Amistad (1997)

Djimon Hounsou: Cinque

Photos 

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Quotes 

• Yamba : [looking at a Bible] 

  Joseph Cinque : You don't have to pretend to be interested in that. Nobody's watching but me.

  Yamba : I'm not pretending. I'm beginning to understand it.

  [outside, a priest blesses himself] 

  Yamba : Their people have suffered more than ours. Their lives were full of suffering.

  [turns to a picture of the newborn Jesus Christ] 

  Yamba : Then he was born, and everything changed.

  Joseph Cinque : Who is he?

  Yamba : I don't know, but everywhere he goes he is followed by the sun.

  [turns to a picture of Jesus healing a man] 

  Yamba : Here he is healing people with his hands...

  [shows Jesus defending Mary Magdalene] 

  Yamba : protecting them...

  [shows Jesus and the children] 

  Yamba : being given children...

  Joseph Cinque : [sees Jesus walking on water]  What's this?

  Yamba : He could also walk across the sea. But then something happened. He was captured, accused of some sort of crime.

  [shows Jesus with Pontius Pilate] 

  Yamba : Here he is with his hands tied.

  Joseph Cinque : He must have done something.

  Yamba : Why? What did we do? Whatever it was, it was serious enough to kill him for it. Do you want to see how they killed him?

  [shows the crucifixion of Jesus] 

  Joseph Cinque : This is just a story, Yamba.

  Yamba : But look, that's not the end of it.

  [shows the disciples taking Jesus' body down] 

  Yamba : His people took his body down from this... thing... this...

  [signs the cross in the air] 

  Yamba : They took him into a cave. They wrapped him in a cloth, like we do.

  [shows the Resurrection of Jesus] 

  Yamba : They thought he was dead, but he appeared before his people again and spoke to them. Then, finally, he rose into the sky.

  [shows the Ascension of Jesus] 

  Yamba : [the priest prays in the background] 

  Yamba : This is where the soul goes when you die.

  [shows a picture of Heaven in the clouds] 

  Yamba : This is where we're going when they kill us. It doesn't look so bad...

• Joseph Cinque : Give us, us free. Give us, us free. Give us, us free. Give us, us free! Give us, us free!

• Joseph Cinque : [in Mende]  What kind of a place is this where you almost mean what you say? Where laws almost work? How can you live like that?

• Joseph Cinque : I met my ancestors.

  Joseph Cinque : I will call into the past.

  Joseph Cinque : Far back to the beginning of time and beg them to come and help me at the judgement.

  Joseph Cinque : I will reach back and draw them into me and they must come.

  Joseph Cinque : For at this moment I am the whole reason they have existed at all.

• [a band of abolitionists approach the outer gate of the prison where the Amistad refugees are being held for trial] 

  Fala : [in Mende]  Who are they, do you think?

  [the abolitionists kneel to pray] 

  Joseph Cinque : [in Mende]  Looks like they are going to be sick.

  Abolitionists : [singing]  Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound...

  Fala : [in Mende]  They're entertainers!

  Abolitionists : [singing]  ... that saved a wretch like me...

  Joseph Cinque : [in Mende]  But why do they look so miserable?

• Baldwin : [holds up a knife]  Have you seen this before?

  Joseph Cinque : [in Mende]  I could kill you with my bare hands before you raise that sword.

  Baldwin : This belongs to you? Does this? No, no. Umm, I need to know where you're from.

• Joseph Cinque : [in Mende]  Baukei... hold your head up.

• Joseph Cinque : [through translator]  I'm not a "big man". Just a lucky one.

• John Quincy Adams : One tries to govern wisely, strongly. One tries to govern in a way that betters the lives of one's villagers. One tries to kill the lion. Unfortunately, one isn't always wise enough or strong enough. Time passes and the moment is gone. Now, listen, Cinque, listen, we're about - we're about to bring your case before the highest court in our land. We're about to do battle with a lion that is threatening to rip our country in two. Huh? And all we have on our side is a rock. Of course, you didn't ask to be at the center of this historic conflagration anymore than I did; but, we find ourselves here, nonetheless, by some mysterious mix of circumstances and all the world watching. So, what are we to do? Huh?

  Joseph Cinque : [in Mende]  Is he going to help? He has far many more questions than answers.

  John Quincy Adams : What did he just say?

  Ens. Covey : I - I - Sorry, I didn't catch it.

  John Quincy Adams : Cinque, look, I'm being honest with you. Anything less would be disrespectful. I'm telling you. I'm preparing you, I suppose. I'm explaining to you. That the test ahead of us is an exceptionally difficult one.

  Ens. Covey : [translating for Cinque]  We won't be going in there alone.

  John Quincy Adams : Alone? In deed, not. We have right at our side. We have righteousness at our side! We have Mr. Baldwin over there.

  Ens. Covey : [translating for Cinque]  I meant my ancestors. I will call into the past. Far back to the beginning of time and beg them to come and help me at the judgement. I will reach back and draw them into me and they must come. For at this moment I am the whole reason they have existed at all.

• Joseph Cinque : [to Baldwin]  Thank you, Baldwin.