Tom Sawyer

I have not seen this version of Tom Sawyer for quite a few years, but I did see it as a child on the "Big Screen". The fun part for me about this movie is that I grew up just a few miles from where most of it was filmed -- a small river town in Mid-Missouri called Arrow Rock. It's not the type of area where a person gets to see a lot of movies being filmed, so you can imagine that this was quite an event for a small rural area at the time.

I was 12 at the time, same age as Johnny Whitaker when he played Tom, and I remember going to watch the filming of several scenes -- especially the "picnic scene". It was also interesting to see what was done to the town to prepare for the making of the film. The main street, which is paved asphalt, was covered with several inches of dirt. The concrete sidewalks were converted to boardwalk sidewalks, which still exist today! It was fun to watch the film in the theater, because many of the extras in the film were local townspeople, neighbors, and friends. You watched to pick out the scenes where you would recognize people you know.

There is a special celebration in Arrow Rock this year for the July 4th festivities, celebrating the 35 years since the filming of Tom Sawyer (1972). Johnny Whitaker and Jeff East are returning to Arrow Rock to participate in the festivities... and I will be returning to partake also! If you're ever driving across Missouri on I-70, I invite you to take a slight detour on Hiway 41 North (just about 130 miles west of St. Louis) and visit the little historic town of Arrow Rock.... where for two months in 1972, Hollywood came to visit!

I saw this one in the theater when it was released and still love it! This is the perfect example of a "Classic Family Movie". The harshest word you hear is "damn". The performances are wonderful to watch from the entire cast (Jodie Foster may be the weakest of them all, but just my opinion), the music fits beautifully (thanks to the Sherman brothers) and the settings make me feel the era. An enjoyable way to spend a Saturday afternoon. And to the reviewer who commented on Celeste Holm's "attempt" to sing - check her resume, my friend. Everyone who knows her work (see "High Society" or the 1965 version of "Cinderella", or just listen to the Original Broadway Cast recording of "Oklahoma!") knows she CAN!

An amusing and fun musical film about Mark Twain's classic novel. Homogenized made musical movie with production enough about the adventures of Tom Sawyer : Johnny Whitaker and his friend Huckleberry Finn : Jeff East . Dealing with his girlfriend Becky Thatcher : Jodie Foster and various adventures , including the attractive sketches about the fence whitewashing as well as threatening appearance of the Indian Bogeyman and the likeable Muff Potter : Warren Oates . Mark Twain's hero, you hero of other days , has now been brought to life and you can see him again in life . Remember how you hated to have your face washed when you were a kid ? Come on join Tom and Huck and the gang and be kids again .

Winning adaptation of Mark Twain's often told tale of boyhood in Hannibal, Missouri . Concerning Tom's adventures along with his free-spirited best friend Huck , as both of whom run away to enjoy feats and dangers . The film is pretty well , though is marred by excessive songs in Howard Keel-style ballads , including the following ones : River Song , Gratification, Tom Sawyer , Freebotin' , Aunt Polly's Soliloquy , A man's gotta be what he's born to be, How come ? . Stars the sympathetic prodigy child Johnny Whitaker as Tom whose girlfriend performed by the incombustible Jodie Foster as Becky , Tom holds a real friendship to Huckleberry amusingly played by Jeff East . Along with other notorious secondaries such as : Celeste Holm as Aunt Polly , Warren Oates , Henry Jones and Dub Taylor. It contains a colorful cinematography in technicolor adding dazzling helicopter shots . A lavish Reader's Digest production, the picture was well directed by Don Taylor and in old-style movie-making.

Other enyable versions upon this vintage story are as follows : Tom Sawyer 1917 by William Desmond Taylor with Jack Pickford , Edythe Chapman . 1930 Tom Sawyer by John Cromwell with Jackie Coogan, Mitzie Green . The best : The Adventures of Tom Sawyer 1938 by Norman Taurog with Tommy Kelly , Jackie Moran . Tom Sawyer 1973 by James Nielson with Josh Albee, Jeff Tyler , Buddy Ebsen , Vic Morrow. Tom and Huck 1995 by Peter Hewitt with Jonathan Taylor Thomas , Brad Renfo, Eric Schweig , Amy Wright. Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn 2014 by Joe Kastner with Joel Courtney , Jake Austin, Val Kilmer . Rating : 6.5/10 . Better than average . Well worth watching . The kids may enjoy it , but adults will want to reread the book.

This was a show well worth seeing. Johnnie Whitaker gives a sweet and charming performance and the legendary Celeste Holm is wonderful as always, portraying the exasperated yet loving Aunt Polly. From the wonderful songs, that, unlike most musicals, help to move the story along, to the realistic setting(it was filmed on location), to the excellent and talented cast, this movie is a charming little glimpse into the life of one one America's greatest characters and the insight into the talented author that created him.

Johnny Whitaker late of A Family Affair and Jeff East star as Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn in a musical adaption of Mark Twain's Tom Sawyer. I think Twain might have liked this one.

This is one story that when filmed is rarely deviated from. I guess it's too well known and lovers of Mark Twain wouldn't stand for it.

Whitaker and East play the mischievous adolescents from Hannibal, Missouri who are just contributing to everyone's delinquency. Huckleberry Finn seems incorrigible since all he wants to do is fish and swim. And Celeste Holm playing Tom Sawyer's Aunt Polly who is raising Tom with two of her own kids and the widow is just mighty put out by them.

Among the grownup population is Warren Oates who is a perfect fit for Muff Potter, Tom and Huck's best friend and whose raffish ways they admire. Truth be told Oates is a lowdown character who earns an extra drinking dollar or three as a graverobber for Dr. Richard Eastham.

When Eastham is stabbed to death on one of those grave robbing expeditions Oates is arrested and that sets in motion the main plot of Twain's story.

The Shermans wrote a serviceable score for Tom Sawyer. Of course it's nothing like the score they wrote for Mary Poppins. They were nominated for the overall musical score though no individual songs were recognized. Tom Sawyer also got Oscar nominations for Costume Design and Film Editing.

The story has been good family reading and viewing for more than a century and this film is no exception.