Mister Johnson

1990
PG-13
1h 41m

IMDb RATING

6.4/10

1.3K

YOUR RATING

Maynard Eziashi in Mister Johnson (1990)

Play trailer3:10

1 Video

25 Photos

Drama

In 1923, a local resident of British Colonial Nigeria tries to be equal with the colonial administration.In 1923, a local resident of British Colonial Nigeria tries to be equal with the colonial administration.In 1923, a local resident of British Colonial Nigeria tries to be equal with the colonial administration.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.4/10

1.3K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 win & 1 nomination total

Trivia
Director Bruce Beresford lived in Africa in his earlier years. As a young filmmaker, Beresford made several short films in Africa.

Goofs
In the scene at dusk, the reflection of the stage lighting can be seen in Waziri's glasses.

Quotes
Celia Rudbeck: Perhaps you could clean your teeth tonight having taken the pipe out of your mouth - that would be a change.
Harry Rudbeck: I'm sorry, Celia.
Celia Rudbeck: Sorry about what?
Harry Rudbeck: I'm sorry about all of this.
Celia Rudbeck: Are you? You don't do anything about it.
Harry Rudbeck: Do? Well, what can I do? I'm in bloody West Africa. In the bloody bush. This isn't Mayfair, you know!
Celia Rudbeck: You don't have to tell me that. What about that horrible peanut soup? Peanut soup! Any idiot can make vegetable soup - even in bloody West Africa.
Harry Rudbeck: Why don't you tell Jamesu what you want to eat? He's not a chef at the Ritz.
Celia Rudbeck: Alright!
Harry Rudbeck: Dammit! You can go back home if you think you've made a mistake.
Celia Rudbeck: What mistake?
Harry Rudbeck: Marrying me. I know you think I'm a clod because I read Edgar Wallace instead of Jane Austin and I can't tell 'God Save the King' from the... the Marriage of bloody Figaro.

Crazy credits
Dedicated to Chief Hubert A. Ogunde (1915 - 1990)

Connections
Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze/The Comfort of Strangers/Defending Your Life/Mister Johnson/La Femme Nikita (1991)

Soundtracks
Pasadena
Written by Harry Warren
performed by the Savoy Havana Band

User reviews13

Review

Featured review

10/10

Mister Johnson

Poignant exploration and depiction of a person with dreams and aspirations. Not your typical film. Based on novel by Joyce Cary (very good novel) and pretty much sticking to the book's plot etc., this story should touch your feelings fairly deeply and perhaps make you think about the illusions (delusions) and impossibilities that drench many people's lives. Beresford (Driving Miss daisy, Breaker Morant) directs tautly and beautifully. Watching this film should make you a wiser, deeper person--don't miss it. (will probably have to buy copy from Amazon or ebay or perhaps from netflix.) Set in Africa, colonial theme is important. Moreover, racial dimension (protagonist is black) makes the story edge towards the politically incorrect. The hero's skin color is significant, but he is not a victim of racism--at least not in liberal's knee-jerk way.