Commentary
Mark Twain’s 1884 novel “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” is often called the great American novel. Although technically a sequel to his 1876 novel “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,” “Huckleberry Finn” ended up overshadowing its precursor. The dynamic story about a free-spirited boy who escapes his abusive father by floating down the Mississippi River with a runaway slave lends itself well to dramatic adaptation, so it has been made into countless film, television, and stage productions.
One of the story’s earliest films was “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” a 1939 MGM production starring Mickey Rooney. It was preceded by two silent films and one 1931 talkie adaption, but this was the first time Huck’s story was adapted into a standalone film rather than a sequel to some version of “Tom Sawyer.” This movie’s compact, simplified plot set the tone for future standalone adaptions, including Disney’s 1993 “The Adventures of Huck Finn,” starring Elijah Wood….