IMDb RATING
8.3/10
1.1K
YOUR RATING
A biographical film about the acclaimed American humourist and author.A biographical film about the acclaimed American humourist and author.A biographical film about the acclaimed American humourist and author.
- Awards
- 1 win
Keith David
- Narrator
- (voice)
Kevin Conway
- Mark Twain
- (voice)
Philip Bosco
- Other Voices
- (voice)
Tim Clark
- Other Voices
- (voice)
Amy Madigan
- Other Voices
- (voice)
Cynthia Nixon
- Other Voices
- (voice)
Russell Banks
- Self
- (uncredited)
John Boyer
- Self
- (uncredited)
Jocelyn Chadwick
- Self
- (uncredited)
Clara Clemens
- Self
- (archive footage)
- (uncredited)
Jean Clemens
- Self
- (archive footage)
- (uncredited)
Shelly Fisher Fishkin
- Self
- (uncredited)
Dick Gregory
- Self
- (uncredited)
Hal Holbrook
- Self
- (uncredited)
Chuck Jones
- Self
- (uncredited)
Arthur Miller
- Self
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- ConnectionsFeatured in Ken Burns: America's Storyteller (2017)
- SoundtracksThe Handing Down
Written by Edward Gerhard
Performed by Edward Gerhard
Published by Imaginary Road Music (BMI)
Courtesy of Virtue Records
Featured review
Typically emotional and reverential Ken Burns biography, featuring the usual display of wonderful vintage pictures and discreet music and sound accompaniment, as well as professional line-readings and commentaries.
Twain's interesting life alone and all the anecdotal plentifulness of Burns's script guarantee three-and-a-half entertaining hours, but as a documentary about such a witty and sagacious writer, this feels too conventional and tame in style and presentation, hammering home some of its notions about Twain's inner conflicts too repetitively.
It's still quality work, though.
7 out of 10 failed business schemes
Twain's interesting life alone and all the anecdotal plentifulness of Burns's script guarantee three-and-a-half entertaining hours, but as a documentary about such a witty and sagacious writer, this feels too conventional and tame in style and presentation, hammering home some of its notions about Twain's inner conflicts too repetitively.
It's still quality work, though.
7 out of 10 failed business schemes
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- American Lives: Mark Twain
- Filming locations
- Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA(Minnesota)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime3 hours 32 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1
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