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{{short description|1974 film by J. Lee Thompson}}
{{More citations needed
| date = January 2017
}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Huckleberry Finn
| image =
|
| director = [[J. Lee Thompson]]
| producer = [[Arthur P. Jacobs]]
| writer = [[Robert B. Sherman]]
| starring =
* [[Jeff East]]
| music = Songs:<br>{{nowrap|[[Richard M. Sherman]]}}<br>{{nowrap|[[Robert B. Sherman]]}}<br>Score:<br>Fred Werner▼
* [[Paul Winfield]]
* [[Harvey Korman]]
* [[David Wayne]]
* [[Arthur O'Connell]]
* [[Gary Merrill]]
* [[Natalie Trundy]]
}}
▲| music = '''Songs:''' <br />{{nowrap|
| cinematography = [[László Kovács (cinematographer)|László Kovács]]
| editing = Michael F. Anderson
| studio = [[APJAC Productions]]<br />[[Reader's Digest]]
| distributor = [[United Artists]]
| released = {{Film date|1974|5|24}}
| runtime = 118
| country = United States
| language = English
| budget =
}}
'''''Huckleberry Finn''''' is
▲'''''Huckleberry Finn''''' is the 1974 [[musical film]] version of [[Mark Twain]]'s American classic, ''[[The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn]]''.
The movie was produced by ''[[Reader's Digest]]'' and [[Arthur P. Jacobs]] (known for his role in the production of the ''[[Planet of the Apes (1968 film)|Planet of the Apes]]'' films)
This film followed the previous year's highly successful ''[[Tom Sawyer (1973 film)|Tom Sawyer]]'', based on Twain's 1876 novel ''[[The Adventures of Tom Sawyer]]'', also produced and written by the same team and starring East in the role of Huckleberry Finn.
==Synopsis==
Huckleberry Finn ([[Jeff East]]) is a boy from [[Missouri]] living with a kindly widow and her sister who has taken him in. One day his father ([[Gary Merrill]]), previously thought dead, shows up because he heard of treasure Huck had found. Huck's father essentially kidnaps the boy, wanting $1,000 for his safe return. Staging his own death, Huck escapes and meets up with the kindly slave Jim ([[Paul Winfield]]). Together they travel downriver, in search of Jim's freedom.
==Cast==
* [[Jeff East]] as [[Huckleberry Finn]]
* [[Paul Winfield]] as Jim
* [[Harvey Korman]] as The King
* [[David Wayne]] as The Duke
* [[Arthur O'Connell]] as Col. Grangerford
* [[Gary Merrill]] as Pap
* [[Natalie Trundy]] as Mrs. Loftus
* [[Lucille Benson]] as [[Widow Douglas]]
* [[Kim O'Brien]] as Maryjane Wilks
*
*
* [[Odessa Cleveland]] as Jim's wife
==Production==
The film was a sequel to ''Tom Sawyer'', which was financed from United Artists and Reader's Digest. Even before that film had been released, producer Arthur Jacobs arranged for finance for a sequel based on ''Huckleberry Finn''. The director was J. Lee Thompson, with whom Jacobs had worked several times, most recently on two ''Planet of the Apes'' films.<ref name="los">Movies: 'Huck Finn' Company Totes a Heavy Load on Ol' Man River 'Huck' Company on Ol' Man River
Like ''Tom Sawyer'', the film was shot in [[Arrow Rock, Missouri|Arrow Rock]] and [[Lupus, Missouri]]. It was also shot in [[Natchez, Mississippi]].▼
Archibald, John J. Los Angeles Times 19 Aug 1973: o22.</ref>
Paul Winfield said he would only agree to the movie if the producer and director would guarantee there would be no "singing slaves".<ref name="los"/> "''Gone with the Wind'' was one of the traumas of my life," said Winfield.<ref>Paul Winfield's Career...: ... The Past Is Always Present
Haber, Joyce. Los Angeles Times 14 Apr 1974: m13.</ref>
▲Like ''Tom Sawyer'', the film was shot in [[Arrow Rock, Missouri|Arrow Rock]] and [[Lupus, Missouri]]. It was also shot in [[Natchez, Mississippi]]. Filming started 18 June 1973.<ref>If I Were a Nell. I'd Be Singing: EVERY DAY IS LADIES' DAY FOR THEM SELECTED SHORTS ONE OF THE TRIBE If I Were Little Nell...
The 1974 movie faced numerous setbacks in production. There was the sudden death of producer Arthur Jacobs halfway through the shoot. Director [[J. Lee Thompson]] had problems with the synchronized musical direction. The third major problem was the unfortunate timing of writer Robert B. Sherman's [[knee]] operation.▼
By A.H. WEILER. New York Times 18 Mar 1973: 139.</ref>
Filming had only just began when Arthur Jacobs died of a heart attack in Los Angeles. Robert Blumofe was assigned to take over time. Filming resumed after the break of one day. Natalie Trundy, Jacobs' wife, had a role in the film and had to fly back to Los Angeles then return to location.<ref>'Henri' Kissinger Toasts the French
Without a producer, the film crew had difficulties managing the actors. [[Roberta Flack]] sang the classic, "[[Freedom (1974 song)|Freedom]]" but insisted on having a [[guitar]] backing to her recording. She later threatened to sue if the original cast album was released with a dominant orchestral backing, and so although the album was recorded and printed, it was never released. ▼
Haber, Joyce. Los Angeles Times 3 July 1973: b6.</ref>
Paul Winfield was arrested for possession of marijuana in his hotel room. (He claimed he had been sent it in the mail and was framed.) Thompson said the treatment by Winfield of the local police was "abominable" and that "I would never encourage a company to come to Natchez again."<ref name="los"/> This comment upset the Natchez media who wrote articles critical of Thompson. Thompson retracted his comments about the town but maintained the police had shown prejudice towards Winfield.<ref>Raft of turmoil... in a shifting Mississippi: In a shifting Mississippi... ... a raft of turmoil
Despite these setbacks, the film still achieved some success and some of the film's songs, including "Freedom" are still considered classics.▼
Siskel, Gene. Chicago Tribune 26 Aug 1973: e3.</ref>
▲
▲
▲Despite these setbacks, the film still achieved some success and some of the film's songs, including "Freedom"
==Songs==
The songs and score were written by the [[Sherman Brothers]].
# "'''Freedom'''". Sung by [[Roberta Flack]] (who did not approve of the musical arrangement and threatened a lawsuit if the original cast album were not remixed to her liking)
# "'''Someday, Honey Darlin''''". Sung by [[Paul Winfield]]
# "'''Rotten Luck'''". Sung by [[Gary Merrill]] (the entire song was filmed sans-sync except for the final line of the song in which we see Merrill look back at the cabin and say, "And now my luck... It ain't so bad!")
# "'''Cairo, Illinois'''". Sung by [[Jeff East]] and [[Paul Winfield]]
# "'''A Rose In A Bible'''"
# "'''Royalty!'''". Sung by [[Harvey Korman]] and [[David Wayne]]
# "'''The Royal Nonesuch'''". Sung by [[Harvey Korman]]
# "'''What's Right, What's Wrong?'''" Sung by [[Jeff East]]
# "'''Into His Hands'''". Sung by [[Harvey Korman]]
==Reception==
The ''Los Angeles Times'' called it "hardly unpleasant but it is surprisingly dull."<ref>MOVIE REVIEW: 'Huck' Dances to New Tune
Champlin, Charles. Los Angeles Times 19 June 1974: d12.</ref> The ''New York Times'' called it "a lavish bore".<ref>Screen: A Vapid 'Huckleberry Finn'
By LAWRENCE VAN GELDER. New York Times 25 May 1974: 16. [https://www.nytimes.com/1974/05/25/archives/screen-a-vapid-huckleberry-finn.html NY Times archive]</ref>
==See also==
* [[List of films featuring slavery]]
==References==
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;Bibliography
* [[Sherman, Robert B.]] ''[[Walt's Time: from before to beyond]]''. Pages:
== External links ==
* {{IMDb title|0071634|Huckleberry Finn}}
* {{
{{Adventures of Huckleberry Finn}}
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[[Category:1974 films]]
[[Category:United Artists films]]
[[Category:
[[Category:
[[Category:Reader's Digest]]
[[Category:Films based on Adventures of Huckleberry Finn]]
[[Category:Films directed by J. Lee Thompson]]
[[Category:Films set in the 19th century]]
[[Category:1970s English-language films]]
[[Category:English-language musical films]]
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