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List Price: $14.98 | | Label: MGM (Video & DVD)
Salesrank: 11333
Released: August 9, 2005 |
| Our Price: $8.82 |
| Used Price: $7.40 |
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MPAA Rating: G (General Audience)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
A mischievous orphan with a knack for tall tales, Tom lives with his exasperated aunt in the riverfront town of Hannibal, Missouri. Along with his ragtag best friend Huckleberry Finn (Jeff East) and his fetching sweetheart Becky Thatcher, Tom's life is a series of clever and irrepressible adventures. But when he and Huck witness a crime, Tom must decide if he will risk his life to exonerate town bum Muff Potter (Warren Oates).
Description of Tom Sawyer:
The 1973 version of Tom Sawyer features Mark Twain's young hero in a rousing musical adventure. Much to the exasperation of his Aunt Polly (Celeste Holm), Tom (Johnny Whitaker) likes nothing better than going fishing with Huck Finn (Jeff East, who reprised the role a year later in Huckleberry Finn), spinning a tall tale, or convincing the other boys to whitewash a fence for him. But life gets complicated when a pretty girl moves in to town (a 10-year-old Jodie Foster), and then a friend runs into serious trouble and only Tom can bail him out. It's not a letter-for-letter adaptation of Twain, but it's entertaining, and the music (songs by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman, score by John Williams) is fun, with such songs as "Tom Sawyer," "Gratisfaction," and "Free Bootin'." It's less lavish than 1970's Oliver!, but should appeal to the same audience. Like Oliver!, however, some parental discretion is advised due to a sinister villain (Kunu Hank's Injun Joe), implied violence, and scary situations. --David Horiuchi
Tom Sawyer Reviews:
Tom Sawyer-Childhood Memories 
2009-10-13 - In searching to purchase this video, I read the reviews on amazon.com of Tom Sawyer on DVD and I was confused. The reviews went from 5-star to 1-star. But I haven't seen the movie in about 30 years and wanted to see it again so I went ahead and ordered it. I have to say I am so glad I did. From the moment I put it on I was transformed back to Radio City Music Hall where I saw it for the first time. I even remembered a lot of the songs, they just came back to me, and back in the day we didn't get to see the movies over and over again where we could memorize the songs. I didn't encounter some of the visual problems that other reviewers had. It may be a little dark in a few scenes, but I could overlook that for a trip down memory lane. Definitely worth it if you were a fan in the 70s.Tom Sawyer
Very Please
2009-02-12 - Very please with DVD.Arrived in record time.Excellent condition as brand new.Packaged great.Movie is great.Thanks.! Will order again.Thelma
Wonderful film! Terrible DVD. 
2008-08-25 - This is a favorite from my childhood. I saw it in the theatre when it was first released, and I owned the album and the (widescreen) laser disc.
I was so disappointed to see that this was a full frame transfer, and a lousy one at that! One of the biggest thrills of this movie was its wide open vistas of the Mississippi River and the wonderful cinematography. This DVD release from MGM/UA is grainy, dark and at times fuzzy. The sound is terrible too, and it was terrific on the laser disc in 5.1 surround. You're missing the wonderful, detailed orchestrations by John Williams of the tuneful Sherman Brothers score. I would only recommend this DVD to you if you HAVE to own a copy of it, even a bad one. I suppose it's better than nothing at all. But not by much.
My hope is now that Fox owns the MGM/UA library they will properly restore and release this movie, with a remastered soundtrack and interviews with Whitaker, Foster and East. It was a hit, back in the day. Nominated for 3 Oscars, a favorite from my childhood, and I'd like to see it given the treatment it richly deserves.
Tom Sawyer
2008-05-22 - Definitely not as described. No refund. No contact from the seller. DO NOT trust this item's description!
Take a Gander as Tom Sawyer Sings
2008-05-06 - I hadn't heard of this 1973 movie version of the classic Mark Twain story until recently, but I absolutely had to see it. After all, it had music by the Sherman Brothers (best known for their work in Mary Poppins). And I love a good musical.
The book stays very true to the novel. Tom Sawyer (Johnny Whitaker) is a young boy growing up in 1840's Hannibal, Missouri. An orphan, he's being raised by his Aunt Polly (Celeste Holm). And he is quite the handful. He regularly plays hooky to fish and swim with best pal Huckleberry Finn (Jeff East). He constantly lies to get out of trouble, too.
Through this movie, we watch as Tom struggles with his conscience after witnessing a murder in the cemetery. He tricks the boys in town to white washing the fence for him. And he develops a crush on new girl Becky Thatcher (a young Jodie Foster). But will Injun Joe (Kunu Hank) get his sworn revenge on the boy?
This movie is extremely faithful to the book, hitting all the highlights of the classic. Frankly, that was a problem for me since it took a little while to get going. Once I got into the story, I was hooked and really began to enjoy the tale. The scenery and costumes recreate the times well. And the acting was pretty good.
Unfortunately, I found the songs disappointing. They weren't bad, but they weren't good either. They aren't especially memorable or singable, and they don't really advance the story. I would rather rewatch this movie for the characters and adventures then the songs.
Despite that rather major flaw for a musical, I must admit to enjoying it. It has a sweetness and innocence that I enjoyed. And the songs are easy to overlook since they aren't a major part of the movie. So if you are looking for a fun version of the classic tale, you can do much worse than this one.
