Right now, in the bleak midwinter, it is so refreshing to see the website and trailer for the upcoming film Amazing Grace, about the admirable Regency reformer William Wilberforce—it’s almost like a whiff of Spring. Directed by Michael Apted (Coal Miner’s Daughter) and co-produced by Terrence Malick, the film stars Ioan Gruffudd (Hornblower) in the role of Wilberforce.

Wilberforce’s objectives as an MP were the abolition of the slave trade in England, and the reformation of manners–he advocated for education reform and child labor laws. Gruffudd, as my brother John has commented, really has a knack for making goodness and idealism both believable and attractive in our cynical day and age, and would seem to be a knockout choice for the role of the great reformer. The film also stars Albert Finney as John Newton, the reformed slave-trader who wrote the famous hymn, “Amazing Grace,” and Rufus Sewell as the abolitionist Thomas Clarkson. (Clarkson’s writings, as I remember from a Jane Austen class several years ago, were admired by the great novelist, who half-jokingly admitted to being in love with him.)

The movie’s website (www.amazinggracemovie.com) is worth a visit—and many more—and it’s inspiriting to see the emphasis placed on educating—especially youth—about this great man and his work. I for one have already reserved a couple of bios that I’m looking forward to reading before seeing the film, which opens Feb. 23rd. However the film turns out, someone’s heart is most certainly in the right place, and the anticipation of it is like a breath of fresh air.

Tags: Amazing Grace, movies