Minty(soon to be Harriet Tubman)was a slave on a Southern plantation. She was special because she would have “visions” what she claimed to be from god. She and her husband, John, who is free hires a lawyer to prove that Harriet’s mother was supposed to be freed and that therefore her children are free as well. When they bring that idea to Mr. Brodess, the owner of the plantation, he refuses to acknowledge it. Soon after, Mr.broadus dies and his son Gideon Takes over. He grew up with minty and lead to him having a soft spot for her. Even though he did have a soft spot for her he still threatened to send her “down the river” to longer see her family. And that was the last straw for minty, so she fled north leaving her husband behind. She ventures to say goodbye to her whole family and then she sets on her long journey. Halfway through her journey Gideon and his men cornered her on a bridge, he swears he won’t sell her anymore, but she “rather live free or die.” Then she continues to jump off the bridge. Gideon and his men Believed she died but she manages to survive and continue her journey north.
She arrives with a mission to find Mr.William Still of the Anti-Slavery Society. He helps organize the underground railroad. He helps Minty get started in her new life, he aids her in picking out a new name. He introduces her to Marie Buchanon, a born free Black woman,who then helps her getting housing, and even getting a job. After she is settled she sends word to her husband that she was alive and she made it, but no word back. She feels the need to go back and bring him with her. Mr.Steel says no, but she does it anyway by using fake papers.
When Harriet finally makes the journey she learns that Gideon plans to sell Harriet’s brothers, she knows she needs to bring them to freedom. Not only does she now need to bring all her brothers and their wives to freedom she finds her husband is now remarried with a child-bearing wife. When on a search for Harriet Gideon encounters a young black man named Walter claiming to know about her whereabouts in exchange for money. He promises his services along with a famous slave catcher named Abraham who is a violent black man. The Track Harriet and her group and plan to capture them in the middle of the night. But Harriet has a vision that tells them to change direction so she and her group avoided capture. They cross a river and Walter saw this but decides to lie and tell them he couldn’t find them. Harriet successfully gets her group to the north and eventually become one of the most successful conductors of the underground railroad.
All of her successful trip, people end up giving her the nickname ‘Moses.’ She finds out her sister has died and that forces her to keep fighting. The Fugitive Slave Act was enacted, which allows southerners to come to the north and recapture slaves who are already free. Harriet escaped to Canada. She has a vision about her father being in danger, she goes back to rescue her parents and sisters daughter. She ventures back to freedom with the aid of Walter.
Gideon and Abraham track them down, and Harriet has Walter continue to take them to freedom while she stays behind and lets them chase after her.
Gideon demands Harriet be taken alive, but when Abraham angrily tries to shoot her, Gideon shoots him in the head. Harriet confronting Gideon, shooting him in the hand. She has him on his knees at gunpoint, but rather than kill him, she tells him why he is wrong and how God did not intend people to own people.
Later during the Civil War, Harriet leads a raid that frees 750 slaves. She was successful and returned home to live out the rest of her life.
I think the movie was very intriguing and interesting, I felt it did have a lot of facts but was not completely historically accurate, such as a black slave hunter. I felt the film was extremely well filmed and the “visions” were well integrated. I highly recommend the movie just for the experience. I felt this movie helped me finalize all my thoughts about the underground railroad and the fugitive slave act.
