Much to Donald O'Connor's disappointment, no one associates him with playing Huckleberry Finn. It's Mickey Rooney who personifies the adorable, mischievous, barefoot hero. You just can't help but love him in this movie, even if he drove you crazy playing the lovesick, goofy Andy Hardy a dozen times. He's absolutely perfect, and with his infectious energy, he makes it seem like Mark Twain used time travel and met him before creating the character.
The screenplay of this version is very entertaining and engaging, including all the gimmicks and characters you know and love from Mark Twain's stories. You'll get to know Mickey's aunt, Elisabeth Risdon, and you'll come to love the push and pull between them. You'll enjoy the friendship between Mickey and Rex Ingram, who plays Jim. Walter Connolly and William Frawley play the two drifting conmen, and while they also steal lots of laughs, they also steal your attention and your hearts. Every scene of this movie is exciting and fun, and even though it might have been overshadowed by the large-scale epics of 1939, it's still a great movie in its own right. It doesn't have any "burning of Atlanta" scenes or a Technicolor splendor to transport you to another world, but it's unforgettable and heartwarming, which is some people's definition of a true classic.
The screenplay of this version is very entertaining and engaging, including all the gimmicks and characters you know and love from Mark Twain's stories. You'll get to know Mickey's aunt, Elisabeth Risdon, and you'll come to love the push and pull between them. You'll enjoy the friendship between Mickey and Rex Ingram, who plays Jim. Walter Connolly and William Frawley play the two drifting conmen, and while they also steal lots of laughs, they also steal your attention and your hearts. Every scene of this movie is exciting and fun, and even though it might have been overshadowed by the large-scale epics of 1939, it's still a great movie in its own right. It doesn't have any "burning of Atlanta" scenes or a Technicolor splendor to transport you to another world, but it's unforgettable and heartwarming, which is some people's definition of a true classic.