Tom Sawyer (1930)

Tom Sawyer is a 1930 American Pre-Code drama film directed by John Cromwell and starring Jackie Coogan. The screenplay by Grover Jones, William Slavens McNutt, and Sam Mintz is based on the 1876 novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain.

The film was the third screen adaptation of the Twain novel, following silent versions released in 1907 and 1917. The picture was made on location at the Paramount Ranch in Agoura, California.

The film grossed $11 million and was the top box office attraction of the year, prompting the studio to release Huckleberry Finn, directed by Norman Taurog and featuring most of the Tom Sawyer cast, the following year.

Synopsis

After arguing with his sweetheart, Becky Thatcher, Tom Sawyer seeks solace from his friend Huck Finn, who tells him about a mysterious cure for warts that requires them to visit the local cemetery at midnight. While there they witness a murder committed by Injun Joe, who convinces Muff Potter, who also was there but in an inebriated state, that he is guilty of the crime. Tom and Huck promise each other they will not divulge what they have seen.

Actors