Huckleberry Finn and His Friends
Huckleberry Finn and His Friends was a 1979 television series documenting the exploits of Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer, based on the novels The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by American writer Mark Twain. The series was made up of 26 episodes and was a Canadian/German coproduction. Huckleberry Finn is played by Ian Tracey who is also the narrator. Tom Sawyer is played by Sammy Snyders. Directed by Jack B. Hively and Ken Jubenvill, this mini-series was broadcast in many countries such as Germany, UK, Australia, Canada, South Africa, Venezuela and many other Latin American nations. The series was re-shown many times during the 1980s to early 1990s and has grown somewhat of a cult following. Even though Mark Twain originally wrote the books The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn as separate units, this mini-series conjures up both literary works as only one story. Therefore, it places greater importance on Huckleberry's character without putting aside Tom Sawyer's. In 2007, the complete series was released as a 4 DVD box set by Fabulous Films in the UK. It contains many extras including a 12 page color booklet and a 30 minute 'making of' documentary featuring interviews with many stars of the series including Sammy Snyders, Ian Tracey, and Blu Mankuma.
Episodes
Aunt Polly isn't very young anymore when she takes her two nephews Tom and Sid Sawyer under her wing after their parents died. Tom doesn't like to go to school and is always full of mischief, his brother Sid on the contrary tries to be a brave boy, but he doesn't get along well with his brother Tom. One day aunt Polly gets so fed up with Tom and his pranks, she punishes Tom by putting him to work at whitewashing the backyard fence on his free Saturday.As usual Tom thinks of a clever plan to get out of this.
Because Tom Sawyer is always into mischief, Aunt Polly punishes him by whitewashing the fence. Tom who doesn't really feel like doing it, lets his friends and some village kids do it for him after letting them pay for it in bible tickets. Tom falls in love with judge Thatchers pretty niece Becky and does everything to win her heart. At Sunday school Tom makes a complete fool of himself in front of everyone including Becky. After giving his teacher the most bible tickets he so called earned, Tom is convinced that Becky is impressed.
Tom Sawyer tells his brother Sid that he isn't feeling well and doesn't want to go to school. Aunt Polly sees him through and when he suddenly claims to have a loose tooth aunt Polly decides to pull it out. On his way to school Tom bumps in to Huckleberry Finn. After Huck tells Tom that the judges niece that Becky Thatcher attends the same school as Tom, Tom suddenly decides to go to school instead of going fishing with his best friend. Because Tom arrives 35 minutes later at school he has to give his teacher a very good explanation for this. After saying that he was talking to Huckleberry Finn, the teacher punishes him by letting him sit next to the girls. Tom quickly sets himself next to his beloved Becky and writes down on his slate that he loves her. Before his teacher sends him back to his own table, he tells Becky to meet him outside in the yard at recess. He then asks her to get engaged with him.
Because Tom Sawyer doesn't feel well, aunt Polly gives him a spoon full of her famous, but awful tasting spring-elixer. That did the trick and on his way to school and meets his friend Huckleberry Finn and mrs Watson's slave Jim. They discuss various ways of treating warts. Huck has a dead cat with him to cure him from his warts, but Tom confinces him that there are better and adventurous ways to treat it. At midnight the two boys head for the graveyard, where they witness a brutal murder, committed by Injun Joe. The victim is dr.Robinson. Injun Joe lets the drunken Muff Potter believe that he killed the man. Huck and Tom swear not to tell anyone what they have seen.
Tom Sawyer meets his friend Joe Harper on his way to school. Joe is convinced that his mother doesn't love him. Because Tom isn't happy at home, the two boys decide to runaway and start a life as pirates. They ask Huckleberry Finn to join them. Tom and Joe leave home after ransacking the foodsupply at home and Huck finds a little dingy at the river. After a little while the boat sinks and the boys head to Jackson's Island where they have the time of their lives, fishing camping and playing pirates. After a day or two the boys hear a big bang. They see the riverboat and a few men loading and firing a cannon to see if someone has drowned. The boys also see aunt Polly, constable Muller and Joe Harper's mother. The runaways become aware that they are the ones that are missing. Huck feels sad that nobody misses him, but Tom and Joe comfort him
When Huck Finn, Joe Harper and Tom Sawyer hide out Jackson's Island, aunt Polly and Mrs. Harper realise that the boys have run away from home. They go to constable Moeller and explained what had happened. The constable organises a seach party by steamboat. Because the boys aren't found, the villagers think that the boys have been drowned.They organize a special sermon church for them. The boys feel guilty and homesick, so they decide to surprise everyone by attending the sermon.
Tom Sawyer decides to swim back to St. Petersburg en goes to his house. He sees and hears how aunt Polly, Sid and Mrs. Harper are grieving the loss of their children. Tom hears about the special service in church, that is dedicated to the three missing boys. Tom swims back to Jackson's Island and tells his friends the news. The boys decide to go back home and surprise everyone during the special service
Muff Potter was arrested because he was accused of murdering doctor Robinson. Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn witnessed the murder in the churchyard. But it wasn't Muff who killed the doctor, but it was Injun Joe who did it. Muff Potter who was drunk, became a victim of Injun Joe's evil ways, because he placed the murder weapon into Muff's hand while he was unconcious after suffering a hit on the head. Because Tom and Huck swore to each other not to tell anyone what they have seen that night, they hesitate at first to come forward in the trial. But they were aware that an innocent man could be hanged for a murder he didn't commit, so they finally came forward. Injun Joe who was present at the trial, flees out of the courthouse and goes in hiding. Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn know that their lives could be in danger now Injun Joe managed to escape.
Because Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn are still stressed out of the escape of Injun Joe from the courthouse, the two boys decide to dig for burried treasures. They start to dig in de area of the haunted house. When Tom and Huck find the courage to go into the house they discover Injun Joe and Pard and overhear the two men planning to rob an old lady, who's late husband sent Injun Joe away, when he came to him for help and shelter.
No overview is available.
Tom Sawyer and Becky Thatcher get lost in a cave during their school field trip. Their teacher and the other pupils don't even miss them and leave them behind. Back in St. Petersburg the schoolteacher finds out that there are two pupils missing. Constable Moeller starts a search party. Meanwhile in the cave Tom has an encounter with Injun Joe and he and Becky run away.The two find an unknown exit out of the cave. Judge Thatcher gives order to shut the entrance of the cave. When Tom hears this, he tells him that Injun Joe could well possibly still be in the cave .
Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn return to St. Petersburg with their found treasure. The two find out that the widow Douglas and her sister Miss Watson want to give Huck a home. Judge Thatcher is planning to invest Huck's part of the gold in something useful and make him a respected member of the community. Huck, not used to all the fuss around him, feels trapped and wants his old life back.
Huck doesn't enjoy his new life with the widow Douglas and her sister Miss Watson. On his way to school, Huck sees a print of the heel of his father Pap Finn's shoe. He knows that the man is up to something. Huck was right. His father came back to St. Petersburg after hearing rumours about his son's new found fortune and decides to kidnap him. Pap Finn locks his son up in a remote island near the village and demands judge Thatcher to hand over the gold belonging to his son. Judge Thatcher refuses to pay up and Pap Finn gets arrested for kidnapping.
The widow Douglas and her sister Miss Watson both realize that Huck is missing. Pap Finn gets questioned about his son's whereabouts. He denies everything about the kidnapping and he's banned from St. Petersburg. Huck manages to break out of the shed where he's kept inprisoned.
Huck evades bounty hunters on Jackson Island but is suspicious to find someone else staying on the other side of the island. When Huck and Jim meet they are overjoyed to see each other, but both have a difficult story to tell the other.
On Jackson Island Huck and Jim are hiding in a cave when a massive storm suddenly breaks loose and devastates the island. All kinds of things float past on the river including a house, in which Jim discovers a dead body. Huck feels unsafe on the island and so disguises himself as a girl and returns to the town. There he finds that a high ransom has been put up for the capture of Jim. Huck and Jim decide that their hiding place on the island has become too dangerous and so they start their journey down the Mississippi on the raft.
Huck and Jim build a shelter for Jim on their raft for Jim to hide in when other boats come near them. When this actually happens Huck tells the boatmen that his very sick father,who is suffering from Smallpox is sleeping there. The men are afraid and leave as fast as they can. On the same day Jim and Huck lose each other when a river steamboat colides with their raft and sinks.
Tired and worn out after the raft accident Huck comes across a large farm estate a few hundred yards from the river. After some initial scepticism the Grangerford family who live there take pity on Huck and welcome him into their home. They explain to him that they were afraid he may have been a member of a rival family called the Shepherdsons whom they are having a live in feud with. Huck fakes his identity and introduces himself as George Jackson. He settles in well with the family, making good friends with one of the boys, Buck, and even being awarded his own slave. However on a hunting trip Huck soon realises the true scale of the feud when Buck spots and attempts to shoot one of the Shepherdons from his horse.
Huck is entangled further into the feud between the Grangerfords and the Shepherdsons and realise that he himself is now as much a target as any of the family. He discusses the feud with Buck who informs him that it goes way back in time, though even he can't recall why it ever started and why it still exists. On accompanying the family to Sunday services Huck is astonished to witness the men carrying rifles to the church. The Shepherdsons also attend the same service with their own rifles. On returning from the service the beautiful Sophia Grangeford asks Huck for a favour. She informs him that she has forgotten her Bible at the services and wishes for him to fetch it for her. When Huck does so a note saying 'half-past two' slips out of the Bible. Huck replaces it and returns it to a clearly delighted Sophia. Huck's slave Jack meanwhile is keen for Huck to see a breed of rare snakes down by the river.
When Huck returns to the Grangefords he finds that the house is empty. His slave Jack informs him that the feud has erupted after Sophia took off to marry one of the Shepherdon boys. Huck now realises the significance of the note in the Bible. He finds the families amidst a brutal shootout in the forest and from high up in a tree he witnesses a sad and bloody end to the lives of many of the Grangefords who had treated him so well. A dejected Huck makes his way back to the raft where he and Jim set sail again.
Upon resuming their travels down the Mississippi Huck and Jim encounter two strangers whom they pick up and save from a group of chasing gunmen. The pair pretend to be royalty so that they get treated well with one calling himself a Duke and the other calling himself The Dauphin (the King of France). Jim is taken in by all this but, while Huck does not believe a word of it, he doesn't wish to get on the wrong side of them in case they report Jim as a runaway slave and so plays along. On the raft it becomes apparent that the two are actors as they act out scenes from ""Romeo and Juliet"". The pair plan on running a play in the next town they come across.
The Duke and the Dauphin rehearse their wacky Shakespeare-act on the raft. The Dauphin falls into the water but Huck manages to help him back on the raft again. On opening night, the Duke and the Dauphin perform in front of an audience who don't appreciate what the two are doing. The following day, the Duke and the Dauphin are chased out of the village by the heavily armed inhabitants.
Jim warns Huck, that every time he feels his shoulder twitching, that something bad is going to happen. The Duke goes to town to look for venues for the Shakespeare play they want to perform. When Huck comes back from hunting, he finds that The Dauphin and Jim are gone from the raft. Where are they?
Tom Sawyer's aunt Sally mistakingly sees Huck as her nephew Tom, who is on his way to visit her. Huck decides to go along lends a horse and wagon to pick up his belongings from the raft. On his way to the raft he meets Tom Sawyer, who is at first frightened, because he thinks that Huck's ghost is there to haunt him. But Huck is still alive and after Tom is convinced, the two boys tell each other about what happened after Huck went missing. Tom decides to let aunt Sally think that he is his younger brother Sid. In town Tom and Huck see that the Duke and the Dauphin are smeered with tar and feathers by the townsmen and thrown out of the community.
Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn are digging a tunnel beneath the the hut where Jim is held prisoner. The first attempt is a complete failure. Jim wants to try to escape, but Tom wants to make it a spectacular happening; he writes a note for the Phelps family....
Huck and Tom help Jim escape from the hut. A search party catches up on them and shoot Tom in the leg. Huck finds a doctor who wants to help Tom and the threesome are brought back to the Phelps'farm. Back at the house aunt Polly arrives and the mix-up between Tom and Huck is explained. Aunt Polly has good news for Jim. Miss Watson stated in her will that Jim is now a free man and no longer has to be afraid of being hunted down.
