Customer Reviews

Sally Hemings An American Love Story

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

of President Jefferson and his concubine/slave Sally Hemings, there remains a rather usual story of a widower who transfers his well-known affection for his young deceased wife to her equally beautiful sister. Sally Hemings and Martha Jefferson were half-sisters and it was said that they looked rather alike. Sally came to Monticello with the marriage of Martha to Thomas Jefferson.

It is easy to point up the hypocrisy of Thomas Jefferson, the author who wrote so eloquently of freedom in the Declaration of Independence while denying to others, but initially Jefferson did seek the end of slavery in the 13 colonies. During the days of the Continental Congress he urged the abolition of slavery as part and parcel of the newly created United States, but was persuaded to drop the cause when the southern states threatened to bolt and withdraw their much needed support in the inevitable clash with the the crown. Following the Revolution Jefferson no longer persued abolitionist ideology

As a person ages, they often become more conservative and careful in their beliefs. This was true of Jefferson. He also held a strong belief in NOT concentrating or centralizing the powers of the government but rather to give the greater authority to each State to govern itself in the newly formed confederation. Although Jefferson's ideas would give way to Madison and the Federalization of the states; many still cling to the idea of decentralized government; the south in particular used this dictum again and again during the civil rights era in order to maintain their segregationist laws.

What can never be known is the true nature of the relationship between Sally Hemings and Jefferson. Sally Hemings was Jefferson's property and with no personal freedom or rights. We know that Jefferson instructed Martha Jefferson Randolph, his daughter by Martha Jefferson, to free Sally & her children upon his death. Many speculate that this was based on his love and affection for this steadfast woman with whom he shared much of his life and by whom he had a number of children.

If you love hitorical dramas and romantic fantasies, I highly recommend Sally Hemings: An American Scandal. Although I strongly suspect there was a real relationship between Jefferson and Hemings, this story is taken way over the top for entertainment's sake. The entertainment value is certainly there, but it is so strong that one can be easily swept away by it into the realm of belief.

An alleged "historian" once publicly stated that he "wouldn't let history get in the way of a good story." As a fan and writer of fiction, I can understand his statement. However, as a lover of history, I bitterly resent his idiocy.

History, itself, is a great story. But when the need for dramatic presentation leads that story far afield from the facts, it should never, ever be presented as real history.

I absolutely recommend Sally Hemings: An American Scandal as a romantic fantasy with a historical setting. To say that it is more is to do an injustice to both the Jeffersons and the Hemings, who are inadequately represented here.

As a genealogist, I collect period movies. This is one of the first movies I ordered. This story is only one of many stories that occurred during the slavery peiod in this country. Because it was Thomas Jefferson - that made it big history. There were several slave owners who not only bed their slaves, some fell in love with them. The acting is excellent and the movie is very relevant. I highly recommend it.

Excellent history done as believable as this type of story can be done. It is a part of the American past, long hidden, and only proved in 1998. A president, Thomas Jefferson (Sam Neill) lives with his slave, unwed, mistress, openly at times, fathering several children through Sally Hemings (Carmen Ejogo) but never quite takes responsibility for the children. Today it would be as scandalous as it would have been, or should have been then, but...

Ejogo does a magnificent job of presenting Sally through all of the emotion and hardship her life held. Good times and bad, Sally was the rock her children needed, and the woman President Jefferson wanted. Of course much of the time they were together, Jefferson was not President, but often politically active. He at least did give the girl, Sally, her freedom early in their relationship, in Paris. Sally first became an active mistress to Jefferson at that location, while just a teenager and maid to Jefferson's daughter, Patsy (Mare Winningham). It was a 38-year relationship that actually continued as Sally cared for Jefferson's grave until her own death. It is a love story. Not a Christian example but sincere love in a bi-racial relationship at a time when it was unacceptable. It leave the viewer the task of deciding ethics.

Definitely enough historical record to make this worthy of watching for every student, suggested for ages 12 and over. A DVD value at today's price for the historical content as well as entertainment excellence. The only negative was background musical scores were loud enough it was sometimes difficult to catch all the words of the actors, and subtitles or CC are NOT included. The box warns of violence and profanity...correctly. When dealing with period slavery in a realistic fashion, that is expected.

I was very interested to find this DVD, as this is a fascinating episode in American history.
Sadly, it is just a made-up romantic tale that completely distorts and ignores the known facts and - outrageously - invents things that we know did not happen just because the story would have been better if they did.
One simple example exposes the whole pile of rubbish: throughout the whole thing Sally Hemings is at war Martha, TJ's daughter. The grand denouement comes as the climax to the film when, right at the end, with TJ dead and buried, the cruel and vicious Martha threatens to sell Sally. Sally then produces a letter from TJ that gave her her freedom way back in Paris all these years ago. She has not stayed because she was a slave, she has stayed for love. This is rubbish. This never happened. It is a straightforward lie. Jefferson, to his eternal disgrace and shame, did not ever free Sally. It was, in fact, Martha who behaved with generosity, dignity and compassion towards Sally after TJs death. The daughter clears up the father's mess. Again.
This is sloppy, lazy, self-indulgent film-making and bad, bad history. As is the scene where Sally is abducted, stripped and whipped. There is absolutely no record of this ever having happened and it is not a part of the full and detailed Hemings' oral history. They just made it up to shock the viewers. There were lots of bad people around then, doing lots of ugly things. We don't have to make stuff up. To do so is an insult to the real people who suffered real pain. If they want to make a soft porn romance about a mixed race master/slave relationship that's their choice. But don't call it history.

I have to give the filmmakers credit for bringing to light a story that, for so long, historians rejected. We now know that Thomas Jefferson did indeed have a 30-year relationship with Sally Hemings, his slave (and wife's half-sister). The dialogue is bad, costuming not particularly accurate, and the actors pretty bad. All that can be overlooked. What is problematic to me is that the story, as presented here, is largely fictional.

First, the actress playing Hemings was entirely too, well, black, to be accurate. Sally Hemings was only 1/4 black and described as being "mighty near white" by Edmund Bacon, Jefferson's overseer. Change her clothes from servant/slave gear and one would likely have assumed she was white. We have no knowledge that Sally Hemings could write, let alone read and the movie has her reading and writing in English and French. Given that Jefferson encouraged education and learning music, we have no reason to assume she could do either. And while we know that she had the opportunity to stay behind in France and be free, there is no indication of the drama between herself, her brother, and Jefferson, nor did they flee paris due to an angry mob attacking his home. There is a disturbing scene in which Jefferson all but rapes Hemings in Paris, something we have zero documentation of (and frankly, would be WAY out of line for Jefferson's character.) Also, as the writers are trying to convince the audience that this is a love/companionate relationship, this is a godawful way to do it. We have no facts that prove that Sally was pregnant when she returned home from France (that story was largely concocted by Thomas Woodson, who claimed to be the long-lost first son of Jefferson and Hemings and has since been proven not to be ) Madison Hemings, in his memoirs, refers to a child that was born about 1790 but did not live. Paris is simply the place historians assume the relationship started because Madison Hemings said so in his memoirs. The entire story about Hemings and the slave Henry she was in love with and supposed to marry was a fabrication, as was the rape/whipping scene in the barn. These are two of my least favorite scenes in the movie because they were written purely to tug at teh viewers heartstrings and not to give them any sort of basis in reality. Finally, Andrews assumes a love relationship between Jefferson and Hemings. None of this is documented anywhere at all. After doing very extensive research on the subject, I personally believe that it was a companionate relationship, but one largely based on Jefferson's odd quirks and beliefs (see Death and Desire at Monticello by Andrew Burnstein).

I am all in favor of historical fiction - but real historical fiction takes the facts and makes a marginally fictionalized account, not just for entertainment value, but to gain the public's interest in the truth. This film has created a piece of fiction using real characters. That's just not the same as historical fiction. It appears that Thomas Jefferson: An Intimate History (by Fawn Brodie) and Barbara Chase-Riboud's Sally Hemings: A Novel were both read by the writers and they skipped over the academic stuff entirely - a huge mistake.

I have watched this movie several times, in different years, and at different points in my eduation (I'm doing a Master's in American History) and my opinion of the film sinks lower every time I watch it. I support the movie's purpose, but not actual product. So, if you're looking for something entertaining AND accurate, try reading any of Annette Gordon-Wood's books, Death and Desire at Monticello, Jefferson's Notes on the State of Virginia (the sections that relate to slavery), and Joseph Ellis' Thomas Jefferson: The American Sphynx.

I saw this film when it was first released on CBS and had to have my own copy. The acting is wonderful--very passionate and very charged. Carmen Ejogo brings the silent suffering of Sally Hemings to the screen--through her somewhat tumultuous relationship with Jefferson; the loss of children and dignity, and living through the terrible contradiction that is slavery itself.

Sam Neill does a fantastic job as Jefferson. Wanting what he wants (as do most Americans) yet not in the position to make any changes and if I may argue, lacking the necessary character to do so. It is interesting though that Mr. Neill accurately portrays the increasingly blurred line between slave and wife for Jefferson who manhandles Hemings in a scene when he thinks she may be involved with another slave. To which she replies: "you don't have to hurt me you own me". Of course, both a spouse and a servant wereconsidered a form of property in the time period of the film and you sometimes wonder--debates on the accuracy of this film aside--which he considered her more to be over the course of 38 years.

beyond this, the supporting cast is outstanding. Dihann Carroll is excellent as Sally's strong willed mother. Klea Scott as Critta, Sally's sister gives a testament to the heart breaking sexual abuse suffered by slave women. Rene Aberjenois shines however, as the utterly evil reporter, James Calendar who exposes the affair. Superb.

This movie was excellent. It was much better than the version that came out in the early '90's. If you love period films than you will definitely love this historical piece. This is the perfect example of people caught between privilege and oppression. Excellent!!!

As a historian, this movie tried to stick closely to the historical accuarcy of the Jefferson-Hemings controversy. I was surprised the the movies acknowledged Thomas Woodson as Jefferson's son. Many formal historians believe the opposite. The relationship between Hemings and Jefferson seemed to be fictionalized as romance never happens as the movies portrayed. Of course there was some fiction here in order to make it intersting. It was all around an accurate movie. The peformance of Carmen Ejogo especially did Sally Hemings justice. It showed she was a protaganist for her people, not just a slave concubine.

Despite the lingering question of how much of this tale is history and how much is fiction, it is a most fascinating, entertaining, and challenging story of forbidden love. This movie is three hours long, but it may leave you wishing for more! Five stars, not for its historicity, for which I am not qualified to evaluate, but for its thought-provoking value and its entertainment. I rented it but am now ordering my own copy.