The ever present specter in ”Beloved” is that of slavery, which Ms. Morrison conjured with such inspired obliqueness in a story set just after the Civil War. (NYT) Oprah Winfrey and Danny Glover play the unforgettable lead roles in a powerful, widely acclaimed cinematic triumph from Jonathan Demme. On a difficult journey to find freedom, Sethe (Winfrey) is constantly confronted by the secrets that have haunted her for years. Then, an old friend from out of her past (Glover) unexpectedly reenters her life. With his help, Sethe may finally be able to rediscover who she is and regain her lost sense of hope. Also featuring outstanding performances from Thandie Newton and Lisa Gay Hamilton — you’ll agree with critics everywhere who’ve hailed this landmark adaptation of Toni Morrison’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel as one of the year’s finest films. Based on a true story.
Set in 1873, with frequent flashbacks to the early 1850s.
“Beloved,” film and novel, is not a genre ghost story but a work that uses the supernatural to touch on deep feelings. Like The Turn of the Screw, it has no final explanation. Spirit manifestations come from madness and need not follow logical agendas. It is a remarkable and brave achievement for Demme and his producer and star, Winfrey, to face this difficult material head-on and not try to dumb it down into a more accessible, less evocative form. – Roger Ebert
Starring Oprah Winfrey, Danny Glover, Dorothy Love Coates, Thandie Newton, Jude Ciccolella.
Note: ”Beloved” is rated R. It includes graphic nudity, sexual situations and discreetly brief flashes of terrible brutality.