related to her family, feelings about slavery, her journey toward freedom, and what she faced along the way. It definitely helped to have Cynthia Erivo portray the titular slave, because she did a very nice job portraying a woman who was both brave and altruistic. Whoever cast her in the role made the right choice for sure.

The story in this film can be seen as divided into three parts, or three types of escape stories. The first is about Harriet's own escape. Actually, I should say "Minty's escape" because her slave name early on was Minty. Anyway, she runs away from her masters and makes her way from Maryland to Philadelphia thanks to the help of certain people along the way. The second part is about the slave, now renamed Harriet Tubman, going back south to help her still-enslaved family escape the same way. And the third part is about helping many other slaves, all strangers to her, escape to freedom. The secret network of people assisting runaway slaves, known as the Underground Railroad, helped Harriet in the beginning, and now she's giving back.

The pleasure of watching this film doesn't just come from Harriet Tubman. It also comes from a variety of interesting supporting characters. For example, there's Harriet's husband whom she cannot live without and the reverend who is undoubtedly part of the Underground Railroad. There's also Janelle Monáe as a free black lady who provides refuge for runaway slaves and Joe Alwyn as the slave owner who will stop at nothing to catch his runaway Minty, especially as her escape ultimately leads to financial ruin for his farm. But my favorite supporting character is Leslie Odom Jr. as William Still, an intelligent charming black gentleman who runs the secret anti-slavery society that runs the hidden Underground Railroad.

When it comes to Hollywood films about historical topics, one should always assume that 100% accuracy is not guaranteed, given that movies need to have extra drama for emotional effect. Harriet is no exception. Yet, it's still an eye-opening and engaging experience. While it may not be considered a film highly appreciated by the most knowledgeable of Harriet Tubman scholars, it is definitely a nice way to introduce Harriet Tubman to those not in the know. The film also opens people's eyes to what slavery in early America was like. In contrast to the typical American school teachings about slavery that may soften or even whitewash the topic, this film reminds us of the mistreatment and brutality directed at black slaves. Furthermore, it shows us that slavery was not fully clear cut across racial lines, because there were also obedient blacks who willingly helped capture runaway slaves and whites who were against slavery and sympathetic towards blacks.

All in all, Harriet is a pretty good film, as both a Hollywood film and a cinematic portrayal of history. With Harriet Tubman's story brought to life, anyone can better understand who Tubman was and what she did, especially if it's all new to him or her. I certainly came out feeling more inspired and appreciative of her heroism and courage. It even made me more eager for Harriet Tubman to be the new face on the U.S. $20 bill, something that had been discussed in recent years. So even if my history classes in school didn't really spark my interest in Harriet Tubman, I ultimately got it with this movie. It's a fine tribute to a true American hero.

Anthony's Rating:

For more information about Harriet, visit the Internet Movie Database.