But wait! The stars just keep on coming Back-to-back Oscar-winner Jason Robards as the King, pre-Harry Potterized Robbie Coltrane as the Duke, Ron "Hellboy" Perlman (I could've sworn it was Tom Waits!) as Huck's drunk pappy, and Anne Heche (still hiding her cuckoo) as Mary Jane Wilks. At the height of the popularity of Bart Simpson, Disney released another adaptation of the classic starring a new up-and-coming child actor named Elijah Wood as Huck and a Yale graduate named Courtney B. Forget Tom Sawyer and his fence - the tale of a mischievous child from an abusive home escaping with a runaway slave capable of enlightening said-child's perspectives on freedom gets my vote. Say what you will about Mark Twain, but the story of Huckleberry Finn and Jim was truly his best. My only problems were some parts that were too overly-modernised, its length and how Tom Sawyer was written but other than that this is a worthy film and adaptation. Ron Perlman is suitably brutish, while Jason Robards and Robbie Coltrane come close to stealing the film as the roguish King and Duke. Elijah Wood does a good enough job in what I consider one of his best performances in the title role, while Courtney B.Vance plays Jim with such feeling and finesse he was perfect. Also a decent script, good direction and even better performances. Then there is a wonderful score, very fitting with what was going on on screen. For one thing, it's beautifully filmed, with crisp cinematography and beautiful scenery. As people have pointed out, the film is true in spirit if not in the details to the book, but it is really not bad on its own merits. While not 100% perfect, this is a worthy film adaptation. If you haven't read Mark Twain's book already, I highly recommend you read it, for it is a truly great and compelling read.
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