Mickey Rooney has exited Boy's Town and Carvel and headed to the Mississippi for this faithful rendering of Mark Twain's classic story. Filmed many times before and since and also done as a Tony Award Winning Broadway musical, "Big River", this is the definitive version of the tale. Mickey is at his best here, and I think he was more worthy of an Oscar Nomination for this than he was the same year's "Babes in Arms". Everything from start to finish is perfect, from Victor Kilian as his evil father to Elisabeth Risdon and Clara Blandick as the two middle aged ladies who have taken him in. Special mention must go to Rex Ingram who may seem a little old to be Jim, but is outstanding. Walter Connelly and William Frawley add amusement as the con-men Huck and Jim encounter on the river after they are tossed off a riverboat. The photography is outstanding, the film moves at a fast pace, and everything is letter perfect. I really felt as if I was transported back to this time in a story that is not only entertaining but educational and enlightening about so many things as well. It's a true message film about what makes friendships so special, and Huck and Jim's is one of the best presented on film.
Review of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
