(Norman Taurog, US 1938, 91 min., 35mm nitrate, sound, three-color Technicolor)
Print source: George Eastman Museum, Rochester, NY
Gone with the Wind may be producer David O. Selznick’s most famous literary adaptation, but it is far from his only one. Selznick had a history of bringing classic books to the screen with such films as Little Women (1933), David Copperfield (1935), and Little Lord Fauntleroy (1936). Given this consistent return to literary source material, it is not surprising that he chose to adapt a boyhood favorite, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.
Selznick was originally committed to filming his version of the story in Technicolor, but when finalizing the script and cast caused production delays, he decided instead to shoot in black and white. With H. C. Potter directing and James Wong Howe behind the camera, filming commenced in July 1937 on a replica Mississippi River town built at the Paramount Ranch by art director Lyle Wheeler. However, when nearly two weeks later, a Technicolor unit became available, Selznick changed his mind once again. He halted production for three days in order to conduct color tests, then made the costly decision to start all over again, this time in color. The shift in production schedule also required a change in directors, with Norman Taurog—known for his skill in working with children—replacing Potter.
Filming in color for the first time, Howe took a restrained approach, and the result was one of the most natural-looking color films of its time. Originally designed for black and white, sets had to be reworked for Technicolor. Most were repainted in neutral tones—beige, gray, and white—while brighter colors were reserved for costumes and select props. The film’s climax, when Tom and Becky Thatcher become lost in McDougal’s Cave, is a standout. Designed by William Cameron Menzies, the sequence is visually striking, with the children dwarfed by the cavern, beset by bats, and menaced by the maniacal Injun Joe.
Released early in 1938, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer was not a financial success due to its high production cost of $1.5 million. With this film, Selznick’s run of adapting his favorite childhood books for the screen came to an end.
This print, on 1938 UK Kodak stock, perfectly demonstrates the authentic dark tones of the film. It has been in the hands of private British collectors since at least the 1940s and was recently donated to the George Eastman Museum by Anthony Saffrey. Shrinkage is between 0.6% and 0.7%.
– Anthony L’Abbate
This screening is free for passholders of the sold-out 10th Nitrate Picture Show. A limited number of single-screening tickets may be available for purchase in person at the Dryden Theatre box office on a rush-line basis. Rush tickets will be sold only if seats remain after the film’s spoken introduction has begun.