Nightjohn (1996)

In the shadowy heart of the ante-bellum South, a 12-year-old slave girl named Sarny endures a life of monotonous servitude. Her existence on Clel Waller's plantation is composed of menial tasks: serving meals, bug-prevention with tobacco juice, and the clandestine transmission of love notes between Waller's wife, Callie, and Dr. Chamberlaine. Then, a beacon of hope emerges with the arrival of Nightjohn. A scarred, former runaway slave, Nightjohn chooses Sarny as his protege, clandestinely teaching her the forbidden art of reading and writing in exchange for a pinch of tobacco. He instills in her the belief that words are the keys to freedom, the chains of slavery a construct of letters and laws. Their lessons are a dance of secrecy, with the dirt as their canvas and the specter of discovery constantly looming. During her baptism, Sarny seizes a Bible from Waller's son, Jeffrey, and uses it as her hidden trove of learning, practicing under the hushed radiance of lantern-light in the quarters. The same Bible becomes instrumental when Nightjohn forges a pass for a young slave, Outlaw, facilitating his escape to the North with his beloved, Egypt. The stolen Bible's discovery sparks a cascade of events, with Nightjohn confessing to literacy to save Sarny from punishment. His self-sacrifice costs him a hand and his freedom as he's sold off, leaving Sarny with his final words of resilience. Emboldened, Sarny steps into Nightjohn's shoes, crafting a pass for Egypt. When the escape is unearthed, Waller, seething with rage, demands the culprit. Sarny confesses, challenging Waller's threats with the knowledge of his slaves' monetary value. As Waller brandishes his rifle, Sarny appeals to Callie for protection, hinting at her secret affair. Callie's silence prompts Dr. Chamberlaine to intervene, confessing his own crime of teaching Egypt to read and write. Sarny is ordered to be sold, but even as she joins a line of other slaves, she queries if anyone has tobacco to trade. And with one last act of defiance, she traces an 'A' in the dirt.

Nightjohn is a drama movie featuring Beau Bridges.

Nightjohn is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video.