Nightjohn
Words Are Freedom
1996 | 92m | English
Popularity: 6 (history)
| Director: | Charles Burnett |
|---|---|
| Writer: | Bill Cain, Gary Paulsen |
| Staring: |
| John is a man of many talents, including one forbidden skill: he can read. When he teaches a young slave girl named Sarny to read and write, she learns an unforgettable lesson about the power of words and the true meaning of freedom. | |
| Release Date: | Jun 01, 1996 |
|---|---|
| Director: | Charles Burnett |
| Writer: | Bill Cain, Gary Paulsen |
| Genres: | Drama, TV Movie |
| Keywords | plantation, slave, reading, teaching, literacy |
| Production Companies | Hallmark Entertainment, Sarabande Productions, Signboard Films Production Inc. |
| Box Office |
Revenue: $0
Budget: $0 |
| Updates |
Updated: Jan 31, 2026 Entered: Apr 26, 2024 |
| Name | Character |
|---|---|
| Beau Bridges | Clel Waller |
| Carl Lumbly | Nightjohn |
| Bill Cobbs | Old man |
| Kathleen York | Callie Waller |
| Gabriel Casseus | Outlaw |
| Tom Nowicki | Dr. Chamberlain |
| Joel Traywick | Jeff Waller |
| Allison Jones | Sarny |
| Patty Mack | Evelyn |
| Deborah Duke | Lethe |
| Danny Nelson | Reverend Osee Rush |
| Monica Ford | Egypt |
| Gerald Brown | Joseph |
| Robin Michelle McClamb | Sarnys Mother (as Robin McLamb-Vaughn) |
| Steven Sutherland | Alan Bowen |
| Shannon Eubanks | Fanny Bowen |
| John P. Ford III | Arthur Waller |
| John Herina | Homer Waller |
| Jordan Williams | James G. Waller |
| Bill Gribble | Tom - Slave Trader |
| Bruce Evers | Patroller #1 |
| James Mayberry | Patroller #2 |
| Antwan Isaac | Young Man |
| Alecia I. Gainey | Sarny (age 4) |
| Lorraine Toussaint | Dealey |
| Name | Job |
|---|---|
| Charles Burnett | Director |
| Bill Cain | Screenplay |
| Melissa Matthies | Property Master |
| Dennis Stuart Murphy | Unit Production Manager |
| Dorian Harris | Editor |
| Elliot Davis | Director of Photography |
| Gary Paulsen | Novel |
| Stephen James Taylor | Original Music Composer |
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| Dennis Stuart Murphy | Producer |
| Organization | Category | Person |
|---|
Popularity History
| Year | Month | Avg | Max | Min |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 4 | 5 | 10 | 1 |
| 2024 | 5 | 8 | 12 | 4 |
| 2024 | 6 | 5 | 12 | 2 |
| 2024 | 7 | 6 | 11 | 3 |
| 2024 | 8 | 3 | 6 | 1 |
| 2024 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 1 |
| 2024 | 10 | 2 | 6 | 1 |
| 2024 | 11 | 2 | 7 | 1 |
| 2024 | 12 | 2 | 6 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 1 |
| 2025 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| 2025 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 2025 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 2025 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 2025 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2025 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2025 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| 2025 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| 2025 | 12 | 3 | 4 | 1 |
| 2026 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 1 |
Trending Position