This film is in reality David O. Selznick's 1938 dress rehearsal for 1939's Gone With the Wind. Full length feature films in Technicolor weren't made until 1935 and there hadn't been many made by 1938. some studios didn't start using Technicolor until after 1940. Producer Selznick produced this big production film in Technicolor a year before he would masterfully capture the world's attention with it in Gone With the Wind. Production Designer William Cameron Menzies worked on both this film and GWTW for Selznick as did Art Director Lyle Wheeler, Special Effects Director Jack Cosgrove, Composer Max Steiner and Costume Designer Walter Plunkett. Wheeler was nominated for art direction for the 1938 Academy award for the Adentures of Tom Sawyer. He would received an astounding 26 nominations in his career including five wins including GWTW. Menzies got an Oscar and Cosgrove and Steiner were nominated for GWTW. Cinematographer James Wong Howe didn't join the others on GWTW but he had a cinematography career that spanned photographing Pola Negri movies in 1923 to Barbara Streisand in 1975 in Funny Lady a year before he died. Tom sawyer was directed by Norman Taurog who had a long directorial career from 1920 to almost 1970 and ended his career by directing nine of Elvis Presley's movies. Child actors Tommy Kelly as Tom Sawyer, Jackie Moran as Huckleberry Finn and Ann Gillis as Becky Thatcher. Veteran actors Walter Brennan is Muff Potter, Victory Jory is Injun Joe, Victor Kilian is the Sheriff, May Robson is Aunt Polly and Margaret Hamilton is Mrs. Harper. This film was trimmed from it's 93 minute run-time to 77 minutes when it was reissued in 1959 and that was the version that was shown on television that I saw when I was growing up. I've seen this a few times but haven't seen it in many years. It's one of the more faithful filmed adaptations of the many popular Mark Twain stories. I would give this an 8.5 of 10 but I would like to see the full version and see it on the big screen.

I like the book a lot. It is quite episodic in structure, but the characters, dialogue and the story of Tom's adventures are very memorable. This is a very pleasant film and the best version by some considerable distance, like the book it is episodic but it does maintain its likability and charm with only Ann Gillis's rather coy performance and an underdeveloped Huck being the only real problems. Visually and technically, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is very impressive with gorgeous Technicolour, authentic costumes and lavish sets. (Uncredited) Max Steiner's score helps convey the moods of each scene, the film is faithful to the book(not that it needed to be particularly) with good dialogue and an intense confrontation with Injun Joe and it moves at a good pace. Tommy Kelly is a likable Tom, but it is May Robson and Victor Jory that make the film as memorable as it is. In conclusion, likable and pleasant and definitely something I would watch again willingly. 8/10 Bethany Cox

No, this film has not been colorized, and looks as fantastic as David Selznick's masterpiece, "Gone With the Wind", which was in production as the same time as this. Selznick had utilized color successfully before with the original "A Star is Born" and the classic screwball comedy "Nothing Sacred", and must have believed that the color process would add to the sweetness of Mark Twain's most beloved tale. Unlike "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn", there was little controversy over subject matter, even if some of the material might have been considered scary for young audiences, which includes a murder witnessed by Tom and Huck and a sad sequence where Aunt Polly (May Robson at her most lovably irascible) believes Tom to be dead after he runs away. There's also the frightening confrontation between Tom and the villainous Injun Joe (the very scary looking Victor Jory) in a seemingly endless cavern, but goodness plays itself out and a legend of American fiction has ended up on the screen with great success.

The 1930 version, equally as entertaining, is not as well known as this version, which isn't as well known, either, as the other Selznick classics I mention above. Tommy Kelly is a lovable little prankster in the title role with Jackie Moran in good support as Huck Finn, not yet ready for his own big adventure. In fact, Selznick would have to forfeit that tale to MGM with Mickey Rooney in that part the following year. Both "Tom Sawyer" and "Huckleberry Finn" were later musicalized for Broadway, Huck's story, "Big River", in 1985 far more successful than the underrated "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" which played extremely briefly on Broadway in 2001.

Life on the Mississippi comes to life vividly as Tom must contend with a bratty cousin (David Holt) getting him in trouble every chance he gets. This "Little Lord Fauntleroy" wanna-be is so obnoxious that you long for him to get his come-uppance, sort of the male version of "Little House on the Prairie's" Nellie Olsen. May Robson's Aunt Polly may seem somewhat cold towards Tom here, and even a bit abusive. But when she conks him on the skull with a thimble laden finger, it's presented comically. You really feel her guilt when Tom is presumed dead, and for good measure, the soon to be seen "Wicked Witch of the West" Margaret Hamilton is thrown in as the mother of Tom's pal (Mickey Rentschler) who is off on the island adventure with him.

Walter Brennan gets one of his great literature character performances as the drunk Muff Potter, accused of murder, yet obviously innocent. Jory's Injun Joe might seem a bit of a slam at the Native American culture, especially when he is referred to as a murderous half breed, but Mark Twain didn't pull any punches when it came to showing how life in the South was at this time. The presence of the little black boy (Philip Hurlic) who shows great emotion during his few moments on screen is extremely touching, giving a humanitarian feel to the way Twain himself wanted to show minorities, as people and not as products to be sold or exploited. Even if he did have racism embedded with him, it was outlined with a compassion that presents conflicted emotions.

There have been many versions of the Tom and Huck stories, but of all of them, this is the one I highly recommend above the rest. Beautiful scenery wonderfully photographed in color and a fast moving structure makes this a must for family viewing and certainly one that ranks as an all-time classic.