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Rascals & Robbers Tom & Huck Finn |
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Rascals & Robbers Tom & Huck Finn
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by Fox Home Entertainment
Sales Rank: 2499
Price: $29.98
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Rascals and Robbers was a made for TV movie from the early '80's. I'm not sure when it came out, but you can't go by the video release date, because it was aired well before '87. You can figure that by the fact that Anthony Michael Hall, the "Geek" from 16 Candles, plays Huck Finn in this film, and is a bit younger. I'm not up to speed on all my '80's movies, but I'm sure 16 candles was out before '87. Anywho, Rascals and Robbers has all the signs of a series Pilot, so I can only speculate that that may have been the plan.
The story seems to have nothing at all to do with the original books, and yet there are hints of both stories thrown in here and there. This is sorta like, the further adventures of Tom and Huck, or something like that. Still, the film is very charming, if not utterly ridiculous. The cast is so good and it has such a spirit of youthful fun and adventure, which is the main reason I have a fascination for Tom and Huck movies. If you are one of those people who watches them because you are looking for something as loyal to the books as possible, skip this one. It'll make you sick how different it is! Probably the most different Tom and Huck film ever made! Look for my listmania Tom and Huck list for other selections, but skip this if all you're looking for is a loyal retelling of the books.
One of the cool things about this movie is that both characters are given equal focus in the film. It's sort of a buddy picture. In addition, the fact that the story is so different provides a little variety for the average Tom and Huck fan who wishes there were more stories about the likeable rascals. Now for the synopsis.
The film opens with Tom Sawyer being his usual, trouble making self, and, on the run from a good switching, encounters a "spy" on the streets of St. Petersburgh. Hmm, I thought they lived in Hannibal? Well, I don't know much about geography, maybe they're the same place. Anywho, Tom seeks out Huck, and they make plans to run off for a while and look for adventure until the local Town Birthday Celebration is over. They realize they have no money though, and Tom says he knows where they could get some. That night, the enter the graveyard to spy on the spies. Here's a scene much like in the original Tom Sawyer story. Tom figures spies have loads of treasure. They overhear their "spies" discussing a scam they're pulling on the town, selling golden statues of angels for a huge amount of money, that are to be unveiled in the church for the town celebration. Of course no one has ever seen the non-existant statues yet, and the crooks intend to take the money and run before that problem comes up. Unfortunately for our two heroes, they're caught sneaking around in the bushes, and they head for the river. Here's some classic Huck Finn. They get separated, and Tom gets caught the next morning, while Huck finds himself in a haystack of a small shack. The owners of the shack, a kind young newly wed couple, take Huck in, but the young husband has plans for Huck to help him cheat in a Poker game that night to help them get out of their poor situation. One of the Poker players turns out to be the "spy" who caught Tom, and soon we find Tom tied in the barn and Huck in the attic flashing signals through holes in the ceiling to the young husband who is playing cards with the crookedest bunch of croanies ever to scourge the South. Tom and Huck manage to reunite, and together in the attic they bring down the ceiling! The jig is up and they're on the road again. They get caught again, and escape again, finding a traveling circus. The owner of a circus is a magician and his pretty teenage daughter. Seeing their only two employees quit, Tom and Huck decide to join up. The motley group later encounters a young black man who has been robbed and beaten. They suspect that he is a runaway slave, and contemplate whether to help him or turn him in. One of the funniest parts comes here, where the circus owner makes a statement that if they are caught hiding a runaway slave, they'd throw him in jail, and they'd possibly throw them in jail two. I found that pretty funny because more than likey, in reality, they ALL would have been hung! This is the pre-civil war South! But this is an '80's, made for TV movie, so this is what they wanted kids to believe at the time I guess. I will make the statement that the tame, political correctness of this movie makes it clear that it's made for kids, but hey, I still enjoy it! Although maybe that's because I enjoyed it as a kid. Anyway, they find out that the man is not a slave, but is indeed free, unfortunately, he had just come back from a plantation where he had attempted to buy his sister, and instead was beaten and robbed by the owner and his men. The group starts contemplating how they can rescue the man's sister from the evil colonel who "owns" her.
In the meantime, they have to head into town to buy a horseshoe. There, they witness a scene involving the Colonel, and devise a pretty ridiculous plan to get invited to the plantation. Surprisingly, or maybe not surprisingly, it works. THis part is right out of Huck Finn too, remember the Duke and the King? Well, they dress their black friend as an Egyptian King, and Tom and Huck go along as his servants, Tom being the only one who speaks English, and Huck playing mute. It's the Colonel's Birthday, and he invites the visiting King to a party at his plantation. During a comical dinner, their plot is foiled when they are recognized, and the crew grabs the sister they came to rescue, and heads for the door! Somehow, they get away. Later, we find the circus wagon, with all our heroes and damsels aboard, traveling through the woods, trying to get Tom and Huck home to warn their town of the plot from the beginning. There are several flashes to what's going on in town throughout the film, lest we forget. Not to mention the "spy" is always popping up close on their heels. And once again, he catches up to them in the woods, and the make a run for it, the whole Tom and Huck gang, towards a cave the boys know about. This is the cave from Tom Sawyer's book I imagine. A long chase takes place within the cave, and we find all manor of snake species within, some I didn't even think lived in the U.S.. They are pursued all the while buy Scree, that Spy I keep mentioning, who is wonderfully played by the great Anthony James. And of course, all's well that ends well. The heroes and their gang catch the criminals, retrieve the treasure, and everything is Jim dandy. The town even donates all the money to the companions Tom and Huck picked up along the way. Only thing is, they've helped a slave escape! Isn't that going to catch up with all of them eventually? Well, luckily this is an '80's movie.
My final comments, it's fun, it's corny and therefore funny, and the cast is great. It's pretty oldschool '80's, but that adds to its uniqueness. I recommend it to any Tom and Huck fan who wants to experience something different from the books, and doesn't take life too too seriously. I know one thing for sure, I watch Tom and Huck movies for the fun and adventure, and that's probably why I tend to actually prefer them to the books. This video is worth it for the fun, especially if you remember seeing it on the Disney Channel or when it premiered on whichever network as a kid. (I think I DID see the premiere, but can't say for sure.) Anyway, seek it out, even though it's currently not available on Amazon Never consider any video "unavailable."
Viewer Reviews
This film is wonderful. It takes Tom sawyer and Huck Finn and takes them on a new series of adventures. This is the sequel that Twain never got around to writing. The acting is top notch -- look for the young Cynthia Nixon and Anthony Michael Hall. It is fun for the entire family. A sort of kids Indiana Jones film. It should be called RAIDERS OF THE LOST TWAIN!!!
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Rascals & Robbers Tom & Huck Finn
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