[go: up one dir, main page]

    Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsEmmysSan Diego Comic-ConSummer Watch GuideToronto Int'l Film FestivalSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayMost popular celebsCelebrity news
    Help centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Au nom de la justice

Original title: The Vernon Johns Story
  • TV Movie
  • 1994
  • PG
  • 1h 40m
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
391
YOUR RATING
James Earl Jones in Au nom de la justice (1994)
BiographyDrama

This inspirational saga follows the life of controversial pastor Vernon Johns - now known as the father of the civil rights movement.This inspirational saga follows the life of controversial pastor Vernon Johns - now known as the father of the civil rights movement.This inspirational saga follows the life of controversial pastor Vernon Johns - now known as the father of the civil rights movement.

  • Director
    • Kenneth Fink
  • Writers
    • Leslie Lee
    • Kevin Arkadie
  • Stars
    • James Earl Jones
    • Mary Alice
    • Joe Seneca
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.6/10
    391
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Kenneth Fink
    • Writers
      • Leslie Lee
      • Kevin Arkadie
    • Stars
      • James Earl Jones
      • Mary Alice
      • Joe Seneca
    • 10User reviews
    • 2Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos3

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster

    Top cast29

    Edit
    James Earl Jones
    James Earl Jones
    • Vernon Johns
    Mary Alice
    Mary Alice
    • Altona
    Joe Seneca
    Joe Seneca
    • Deacon Wilkes
    Tommy Hollis
    Tommy Hollis
    • Coach Hill
    Nicolle Rochelle
    Nicolle Rochelle
    • Baby Dee
    • (as Nicole Leach)
    Ashanti Nailah Blaize
    • Enid
    Lashayla Logan
    Lashayla Logan
    • Jeanne
    Clifton James
    Clifton James
    • Judge Blake
    Shelby Ware
    • Janet Whitcomb
    Cissy Houston
    Cissy Houston
    • Rose
    Moses Gibson
    • Deacon Henderson
    Billie Allen
    • Ida Rawlins
    Michael Howell
    • Reverend Abernathy
    Justin Young
    • White Teenager
    Garland Bunting
    • Counterman
    Sarah Smith
    • Church Lady
    Beatrice Bush
    • Gloria Hill
    Sam Wells
    • Serviceman
    • Director
      • Kenneth Fink
    • Writers
      • Leslie Lee
      • Kevin Arkadie
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews10

    7.6391
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    8ceccster

    Excellent though painful to watch

    I saw the movie on TV a few days ago and thought it was excellent. It was good on two levels: acting and education. James Earl Jones did a superb job of displaying emotion, focus passion and vision. My heart was heavy as I watched the brutal and heartless treatment of blacks. I am glad that much of the outward side of racism is diminishing but I don't know if peoples' hearts have changed that much and that is where true change takes place. It was hard to watch but for those of us who have not been around that kind of racism it was a needed reminder to participate towards equality.

    The change that took place in the older daughter was at the expense of much pain but her decision to go for the higher cause will always be the price of change.
    flec

    A great story and fantastic film.

    The film tells the story of the Reverend Vernon Johns' struggle for equality in America in the 1960's.

    James Earl Jones delivers an all-round stunning dialog playing the reverend of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, Montgomery, Alabama - a name that most should recognise.

    He constantly oversteps his mark when preaching, telling the people who let the white americans run their lives what he -really- thinks of them, cowards, and as he gains more and more attention - eventually demanding to be served in a white-only cafe, but at the end of the film there comes a fantastic little twist.

    A very worthwhile watch!
    8wisewebwoman

    Well done portrayal of The Founder of the civil rights movement in the U.S.

    This film was a surprise in that it tells, and tells extraordinarily well, Reverend Vernon Johns' courage and conviction and struggle for equality in America in the Alabama of the 1960's just prior to the arrival of Dr. Martin King Jr. on the scene.

    James Earl Jones is thoroughly convincing in the role and he delivers the performance of his career in this true story.

    He breaches the barriers of white prejudice and tells it like it is for the white power that existed then, and alas, at times today. Jones is ably supported by a great cast and intelligent script and direction. I loved the freeze frames fading to black and white.

    Well done, all! 8 out of 10.
    10xanadu-24

    A strong reminder of the vileness of hatefulness that still exists.

    I saw this movie for the first time tonight (1/27/07) and wished I'd seen it 13 years earlier. What a powerful film!!

    In the early 1960s, as a college student, I was a white Civil Rights activist in Mississippi, and as such, I viewed with the deepest possible disgust the predecessors of today's equally-bigoted louts. It was the segregationists then, and today, it's the more mild-mannered and somewhat less blatant cultists of the "Religious" Radical Right. The ignorant and deceived people who seek to FORCE tens of millions of women to gestate unwanted pregnancies to term against their will (a very real, 9-month-long form of rape!), and who regard gays to be second-class citizens on the ludicrous basis of something so trivial as the way they choose to have sex in private. The 21st century thus is little better than the mid-20th. The bigots and their targets have changed, but the abject ignorance and hatefulness has not, and continues to poison American society.

    Unfortunately, America still has a LOT of growing up do do, and there's still a lot of bigotry to dispose of. Civil Rights Movement II is as important to tens of millions of people as was the first one. Women and gays NEED a leader for today of the stature of leaders like Rev. Vernon Johns.
    10mayvenger

    a powerful man with a powerful message

    An outstanding performance by James Earl Jones playing the pastor Vernon johns, and he does not mince his words. Some parts make you laugh, cry, and angry, but ultimately it inspires. His words "If you see a good fight, get in it" really sum up the man who inspired history. The supporting cast are excellent with Nicole leach (who plays his daughter) just trying to fit in to a society which is happy to keep her as a 2nd class citizen. Many at the time felt to scared to rock the boat, apart from Johns who in his own words is a "boat rocker"! Althougth i watched this film for the first time about 15 years ago, it has stayed with me and i wished that more people could see it, even if it may teach a lesson about history and about the fact that behind great men there is often other great men without whom they would have never become..well, Great!

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Vernon Johns was the immediate predecessor to Martin Luther King as senior pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama, serving from 1947 to 1952.
    • Goofs
      After one of his parishioners is raped, Rev. Johns has his daughter post his Sunday Sermon announcement on the church sign. The sign shows the name of the church, Sunday Service 11:00 AM, and "Dr. Vernon Johns, Pastor", and between the service time and Johns name is 'WHEN THE RAPIST IS WHITE', with single quote marks before and after. In the next scene, Johns is called to see a judge, who shows Johns a picture of the sign with the Sunday Sermon announcement, except the picture shows "WHEN THE RAPIST IS WHITE" with double quote marks before and after, and with the Sermon announcement above the service time, and instead of 'Dr. Vernon Johns, Pastor', it reads 'Rev. Dr. Vernon Johns' with 'Pastor' on a separate line below his name.
    • Quotes

      Vernon Johns: This boy lived a trifling and worthless life. He went around Montgomery daring someone to cut his throat. Saturday night somebody obliged him. He lived like a dog; he died like a dog. Undertaker, claim the body. Choir, sing.

    • Crazy credits
      The Producers acknowledge the significant contribution of author, Taylor Branch, to the public awareness of the life of Reverend Vernon Johns.
    • Connections
      Features Le dentiste (1932)

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 15, 1994 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • The Road to Freedom: The Vernon Johns Story
    • Production companies
      • Big Apple Films
      • Laurel Entertainment Inc.
      • Tribune Entertainment
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 40 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb App
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.