Nightjohn
Nightjohn

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- 68/100 based on 426 votes

Sarny, a 12-year-old slave girl in the ante-bellum South, faces a relatively hopeless life. Her chief duties at the plantation of Clel Waller are serving at table, spitting tobacco juice on roses to prevent bugs, and secretly conveying intimate messages between Waller's wife, Callie, and Dr. Chamberlaine. Then Nightjohn arrives. A former runaway slave who bears telltale scars on his back, he takes Sarny under his wing and, in exchange for a pinch of tobacco, secretly begins t... (Full plot summary below)

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Actors in Nightjohn:

Beau Bridges
Carl Lumbly
Bill Cobbs
Kathleen York
Gabriel Casseus
Tom Nowicki

Full Plot Details

Sarny, a 12-year-old slave girl in the ante-bellum South, faces a relatively hopeless life. Her chief duties at the plantation of Clel Waller are serving at table, spitting tobacco juice on roses to prevent bugs, and secretly conveying intimate messages between Waller's wife, Callie, and Dr. Chamberlaine. Then Nightjohn arrives. A former runaway slave who bears telltale scars on his back, he takes Sarny under his wing and, in exchange for a pinch of tobacco, secretly begins to teach her to read and write, a crime punishable by death. "Words," he says, "are freedom. Slavery is made of words: laws, deeds and passes." He starts by drawing letters in the dirt and cautions her that no one must know. At her baptism, Sarny steals a Bible that belongs to Waller's son, Jeffrey, and practices reading by lantern-light in the slave quarters. The same Bible serves another purpose when, on a blank page taken from it, Nightjohn forges a pass for Outlaw, a young slave, to use in escaping to freedom in the North with his beloved Egypt, a slave on another plantation. Waller finds the Bible and demands to know who stole it. Delie, who cared for Sarny as a child, fears for her now and accepts the blame. But Nightjohn forestalls the lashing Delie is to receive, saying he's the one, for he can read. He tries to run away but is caught, and his hand is tied to a chopping block. With an ax, Waller delivers the severing blow, exacting the brutal penalty for Nightjohn's literacy. As he is dragged off to be sold, he tells Sarny, "When they cut off one hand, the other hand grows stronger." That night Sarny writes a pass for Egypt that will let her join Outlaw on the flight to freedom. Two days later their escape is discovered and the false passes found. Waller knows Nightjohn wrote Outlaw's pass. But who wrote the second? He interrupts a church service to demand the answer, threatening to kill all his slaves if no one tells. Sarny confesses, but declares he'll kill no one, for the slaves represent his wealth. As Waller raises his rifle, Sarny implores Callie to speak up for her, hinting that she has read the messages to Dr. Chamberlaine. Callie refuses, but the doctor, fearful Sarny will reveal the relationship, says he's at fault. He tells of teaching Egypt some reading and writing, but now declares it was a mistake. Callie orders that Sarny be sold, and as the girl is joined to a line of other slaves, she asks if any of them have tobacco to trade. What has she to give in return? they want to know. And Sarny draws an A in the dirt.

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Movie Reviews

Spirituality and Practice - 6/10 by Frederic and Mary Ann BrussatPowerful and soul-stirring drama set on a nineteenth century Southern plantation.
User Review - 10/10 by Lee Mi'm an alternative high school teacher, show nightjohn every year, single best film on slavery i know of, most popular among my students. last year, students insisted on seeing it 2x, not one student left the room during the entire 96 minutes of the film. every frame could be stopped for discussion of the historical truths depicted. whoever wrote the screenplay knew his/her history. knowledge is power, the multi-layered meanings of literacy, resonate strongly not only with teens, but anyone who sees the film. i don't understand why this great film is rarely mentioned when burnett's work is discussed.
User Review - 10/10 by Marilyn TA hymn to learning and determination, [i]Nightjohn[/i] is a thoughtful and moving film about slavery, perhaps the best I've seen. All the actors are superb, script is winning, and insight into human relations cuts deep. Charles Burnett is one of our best unknown directors, and fact that he can turn out a film like [i]Nightjohn[/i] for Hallmark/Disney should indicate to those in power in Hollywood that more of his work should end up on the big screen. Great stuff!
User Review - 8/10 by Cynthia SWonderful movie that brought to light the truths of why keeping slaves illiterate was so important to slave owners. Very touching story...chock full of some very good actors. Well done. Beau Bridges at his best.
User Review - 8/10 by Marilee APoignant,I found this Fascinating, slaves being punished for knowing how to read.Beau Bridges as Clel Waller was believably hateful.I cannot imagine how Slave Owners could justify not seeing their Slaves as Humans.This is yet another Film that I believe Teen School Kids should be Taught to learn Tolerance & History.
User Review - 8/10 by Peter KA great film. Charles Burnett takes enough elements from Gary Paulsen's sadistic depiction of slavery to fashion an unforgettable, emotionally wrenching statement about the thirst for knowledge and our sometimes limited ability to quench that thirst. Lumbly with his strong features and mesmerizer's eyes would make the perfect Judas Iscariot, or Jesus Christ--either would do; I doubt if Mel Gibson would have had the balls to cast him in his religious snuff flick. The film, however, really belongs to Beau Bridges as Clel Waller, the affable, casually cruel plantation owner who sees his slaves as his true treasure--troublesome and rebellious and untrustworthy, yes, but treasures nevertheless; it's this nuanced view that makes Burnett's depiction of slavery and its inhumanities (as opposed to Paulsen's, who looks at Waller as a 'white maggot') so persuasive. Would make a fascinating double feature with Mandingo.
User Review - 2/10 by Jennifer TThere are way better movies about slavery than this one. It's not believable in this movie-the whole slavery thing. Also, I found the girl who played Sarny to be very unlikeable. For good slavery type movies try: The Color purple, Roots or my favorite to date: The autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman.

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