February 18 . . .
Generally acknowledged to be the quintessential Great American Novel, Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn first rolled off the printer’s press on this day in 1885.
The free-wheeling satirical story of a young Orphan on the run from the law on the Mississippi has been filmed countless times, but the best version may well be MGM’s ‘The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’ (1939), starring quintessential Peck’s-bad-boy Mickey Rooney as the precocious runaway who takes off on a raft down the Mississippi River, accompanied by his best friend and protector, the runaway slave Jim (Walter Connelly.) Rooney was at the peak of his popularity – in fact, he was the most popular star in America at that point in time – and MGM spared no expense in the prestigious adaptation.
The film is largely forgotten today – perhaps because the competition at the time was so formidable. 1939 is often cited as the Greatest Year Ever for American films – and perhaps Huck just got lost in the shuffle. Still, the film constitutes great family entertainment. And yes, that's William Frawley - aka Fred Mertz - as 'The Duke.'
Generally acknowledged to be the quintessential Great American Novel, Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn first rolled off the printer’s press on this day in 1885.
The free-wheeling satirical story of a young Orphan on the run from the law on the Mississippi has been filmed countless times, but the best version may well be MGM’s ‘The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’ (1939), starring quintessential Peck’s-bad-boy Mickey Rooney as the precocious runaway who takes off on a raft down the Mississippi River, accompanied by his best friend and protector, the runaway slave Jim (Walter Connelly.) Rooney was at the peak of his popularity – in fact, he was the most popular star in America at that point in time – and MGM spared no expense in the prestigious adaptation.
The film is largely forgotten today – perhaps because the competition at the time was so formidable. 1939 is often cited as the Greatest Year Ever for American films – and perhaps Huck just got lost in the shuffle. Still, the film constitutes great family entertainment. And yes, that's William Frawley - aka Fred Mertz - as 'The Duke.'
Click here to enjoy a clip . . .
And feel free to smoke a corncob pipe while you’re watching.
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