The Adventures of Mark Twain
Seen it?1985 | 86 min | Animation, Adventure, Family, Fantasy
Sunday Safe Betearly ratingWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
It earned strong reviews (80% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had a box office loss. A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- A natural pick for fantasy fans and adventure lovers. One the grown-ups won't mind watching too. A good follow-up to Over the Moon or James and the Giant Peach.
- The mood
- Feel-good.
- The pace
- Paced for all ages, at 1 hr 26 min. An easy one to fit in on a school night.
- What might put you off
- Skip it if you can't get past animation (your loss).
Based on elements from the stories of Mark Twain, this feature-length Claymation fantasy follows the adventures of Tom Sawyer, Becky Thatcher and Huck Finn as they stowaway aboard the interplanetary balloon of Mark Twain. Twain, disgusted with the human race, is intent upon finding Halley's Comet and crashing into it, achieving his "destiny." It's up to Tom, Becky, and Huck to convince him that his judgment is wrong and that he still has much to offer humanity that might make a difference. Their efforts aren't just charitable; if they fail, they will share Twain's fate. Along the way, they use a magical time portal to get a detailed overview of the Twain philosophy, observing the "historical" events that inspired his works.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
80% on Rotten Tomatoes
- AudiencesSolid
Our audience score: 58%
- AwardsWeak
0 wins and 1 nomination from smaller awards and festivals
- Box office & staying powerBelow par
$850K worldwide on a $2 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 51K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
More like this
Tinker Bell Sunday Safe BetAnother animated story, and a safe bet for a quiet night.
Over the Moon
Saturday SpecialAnother animated story, and a Saturday Special.
Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans Sunday Safe BetAnother animated story, and a safe bet for a quiet night.
James and the Giant Peach Saturday SpecialAnother family film.
Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
Friday Night FlickAnother critically acclaimed adventure.
Want more like this, picked just for you? Get my picks
Cast & crew
Directed by Will Vinton
- James WhitmoreMark Twain (voice)
- Michele MarianaBecky Thatcher / The Mysterious Stranger / Girl in Crowd (voice)
- Gary KrugHuck Finn (voice)
- Chris RitchieTom Sawyer (voice)
- John MorrisonAdam (voice)
- Carol EdelmanEve (voice)
- Dal McKennonJim Smiley / Newspaper Boy (voice)
- Herb SmithThe Stranger (voice)
- Marley StoneAunt Polly (voice)
- Wilbur VincentThe Mysterious Stranger (voice)