Amistad
Amistad is the name of a slave ship travelling from Cuba to the U.S. in 1839. It is carrying a cargo of Africans who have been sold into slavery in Cuba, taken on board, and chained in the cargo hold of the ship. As the ship is crossing from Cuba to the U.S., Cinque (Djimon Hounsou), who was a tribal leader in Africa, leads a mutiny and takes over the ship. They continue to sail, hoping to find their way back to Africa. Instead, they are misdirected and when they reach the United States, they are imprisoned as runaway slaves. They don't speak a word of English, and it seems like they are doomed to die for killing their captors when an abolitionist lawyer decides to take their case, arguing that they were free citizens of another country and not slaves at all. The case finally gets to the Supreme Court, where John Quincy Adams (Sir Anthony Hopkins) makes an impassioned and eloquent plea for their release.
Working with a moderate budget of $36.0M, the film achieved a respectable showing with $44.2M in global revenue (+23% profit margin).
Nominated for 4 Oscars. 11 wins & 44 nominations
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Amistad (1997) exemplifies carefully calibrated plot construction, characteristic of Steven Spielberg's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 10-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 2 hours and 35 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 5.9, the film takes an unconventional approach to traditional narrative frameworks.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Cinque
John Quincy Adams
Roger Sherman Baldwin
Theodore Joadson
Lewis Tappan
Martin Van Buren
Secretary John Forsyth
Judge Coglin
Main Cast & Characters
Cinque
Played by Djimon Hounsou
Leader of the Mende captives who leads the rebellion aboard La Amistad and fights for their freedom in court.
John Quincy Adams
Played by Anthony Hopkins
Former U.S. President who delivers the final passionate defense of the Africans before the Supreme Court.
Roger Sherman Baldwin
Played by Matthew McConaughey
Property lawyer who evolves from viewing the case as legal technicality to championing human rights.
Theodore Joadson
Played by Morgan Freeman
Former slave and abolitionist who recruits Baldwin and advocates passionately for the Africans' freedom.
Lewis Tappan
Played by Stellan Skarsgård
Christian abolitionist who provides financial backing and moral support for the Africans' legal defense.
Martin Van Buren
Played by Nigel Hawthorne
U.S. President who views the Amistad case politically, seeking to appease Southern slaveholders for reelection.
Secretary John Forsyth
Played by David Paymer
Van Buren's Secretary of State who manipulates legal proceedings to favor Spanish claims.
Judge Coglin
Played by Jeremy Northam
District court judge who presides over the initial Amistad trial with unexpected integrity.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Cinque breaks free from chains aboard the Amistad slave ship during a violent storm, establishing the brutal reality of the Middle Passage and human bondage.. The analysis reveals that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 16 minutes when The Africans are formally charged with murder and piracy. President Van Buren, facing re-election, pressures the courts to rule in favor of Spain to avoid war and maintain Southern support.. At 11% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The Collapse moment at 102 minutes (65% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Cinque, in despair, attempts to pray to his ancestors for guidance but fears they cannot hear him in this foreign land. He asks Adams, "What kind of a man are you?" revealing the spiritual and emotional death of hope., shows the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Synthesis at 110 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 71% of the runtime. Adams delivers an impassioned argument before the Supreme Court, invoking the Declaration of Independence and the Founding Fathers. He argues that to rule against the Africans would be to betray America's founding principles. The Court deliberates and rules 7-1 in favor of the Africans' freedom., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Amistad's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 10 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs proven narrative structure principles that track dramatic progression. By mapping Amistad against these established plot points, we can identify how Steven Spielberg utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Amistad within the biography genre.
Steven Spielberg's Structural Approach
Among the 33 Steven Spielberg films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 5.8, showcasing experimental approaches to narrative form. Amistad represents one of the director's most structurally precise works. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Steven Spielberg filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional biography films include Lords of Dogtown, Ip Man 2 and A Complete Unknown. For more Steven Spielberg analyses, see E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, 1941 and West Side Story.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Cinque breaks free from chains aboard the Amistad slave ship during a violent storm, establishing the brutal reality of the Middle Passage and human bondage.
Theme
Theodore Joadson tells Baldwin: "What is true and what is right are not always the same thing." This establishes the central tension between legal precedent and moral justice.
Worldbuilding
The Africans are captured by the U.S. Navy and imprisoned. Abolitionists Joadson and Tappan seek legal representation. The Spanish government and slave ship owners claim the Africans as property. Young lawyer Roger Baldwin is recruited.
Disruption
The Africans are formally charged with murder and piracy. President Van Buren, facing re-election, pressures the courts to rule in favor of Spain to avoid war and maintain Southern support.
Resistance
Baldwin debates taking the case, viewing it as property law rather than murder. He struggles to communicate with Cinque. The abolitionists debate strategy. Baldwin investigates the ship's provenance and discovers the Africans may have been illegally enslaved.
Act II
ConfrontationPremise
The district court trial unfolds. Baldwin presents evidence that the Africans were kidnapped from Sierra Leone. Cinque testifies through Covey. The horrors of the Middle Passage are revealed through flashbacks. Baldwin argues for their freedom based on illegal enslavement.
Opposition
The case moves to the Supreme Court, dominated by Southern justices. Van Buren manipulates the court. Baldwin realizes he's out of his depth. Former President John Quincy Adams is recruited but initially refuses. Cinque loses hope. The political pressure intensifies.
Collapse
Cinque, in despair, attempts to pray to his ancestors for guidance but fears they cannot hear him in this foreign land. He asks Adams, "What kind of a man are you?" revealing the spiritual and emotional death of hope.
Crisis
Adams reflects on his own mortality and legacy. He visits Cinque in the dark of night. They discuss their ancestors and what it means to fight for something greater than oneself. Adams finds his purpose; Cinque finds renewed resolve.
Act III
ResolutionSynthesis
Adams delivers an impassioned argument before the Supreme Court, invoking the Declaration of Independence and the Founding Fathers. He argues that to rule against the Africans would be to betray America's founding principles. The Court deliberates and rules 7-1 in favor of the Africans' freedom.