‘Beloved’ explores terror of slavery
Oprah’s character fights with past
By Jason Hardy
Senior staff writer
JThe physical and emotional scars
of slavery have been addressed many
a time in modern cinema, but few
films delve into the spiritual aspects
as much as Touchstone Pictures’ latest
release, “Beloved.”
Based on the Pulitzer Prize-win
ning novel by Toni Morrison,
“Beloved” tells the tale of Sethe
(Oprah Winfrey), an escaped slave
from the South, who is haunted and
held captive by the events of her past.
“Beloved” marks Winfrey’s first
starring role in a feature film since her
Oscar-nominated .
performance for
best supporting
actress in “The
Color Purple.” It
also marks the
end of a decade
long struggle by
Winfrey to
assemble the
right cast and
crew to transform
“Beloved” into a
motion picture.
Though the picture remains most
ly true to the novel, it doesn’t make a
completely successful leap to the big
screen. Because of some vague char
acter traits, the film has an overall
unsettled feel to it. With the novel, one
is able to understand more of the sym
bolism that is unattainable with its on
screen incarnation.
However, the movie does provide
The Facts
Title: "Beloved*
Stars: Oprah Winfrey, Danny Glover,
Thandie Newton
Director: Jonathan Demme
Rating: R (violence, adult situations, nudity)
Grade: B
Five Words: Oprah’s personal labor of love
an original and in-depth view of the
spiritual terror rooted in the atrocities
of slavery. The film is set in 1873
Ohio, where Sethe is attempting to
lead a simple life with her only living
daughter, Denver (Kimberly Elise).
The two are continually plagued by a
spirit from Sethe’s past who won’t
allow her to move on from the events
of her past.
With the arrival of her old friend,
Paul D (Danny Glover), Sethe begins
to confront her past head-on. When a
girl named Beloved (Thandie
-, Newton) arrives
^ at Sethe’s
8 doorstep, Sethe’s
W determination
and composure
are tested once
again.
Few actors
are known more
for their off
screen personae
as Oprah
Winfrey and with
the public’s
knowledge of her gestures, speaking
style and facial expressions, connec
tions between Sethe and Winfrey
would be easy to spot. Nevertheless,
Winfrey delivers a solid, believable
performance and never strays from
her character’s innate mannerisms.
Glover also does a fine job in his
portrayal as the kind-hearted yet
dimwitted Paul D. Though not a huge
~-i Courtesy Photo
OPRAH WINFREY (center) stars as Sethe, Thandie Newton (left) stars as
Reloved, and Kimberly Elise (right) stars as Denver in “Beloved,” based on
the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Toni Morrison.
stretch for Glover as an actor, his use
of facial expressions and other char
acteristics make it understandable
why Paul D is so likable despite his
vagabond nature.
Though relatively unknown,
Newton proves, with her depiction of
Beloved, that she is quite talented.
With her incredibly blank facial
expressions and contortions, she cap
tures an eerie essence of Beloved not
explored in the novel.
While the novel is definitely more
in-depth and complete, the film still
has a great deal to offer. However, for
a complete understanding and appre
ciation of the story, Morrison’s ver
sion is much better.
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