Opening 17 Nov 2011
Directed by:
Hermine Huntgeburth
Writing credits:
Sascha Arango, Mark Twain, Peer Klehmet, Sebastian Wehlings
Principal actors:
Louis Hofmann, Leon Seidel, Heike Makatsch, Benno Fürmann, Joachim Król
The well-known Mark Twain classics The Adventures of Tom Sawyer have been adapted by Sascha Arango and are directed by Hermine Huntgeburth. The result is a German film in true American Western style with traditional costumes of the 19th century. The orphan Tom Sawyer (Louis Hofmann) and his younger brother Sid (Andreas Warmbrunn) live together with Aunt Polly (Heike Makatsch) in her cottage on the hill. Whenever she gives him a task to do, he tries to disappear, meeting with his friend Huckleberry Finn (Leon Seidel). They are best friends and always up to mischief. During their ramblings through the harbour they watch the criminal and wicked Indian Joe (Benno Fürmann), hear of secret plans and of a hidden treasure trove. Real trouble awaits the two boys when roaming about the graveyard. By chance they see Joe murdering Doc Robinson (Sylvester Groth) during a fight and blaming the harmless drunkard Muff Potter (Joachim Król). Fearing for their life and Joe’s fury, they flee through the night.
More than once Aunt Polly is worried about Tom’s whereabouts. One night the situation comes to a head when Tom and the daughter of Judge Thatcher (Peter Lohmeyer) are missing. He is showing pretty Becky (Magali Greif) a secret, hidden cave. She is duly impressed until they are hopelessly lost. It gets even worse as Joe stumbles upon them whilst looking for his treasure trove. How will they ever get out of the cave alive? Tension runs high, and the younger audience will surely be glued to the screen or nervously biting their nails.
The children’s acting is a pleasure to watch; particularly Luis Hofmann and Leon Seidel are a great team of tomboys. Benno Fürmann gives a convincingly malicious and fearsome Joe. An adventure for the eight-to-12-year-olds. (Birgit Schrumpf)
