| The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn |
| Buy the VHS |   |
| Genre: | Family |
| Year: | 1960 |
| Rating: | G |
| Cast: | Michael Curtiz, Tony Randall, Eddie Hodges, Archie Moore |
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). There are some stark moments, such as the discovery of the body of Huck's murdered Pap (Neville Brand), but for the most part the film is a Disneyesque "thrill ride" from one plot highlight to another. 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. This version of Huckleberry Finn ends curiously with Huck still a runaway and Jim's fate left unresolved--suggesting that a sequel was in the planning stages. Hal Erickson
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