HARRIET


Diane and I finally got around to seeing Harriet, the story of Harriet Tubman. Cynthia Erivo plays the slave turned abolitionist, ROTTEN TOMATOES notes that the movie is “formulaic” and I tend to agree. The movie begins with scenes of racism and brutality on a plantation in Maryland. When Harriet realizes her master intends on selling her, she decides to flee the the North. Harriet, hunted by men and dogs, manages to make the 100-mile trek to Philadelphia where she finds help with William Still–abolitionist, and writer–played by Leslie Odom, Jr.

After a year of working as a domestic servant, Harriet decides she needs to return to Maryland to free her husband and her family. William Still thinks she’s crazy to return to a slave State and risk her freedom…and her life. But Harriet, determined to bring others to freedom, undertakes the dangerous journey. There are some surprises and Harriet’s fate changes when she becomes a “Conductor” on the Underground Railroad. Cynthia Erivo’s performance as Harriet Tubman spans a range of emotions. She delivers some powerful speeches and isn’t afraid to do battle with the slavers. My only quibble is with the pacing of this movie which lurches from action to static scenes to back to action with regularity. GRADE:B

15 thoughts on “HARRIET

  1. Michael Padgett

    From what I’d read about it, this hadn’t been high on my list of things to see. But seeing Erivo as Holly Gibney in the HBO series “The Outsider” has changed my mind.

    Reply
  2. Jeff Meyerson

    I have no interest in this.

    The Oscar movie you need to see is PARASITE, which we saw yesterday. It’s great.

    Reply
      1. Jeff Meyerson

        Jackie said to tell Diane she will love it. Yes, there are dark parts, but she compared it to a family soap opera (but in a good way!).

      2. george Post author

        Jeff, I’ll pass on Jackie’s comments to Diane. But anything other than a Romantic Comedy or a funny movie is a Hard Sell.

    1. Steve Oerkfitz

      I still prefer Once Upon a Time in Hollywood with Parasite second and The Irishman third. 1917 should win in the technical categories, especially cinematography.
      I didn’t much care for Harriet. I have read also that it is not very historically accurate. A Woman Called Moses with Cicely Tyson, a 1978 miniseries is considered more accurate.

      Reply

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