Plot: What’s it about?
I think we all know the story of Huck Finn and his wild adventures, so I doubt this synopsis is even needed in this case. But just in case someone out there hasn’t read Mark Twain’s immortal book, then here is a brief rundown of Huck’s epic adventure. Huckleberry Finn (Eddie Hodges), better known as Huck to his friends, is a young man with a broad outlook. He always wants to engage in some kind of adventure or other wild time, but the bonds of youth and social codes often prevent him from doing so. At school, he has all kinds of troubles with his teachers and classmates, but his life at home offers little relief. His father is a selfish, abusive man and Huck has grown tired of being put down by his own blood. So he decides to cast off the shackles of social order, head down to the river, and look for adventures out in the great wide open. Huck climbs on a wooden raft and sets sail down the Mississippi River, a trek he hopes will bring him adventures without ends, the kind legends are made of. He isn’t alone on his journey however, as an escaped slave named Jim (Archie Moore) is by his side. If Jim can stay a step or two ahead of those following him, he can remain a free man and not face the horrible fate of being a slave. Both Huck and Jim seek to find true freedom, but will this epic adventure lead them to their goals?
As Mark Twain’s timeless source work has become a true classic, any film adaptation has some massive shoes to fill. Even an excellent motion picture could fail to capture all of the book’s magic, so The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn had an uphill battle. But that battle could have been won, though the filmmakers involved seemed uninterested. You see, with such famous source material, this movie needed to remain faithful to the written works. A lot of the fans of Twain’s immortal tale would be lining up to see this filmed version, which means more often than not, they want the same kind of vision found in the book. But faithful isn’t a word I would use in this case, as even the main character of Huck has been altered beyond belief. Instead of the rough, troubled, but likable Huck found in the book, we’re given a sweet, overly cute rendition. This all but sinks the movie right from the start, since Huck is the basis for the entire work. It is hard to believe that director Michael Curtiz (Casablanca, Yankee Doodle Dandy) would be involved with a bastardized texture, but at least his direction is somewhat of a bright spot. The character change alters the whole arc of the story and as such, this movie simply fails in most respects. Warner’s disc is a decent presentation, but this movie just isn’t worth the time or effort to seek out.
Video: How does it look?
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen. I assume some restoration work has been undertaken here, as this presentation is cleaner and more refined than previous home video editions. A few minor nicks and instances of light grain can be seen, but on the whole, the print used here looks terrific. I found colors to be a tad washed out at times, but contrast is smooth and well balanced. So while color hues aren’t as vivid as I would like, at least black levels remain stark throughout. A few minor defects aside, this is quite an impressive visual effort from Warner.
Audio: How does it sound?
This disc uses the original mono track, but don’t worry as this film never calls for any type of power based audio. As such, the front channels handle it all and never falter in the least. I found no age related issues with the music, as it was always clear and crisp. The sound effects are mostly natural, more subtle noises, so no surround use is missed in the least with this one. The dialogue is the main audio focus and it comes through well, no clarity issues at all. This disc also includes a French language track, as well as subtitles in English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, and Thai.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes some talent files, a text essay on Twain’s cinematic adaptations, and the film’s theatrical trailer.
