Common Sense Media Review
By Brian Costello
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Musical adaptation doesn't improve the classic tale.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
What's the Story?
When Huck Finn's drunken Pap learns that Huck (Jeff East) has a considerable sum of money in the bank, he takes Huck away from the Widow who is "civilizing" him so he can get the money for himself. Huck escapes from Pap and hides out on a nearby island, where he runs into his old friend Jim (Paul Winfield), who is now an escaped slave hoping to cross the river to be a free man in Cairo, Illinois, where he wants to open a dry goods store and make enough money to buy the freedom of his family.
Together, they set out on a journey down the river, where they meet slavehunters and conmen, families feuding and families in mourning, as they both aspire to escape their bad situations.
Is It Any Good?
This could have been a better-than-average adaptation, despite the fact that it takes some liberties with Twain's novel. While Paul Winfield imbues the role of Jim with a dignity not often seen nor felt in the original nor the many film and TV versions, and Harvey Korman brings a gleeful zest to his role as the conniving conman who claims he's the King of France, the musical numbers feel forced and completely unnecessary.
Older kids would do better reading the original novel. Younger kids would do better waiting until they're old enough to appreciate the satire and realism expressed in the original novel.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how slavery is portrayed in the film. How accurately do you think the film reflects the realities of slavery in the mid-19th century?
As an adaptation of one of the greatest American novels, how does this film compare with the original? In what ways does it stay true to the story, and it what ways does it veer off?
Talk about the "N" word. How does it make you feel to hear that word? Do you think it's important to use historically accurate language in a movie like this, or should it be removed because it's offensive? Do you feel the same about its use in the book?
Movie Details
- In theaters : May 24, 1974
- On DVD or streaming : August 9, 2005
- Cast : Harvey Korman , Jeff East , Paul Winfield
- Director : J. Lee Thompson
- Inclusion Information : Black Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : MGM/UA
- Genre : Classic
- Topics : Adventures , Book Characters , Friendship
- Run time : 118 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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