Simply Perfect

Memorable, crazy movie

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is not a literary classic, a little slow and episodic, and Tom Sawyer and Prince and the Pauper are superior when it comes to Mark Twain. It is still a good read though and if you like Mark Twain there is little reason why you shouldn't like Huckleberry Finn. This musical version is watchable enough on its own terms but could have been better, the musical version of Tom Sawyer from a similar time frame was a better film from personal perspective. The Sherman Brothers' songs apart from Freedom and Cairo Illinois are disappointingly forgettable and some of them are either not very well placed(Royalty, though the number has some amusing moments) or pretty lifeless, most of their songs generally are timeless but Huckleberry Finn is one of their weakest overall scores. The story does lack sparkle sometimes and pacing-wise there are some dull stretches. There is some evidence of Twain's writing coming through, but with the political correctness treatment of Jim things can feel diluted, and some of the dark tone and strong language can have a tendency to be at odds with the rest of the film. Huckleberry Finn has great costumes and sets and is very handsomely filmed, especially in the ending and with the raft. There is some very funny comedy and heartfelt drama too, and the ending is very moving. J Lee Thompson directs and stages things very competently and with precision if on occasions a little too carefully. The performances are good, though the singing is not the best there is. Jeff East's Huckleberry is both spirited and sincere and even with the political correctness diluting Jim's character Paul Winfield is still very touchingly dignified. The chemistry between the two looks and feel really genuine. Harvey Korman and David Wayne were clever casting, and both are a lot of fun and they seem to be having a ball. All in all, disappointing but still watchable. 6/10 Bethany Cox

it was a great movie there was just to many bad words in it that was all but it was still a outstanding movie it is one of the best movies ever made it was out of this world amazing there is nothing like this it is like one of the best movies you will say now that was a great movie because it was a great movie i know that for a fact it is one of the coolest movies one the planet if you like a musical than you will like this movie a lot it is a hoot it is a sad movie it is just a great movie for the whole family it is a smart movie it is a must see movie for sure i never saw a movie like this before this movie is such a great movie but there is to many bad words in it but it was a movie that i could watch more than once it is that good it is one of the best movies ever made i think and i hope you think the same thing because it is a great movie you will like it a lot everyone

i've read all of 'Tom Sawyer'(very short book), and half of 'Huck Finn'(way too long, i was too young), so i am pretty familiar with Twain's stories.this adaptation does no justice to the book. although none of the versions have been very good. approaching this as a musical is all wrong. you could sort of get away with it with 'Tom Sawyer' because that is really just a children's book and much lighter. 'Huck Finn' is a serious novel aimed at older readers and, as i recall, was some 500 pages long (which was why i could'nt finish it). being a darker more serious story than 'Sawyer', it weathers being a musical far less.it does'nt help that a couple of the songs really stink either. the movie gets off to a decent start, and the title song 'Freedom' is actually quite good. so are the songs 'Honey Dar'lin' and the excellent 'Rose in a Bible', but pretty much all the rest are sub par. the Harvey Corman number, 'Royalty', is just plain awful. and so is Corman. it's hard to imagine Harvey Corman as giving such a horrible performance, since he is always so talented and funny, and you think he would be just right for this role, but he's not. he over acts so terribly and the song is so bad, it pretty much sinks the movie at that point, and it never recovers.i actually really love the Sherman bros. music for Disney, but outside of Disney they are pretty much a miss. did'nt like 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang'(that song is obnoxious and Van Dyke is oddly wasted in that bomb), hated 'The Slipper and the Rose'(remember 'protocoligorically correct'? unfortunately i do.) did'nt care for 'Tom Sawyer' either. his music for 'Little Nemo' was cute, but not very memorable. when the Sherman Bros. are good, they hit it right out of the ball park, as with Disney favorites like 'Mary Poppins' and 'One and Only Family Band'. but when the Sherman Bros. miss it's like, PEE YEW, plug your nose. remember the mind bogglingly awful 'Monkey's Uncle' song? but at least 'Monkey' was so bad it was funny.but i'd take the 'Monkey' song over most of this uninspired tripe. i love musicals, usually, but here is a example of "DON'T SING!!!".the cinematography is good, the acting by Jeff East and others is good,especially the actress playing the Widow Douglas. and Paul Winfield is an excellent choice for the character of "nigger" Jim.all in all this was one big "Nonesuch". Arthur P. Jacobs should've stuck to "ape" movies.

Unnecessary and unsatisfying musical rendering of Mark Twain's classic "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn". At least, it captures the genuine friendship between Jeff East (as Huckleberry Finn) and Paul Winfield (as Jim). However, these two performers are much more likable in other projects. Interestingly, Mr. East portrayed "Huck" in 1973's similarly presented re-make of "Tom Sawyer", which was considered the better film. In my opinion, East would have been a better "Tom" than "Huck". Some of the photography is rather nice, especially during the more moody ending. The Sherman-Sherman musical numbers are well below standard. The movie doesn't seem much like the book. Roberta Flack sings "Freedom" to end it all, at last. *** Huckleberry Finn (1974) J. Lee Thompson ~ Jeff East, Paul Winfield, Harvey Korman