the role of william wilberforce in the abolition of the slave trade be an important one . i be interested in see a dramatization of the life of this important historical character and of the period in which he live . first and regard the movie represent it be a well acted period piece . it effectively show many of the convention of the period though it do so through a familiar stilted manner in the way that an 18th and early 19th century gentleman of privileged mean would want one to portray his or her time . the actor be all first rate and they play their role with both sensitivity and insight . the screenplay be somewhat confusing since the setting of the flashback in the movie be not sufficiently different between the period to provide the sharp contrast that aid the viewer in follow the story . they be also somewhat unnecessary since they be base on wilberforce narrate his life while pursue a late life romance that never exist in reality . more on this to follow . now for the history and which be nearly non existent . mr. william wilberforce be one of many abolitionist instrumental in the abolition of the slave trade and this much be true and and his lifetime commitment to his cause be one from which to draw lesson . unfortunately any lesson that the movie can hope to tease from the history be purely fictional . mr. wilberforce befriend but be not in the same party of william pitt and who be to be prime minister . he be an independent mp and his work habit consider poor . there be no evidence that pitt ever offer him a place in his government though wilberforce ally himself with his friend . he go through a type of religious conversion after travel through europe in 1784 and not spontaneously a a result of study . his opposition to the slave trade do not come from a childhood friendship with john newton but after meet james ramsay in 1783. he consult newton later in life after his activism . he do not become completely commit to the cause until 1786 after some urging by the abolitionist society know a the testonites . he support pitt during the war with france in the suspension of habeus corpus and the infamous gagging bill that outlaw public gathering of great than 50 people . he do not marry a woman who follow his career and be herself an activist . his wife be and indeed and barbara ann spooner but she display little interest in wilberforce political activity and tend herself to bear him six child in less than 10 year and tend to his fail health later in life . they be marry in 1797. while wilberforce contribution to the abolition of the slave trade be undeniable there be others whose commitment and sacrifice be just as great or great and such a thomas clarkson and others . the movie and therefore and come off a a bit of anti historical propaganda and and so and be a historical fiction of sort and in the final analysis fails .