The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Although the book is better than the movie. The movie is very comic, full of scenes that really make adults lentivate the times of child. Highly recommend.

1st watched 10/14/2000 - (Dir-Norman Taurog): Well-done enactment of the popular Mark Twain novel with suspense, laughs & tears. Popular child director proves again that he can teach kids how to act on film.

You folks from the Chicago area will remember Frazier Thomas and his 'Family Classic' television program that ran for years on Friday night on WGN. My favorites were 'Robin Hood' and 'Tom Sawyer' from 1938. The movie is moving event that will take you down Memory. First love, raw fear, shame, murder, fun and pure joy is present in this wonderful retelling of Mark Twain's American classic. The story is set on the mighty Mississippi River in Hannibal, Missouri, circa 1850. The young boy playing the lead role is a very pleasant young fellow with plenty of charm and mischief to entertain the entire family. I have seen this film numerous times and I still love it. You will too.

Although it leaves important parts of the novel out -for budgetary reasons, I suppose-, what is in the film is all in the book, and to me it depicts the innocence and charm of Twain's children's world better than any other film adaptation has ever done. The Technicolor cinematography is absolutely fantastic, as well as the art direction. And the child actors are natural-born players, they are all perfect. And then we have dear old toothless Walter Brennan, one of my favourite American character actors and the first person ever to win three Academy Awards (1936, 1938 and 1940) as Muff Potter, the town drunk, a role he was born to play. David O'Selznick put the dollars in, and this film surely was a rehearsal for GWTW. And Norman Taurog, a director well experienced on working with children (Skippy, Huckleberry Finn, Boy's Town) at the helm. They made a film that will last forever.

just lovely. for the atmosphere, great performance, for pure joy, for respect for novel and courage to filmed a masterpiece in right style. crumb of a time, piece of Selznick creation, it is nostalgic, seductive, fresh and realistic. in few occasions, perfect illustration for book, in other - perfect reflection of everyone childhood. so, it is out of verdicts because it remains, after so many years, a magnificent experience. sure, in shadow of Gone on the wind, it can be an exercise. but its force and shining truth is more authentic than the mega-production. because it is a splendid adaptation. and more. because the sincerity and the fresh air of an unique age, the naiveté , the joyousness, innocence, Tommy Kelly who is Tom and not an actor in character skin, May Robson who gives her entire subtle art in the portrait of aunt Polly are virtues /ingredients of a great film about wonderful universe

Even after all these years, this David O. Selznick version of the Mark Twain classic holds up better than most. The humor with Sidney is stretched to the limits, but all of the novel's high points are included. And most impressive is the camerawork of James Wong Howe, especially in those latter cave sequences.

A glorious piece of Americana and a great film for children, this adaptation of Mark Twain's classic was directed by Norman Taurog, who was a dab hand at this sort of thing, (he had already won the Oscar for Skippy with Jackie Cooper), and is something of a classic itself. The very likable Tommy Kelly is Tom and it's a lovely performance, one of the least ingratiating by a child in all of American movies. He's untrained and innocent and when he cries he's actually very moving. Under Taurog's direction all of the children are first-rate; they all capture the spirit of Mark Twain perfectly. The adults include the great May Robson, magnificent as Aunt Polly, Victor Jory, a suitably frightening Injun Joe, Walter Brennan, Margaret Hamilton and Donald Meek. It's also luminously photographed in early colour by James Wong Howe. David O Selznick produced with all the care and attention to detail you would expect.