8mm Forum: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer { 1938 }

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Topic: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer { 1938 }

Graham Ritchie
Film God

Posts: 4001
From: New Zealand
Registered: Feb 2006

posted August 28, 2006 04:58 AM

David O Selznick produced this classic Technicolor film prior to Gone With The Wind.

Available in 5/400ft reels can fit onto 1400ft reel [home made with 50mm centre fits ST/GS] running time about 70 minutes.

Cast

Tommy Kelly as Tom Sawyer
Jackie Moran as Huckleberry Finn
Ann Gillis as Becky Thatcher
Walter Brennan as Muff Potter
David Holt as Sidney
Victory Jory as Injun Joe
May Robson as Aunt Polly

Directed by Norman Taurog
Music by Max Steiner

Tom lives with his aunt Polly and to his annoyance also with Sidney his half brother, no matter what Tom gets up to whether he is in the right or wrong he always seems to come out the worst of it, and with Aunt Polly always siding with Sidney he just cant win.

He has a girlfriend Becky who he is always trying to impress but even here things are not working out. There are many amusing scenes one of which is when Tom is forced to take his medicine, and while Aunt Polly is distracted he feeds it to the cat, with hairaising results. [Smile]

Tom has had enough and decides to run away with Huck the townspeople after searching the river for the boys conclude that they must have drowned, actually down river playing pirates and after the food runs out they decide to return not relising the trouble everyone had gone to looking for them, they return to town in time to hear a memorial service being held for them, and from listening from the balcony and upon hearing all the nice things people are saying about them decide to make there presence known.

Much to everyones delight and relief upon seeing them, turns to anger, as Tom lets it slip that they were playing pirates. Later Tom and Huck witness a brutal murder in the graveyard by Injun Joe, poor old Muff is also there and he set up to take the blame.

Only the boys no the full truth and during the trial Tom comes forward to help his friend Muff, and tells that it was really Injun Joe that comitted the murder, this leads to Injun Joe throwing a knife at Tom in the witness box narrowly missing his head before making his escape.

The climax of the film happens when during a school outing to a cave Tom and Becky become lost, adding to this a rockfall traps them, and unknown to Tom, Injun Joe is in the cave with them with revenge on his mind I wont tell you how it ends up that would spoil it.

Its hard to imagine this film was made in 1938 it has lost none of its appeal the acting is superb in particular Tommy Kelly as Tom, also there is much more to this film than the brief description above, its a classic I would highly recomend for everyone, forget DVD, the colour {natural} looks great this is what Super8 is all about.

PS. I have two copies of this film the first bought over 10yrs ago from Derann second hand and the colour is fading. [Frown]

The second bought here in NZ which has exellent colour [Smile]

[different stock] the reason I mention this, there are good prints around but if you are thinking of getting one just be carefull!!.

Graham [Smile]

[ August 28, 2006, 02:20 PM: Message edited by: Graham Ritchie ]