Harriet (2019)
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A woman finds her voice and leads others to freedom in the face of the brutal reality of slavery.
The story
In 1849 Maryland, Araminta "Minty" Ross is a slave on the Brodess plantation. After her husband, John, and she seek freedom, a legal dispute over her status leads to a tense confrontation with her owner. Following the owner's death, Minty experiences visions she interprets as divine guidance to escape. She flees into the night, pursued by those who would sell her. After a perilous journey and a daring escape, she reaches freedom in Pennsylvania, where she adopts the name Harriet. There, she begins the arduous work of navigating the dangers of the Underground Railroad to secure the liberty of others.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1849 Maryland, Araminta "Minty" Ross is a slave on the Brodess plantation. When a legal claim for her freedom is dismissed by her owner, she experiences visions and decides to escape. She flees, is pursued by the owner's son Gideon, and eventually reaches Pennsylvania, where she takes the name Harriet. She begins working with the Underground Railroad, becoming known as "Moses." Despite the passage of the Fugitive Slave Act, she continues to lead others to safety, even traveling to Canada to ensure their freedom. Throughout her journey, she faces betrayal and danger, including the death of her sister Rachel and the pursuit by a ruthless slave-catcher. In a final confrontation, she subdues Gideon and eventually leads an armed expedition of 150 black soldiers in the Combahee River Raid. The film concludes with an epilogue detailing her life's work as a spy, a liberator of over 750 slaves, and an advocate for women's suffrage until her death at age 91.
- First release year
- 2019
- Runtime (minutes)
- 125
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Kasi Lemmons
- Writers
- Gregory Allen Howard · screenplay; Kasi Lemmons · screenplay; Gregory Allen Howard · story
- Cast and characters
- Cynthia Erivo · Araminta "Minty" Ross / Harriet Tubman; Leslie Odom Jr. · William Still; Joe Alwyn · Gideon Brodess; Janelle Monáe · Marie Buchanon; Clarke Peters · Ben Ross; Vanessa Bell Calloway · Rit Ross; Vondie Curtis-Hall · Reverend Samuel Green; Jennifer Nettles · Eliza Brodess; Omar Dorsey · Bigger Long; Tim Guinee · Thomas Garrett; Zackary Momoh · John Tubman; Deborah Ayorinde · Rachel Ross
- Genres
- biographical; drama; historical
- Themes
- freedom; faith; resistance
- Tone and mood
- serious; poignant
- Setting
- Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Canada in the mid-19th century (1840s-1860s).
- Premise and plot tags
- biopic; historical drama; underground railroad
- Reception
- The film received critical acclaim for Cynthia Erivo's performance, which was described as 'convincing' and 'powerful'. Critics praised the cinematography and score, though some noted the narrative felt 'formulaic' or 'more dutiful than inspired.'
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 74% · scale: percentage · review count: 233; Metacritic · score: 66 · scale: 100 · review count: 41; CinemaScore · score: A+ · scale: letter; PostTrak · score: 4.5 · scale: 5
- Production trivia
- The film was shot entirely in Virginia.; The production budget was $17 million.; The film grossed $44 million worldwide.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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