The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

MOVIE DESCRIPTION:

MGM's all-star 1960 filmization of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn surgically removes the sociological subtext of Mark Twain's novel in the interests of "entertainment for the whole family." The emphasis is on the adventuresome escapades of Huck (Eddie Hodges) and fugitive slave Jim (played by boxing champ Archie Moore), and on the comic elements inherent in the characters of the King (Tony Randall) and the Duke (Mickey Shaughnessy). In the manner of Around the World in 80 Days, every role is filled by a "name" actor: featured in the cast are Judy Canova, Andy Devine, Buster Keaton, Sterling Holloway, Finlay Currie, Josephine Hutchinson and John Carradine. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

DVD FEATURES:

• Region: 1
• Number of Discs: 1
• Audio: Dolby Digital Mono
• Screen: Letterbox for TV
• Features:
  • cc
  • Theatrical trailers of 4 Twain-centered movies: This film, 1939's Huckleberry Finn, 1937's The Prince and the Pauper and 1944's The Adventures of Mark Twain
  • Mark Twain on the screen essay
  • Interactive menus
  • Scene access
  • Languages: English & Francais
  • Subtitles: English, Francais, Espanol, Portugues, Chinese, Thai & Korean

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Cast:

  
       Tony Randall - The King
       Eddie Hodges - Huckleberry Finn
       Archie Moore - Jim
       Patty McCormack - Joanna
       Neville Brand - Pap
       Mickey Shaughnessy - The Duke
       Judy Canova - Sheriff's wife
       Andy Devine - Mr. Carmody
       Sherry Jackson - Mary Jane
       Buster Keaton - Lion tamer
       Finlay Currie - Captain Sellers
       Josephine Hutchinson - Widow Douglas
       Parley Baer - Grangerford Man
       John Carradine - Slave catcher
       Royal Dano - Sheriff
       Dolores Hawkins - River boat singer
       Sterling Holloway - Barber
       Minerva Urecal - Miss Watson
       Harry Dean Stanton - Slave catcher

• Director:

  Michael Curtiz

• Producer:

  Samuel Goldwyn, Jr.

• Screenwriter:

  James Lee

• Book Author:

  Mark Twain

• Cinematographer:

  Ted D. McCord

• Composer (Music Score):

  Jerome Moross

• Musical Direction/Supervision:

  Jerome Moross

• Editor:

  Franz Steininger, Frederic Steinkamp

• Art Director:

  George W. Davis, McClure Capps

• Special Effects:

  Arnold A. Gillespie

REVIEW:

• Samuel Goldwyn, Jr. gave The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn a pretty lavish production, and the picture is quite lovely to look at, especially in Ted. D. McCord's golden-hued color cinematography. It also boasts an especially fine background score from the pen of the one and only Jerome Moross that is full of vigor and excitement. Unfortunately, the film itself, while certainly watchable, is not as exciting and involving as that score, for a variety of reasons. Primary among them is the miscasting of its leads. Eddie Hodges is a cute and personable performer, but he in no way resembles the rough-edged nature's boy that is Huck. Hodges is the kind of kid whose cheeks you just want to pinch because he's so adorable; Huck might inspire a flickering of that feeling, but it would be tempered by the realization that your fingers would get awfully dirty doing that pinching and that you might also get a few teeth marks on your fingers in the process. Archie Moore presents a physically powerful Jim, but he's a lightweight in the acting department and so this crucial character fails to deliver in key scenes. Michael Curtiz's direction is also surprisingly unimaginative, and the screenplay bowdlerizes the original source a bit too much. On the plus, side, however, the supporting cast is quite good, with special praise due Tony Randall's immensely entertaining King. ~ Craig Butler, Rovi