Mister Johnson *** (1990, Pierce Brosnan, Edward Woodward, Maynard Eziashi) – Classic Movie Review 10,014

In director Bruce Beresford’s affecting, warm-hearted, carefully made 1990 personal drama of a clash of cultures Mister Johnson, Pierce Brosnan gives a fine turn as Harry Rudbeck, the friend of Mister Johnson (Maynard Eziashi), a smart educated Nigerian in colonial Africa.

Edward Woodward, too, is first rate as Sargy Gollup, in this unfairly neglected film of Joyce Cary’s novel, written in 1939, but set in 1923. Top billed Maynard Eziashi won the Silver Bear award for Best Actor when the film screened in competition at the 41st International Berlin Film Festival in 1991.

Mister Johnson works for the British magistrate, and finds himself between cultures and does not really fit in anywhere, but is always scheming to get ahead.

Also in the cast are Denis Quilley, Beattie Edney, Nick Reding and Steve James.

Mister Johnson is directed by Bruce Beresford, runs 101 minutes, is made by Avenue Pictures, is released by 20th Century Fox, is written by William Boyd, based on Joyce Cary’s novel, is shot in Technicolor by Peter James, is produced by Michael Fitzgerald, is scored by Georges Delerue and designed by Herbert Pinter.

Irish novelist Joyce Cary said Mister Johnson was his favourite of his books. Mister Johnson was adapted as a play by Norman Rosten and performed at the Lyric Theatre in London, with Johnny Sekka, Cyril Raymond, Philip Bond and John Boxer, with Frith Banbury directing. It also played on Broadway from 29 March to 5 May 1956.

Joyce Cary’s novel The Horse’s Mouth was filmed in 1958.

It was shot in Kano, Kano State, Nigeria. Beresford recalled: ‘We took all the key crew from England, and a couple from America, and the cameraman and the art director came from Australia. The logistics were boggling. But after a couple of days, you could have been filming anywhere, although we did have to have interpreters.’

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 10,014

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