The Underground Railroad History Movie Review Paper (Movie Review Sample)

The Underground Railroad
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The Underground Railroad
Purpose and Effectiveness of the Clip
The clip is titled “Heritage Minutes: Underground Railroad.” It runs for one minute, one second, and captures the joy and uncertainty the escaping slaves from the United States experienced when they finally arrived in Canada. It demonstrates Canada as a welcoming country (Historica Canada, 2016). One gets the sense that Canada has always been a nation that supports others in hard times. It also promotes Canada as a culturally diverse country. A black woman is distraught and restless because a friend or family member has not made it past the border yet. A white woman—probably the host—and a black man reassure her that she should be calm and that the contact will soon arrive. An older white man, also present in the room, seems to be going around his duties, relaxed. Soon, the friend or family member they were waiting for arrives, and they celebrate their freedom. Towards the end of the clip, the narrator’s voice can be heard explaining the meaning of the Underground Railroad (Historica Canada, 2016). I found the clip effective in depicting the Canadian identity because although it is a short documentary, it centers around the anxiety, joy, and hope that characterized the Underground Railroad.