Freedom Road (1979): cast, story & where to watch
1979 · Film · ★ 4.5
Released in 1979, Freedom Road is a drama film directed by Ján Kadár, running about 186 minutes.
What it’s about. Ex-slave and former Union soldier Gideon Jackson represents other ex-slaves at the constitutional convention, and is soon elected to the U.S. Senate despite opposition from white landowners, law enforcement and the KKK. He unites with sharecropper Abner Lait, who helps Jackson unite ex-slaves and white tenant farmers.
Who’s in it. Freedom Road stars Muhammad Ali as Gideon Jackson, Kris Kristofferson as Abner Lait, Ron O'Neal as Francis Cardoza and Edward Herrmann as Stephen Holmes, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 4.5/10, Freedom Road has proved divisive with audiences.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Prime Video with Ads and rent or buy it from Amazon Video. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Freedom Road page.
If you liked it. Fans of Freedom Road tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Freedom Road (1979)?
- In US, Freedom Road is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Prime Video with Ads, and rent or buy from Amazon Video. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is Freedom Road worth watching?
- Freedom Road holds an audience score of 4.5 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy drama. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in Freedom Road?
- Freedom Road stars Muhammad Ali, Kris Kristofferson, Ron O'Neal, Edward Herrmann and John McLiam.
- When was Freedom Road released?
- Freedom Road was released in 1979, with a runtime of about 186 minutes.