I haven't recently seen Mark Twain's classic book this film is based upon, nor seen the several other film adaptations of the book. So, I can't compare this film to these other versions. However, I have read several reviews that say that this film is reasonably faithful to the book.......A much repeated feature is the contrast between the personalities of Tom(Tommy Kelly) and his younger brother Sidney(David Holt). In contrast to Tom, Sidney is always neatly dressed, with plastered down hair, never skips school nor Sunday school, learns his verses, is always on time for supper, and generally does everything that pleases Aunt Polly(May Robson). Occasionally, he does play a dirty trick on Tom, whom he is jealous of, and generally acts superior to Tom. When Tom strikes back and messes up his face and clothes with something soft and messy, Sidney responds by screaming "Aunt Polly!" , and running toward where he thinks she is. These periodic slapstick scenes are a classic example of running gag humor. But if repeated too often, as in this film, they cease to be funny to most........Tom, of course, usually has hair uncombed and clothes dirty and disheveled from playing or working outside. Yet, he is sought after by certain girls, with whom he may 'get engaged' to. He often skips school and Sunday school to go fishing or swimming, and doesn't learn his verses. He is much more likely to play tricks, which are sometimes imaginative, such as the fence whitewashing scheme. In general, he is much more imaginative in his play and work. He is generally brave in the face of adversity, such being whipped for some transgression, or finding a way out of a cave, when lost. In short, he is often bratty. But, Aunt Polly loves him nonetheless, as shown when he and 2 other boys take off on a raft down the Mississippi, and are presumed drowned when they don't show up. Polly's overt attitude toward Tom changes dramatically after he proves his bravery by testifying at the murder trial of Muff Potter(Walter Brennan) ,when he knew that menacing Injun Joe(Victor Jory) might attack him for fingering him as the murderer. Also, his bravery in keeping his head when lost in a large cave, while having to fight off Injun Joe, until he found an opening, and rescued girlfriend Becky, as well. Now, he was a hero to all the town people. When Sidney went screaming to Polly after Tom hit him in the face with a handful of strawberry short cake, she slapped him down! Tom could now be a brat toward his brother with impunity. ....... Most of us can see both good and bad in the personalities of Tom and Sydney, although Tom is better equipped to face life's challenges. We hope that our kids will be somewhere between these two personality extremes......The episode with the 3 presumed drowned boys showing up for their own memorial service doesn't ring plausible. How did they get up to the church balcony, where they were alone, without someone recognizing them? Why didn't the preacher, who had a clear view of them, recognize them, unless his far vision was inadequate? He recognized them immediately, when they later sauntered down the aisle. See it in color at YouTube

Although it leaves important parts of the novel out -for budgetary reasons, I suppose-, what is in the film is all in the book, and to me it depicts the innocence and charm of Twain's children's world better than any other film adaptation has ever done. The Technicolor cinematography is absolutely fantastic, as well as the art direction. And the child actors are natural-born players, they are all perfect. And then we have dear old toothless Walter Brennan, one of my favourite American character actors and the first person ever to win three Academy Awards (1936, 1938 and 1940) as Muff Potter, the town drunk, a role he was born to play. David O'Selznick put the dollars in, and this film surely was a rehearsal for GWTW. And Norman Taurog, a director well experienced on working with children (Skippy, Huckleberry Finn, Boy's Town) at the helm. They made a film that will last forever.

We complain that today's movie stars lack the charisma, the memorable faces and personalities of the stars of Hollywood's Golden Age. But one thing has gotten better over the years and that's child acting. Today's kids are remarkably natural and real compared with the awful, slow, sticky artificiality of most of the child actors of yesteryear.There are many wonderful things about this film. William Cameron Menzies' visualization of the graveyard and the caves, Jack Cosgrove's matte paintings (those skies!), James Wong Howe's cinematography are all first class and memorable. Some (but not all) of the adult actors are quite fine. But the labored hamminess of the kids is quite unendurable. The illusion of thought, the illusion that something is being said for the first time never surfaces here for a moment. All is wide-eyed, over-rehearsed, over-enunciated and torture to watch.Mark Twain's immortal story retains power and magic, and the cave sequence in particular will stay with you, but in spite of the child actors, not because of them.

I think ¡°The adventures of Tom Sawyer¡±I saw is an old old movie. And I ever thought that it must be a specific one for children. However£¬I found out the movie nowadays also has its own particular attraction. I still remember that Tom's aunt and half-brother Sid have not satisfied with him. But Tom is real a kind of clever boy. He can often get away with the punishment. In a brilliant scheme£¬Tom is able to con the neighborhood boy into completing the task for him. Besides£¬the episode which is full of children love is very interesting. Tom immediately falls in love with Becky at the first sight who is the Judge's daughter. He does everything just for winning her love even he asks for¡°get engaged¡±. Of course£¬it is arranged funny in the movie that he broke his relationship with Becky because he accidentally blusts that has been engaged before. Sometimes I can't help thinking about the fact how really mature Tom is. Also a romantic boy£¬right£¿Mentioned about honesty and courage£¬Tom indeed is a good example for all the children even for most of us¡ª¡ªadults. Because Tom and Huck are extremely scared that Injun Joe who is real the killer will attempts to seek revenge on them. According to Tom's sense of justice Tom decides to be the witness in the court. I think Tom does not want to burden the guilty consciences and then make up his mind to tell the truth to the town. Maybe most of us could not do that like Tom in the real situation . Therefore on the other hand£¬¡° The adventures of Tom Sawyer is for all the people including children and adults. In this sense, Tom is our good example in the modern society. Although our society is boomer than before, existence of conscience is more necessary than before. Guangxi University of Technology Foreign Language Department English Major Class022Qian Xiao (Rita)