Original subtitles

♫ Now listen folks, my name is Tom Sawyer

♫ I don't want to be no doctor or no lawyer

♫ Fishing by the river, that's the only place to be

♫ I wanna be free sitting under a tree, that's me

♫ These are the stories of Tom Sawyer

♫ Me and Huck Finn just playing by the river

♫ Chasing that steamboat, teacher let me be

♫ I wanna be free sitting under a tree

♫ That's me

(children chattering)

- Silence, silence, come to order, class.

Before we begin today's lesson,

I have an important announcement to make.

As you all know, three St. Petersburg boys

have recently met with untimely ends.

Sheriff Collins has informed me that the memorial services

for your two schoolmates, Tom Sawyer and Ben Rogers,

are going to be held next Sunday afternoon.

They will be sorely missed,

and may God have mercy on their souls.

Now then, we shall proceed with today's lesson.

- Excuse me, sir.

- Yes, Joseph?

You have a question?

- Wasn't there a third boy, Huckleberry Finn?

- Yes, I believe so.

What's your point, Joseph?

- So the funeral service is for all three of them.

Isn't it, sir?

- That's right.

- Mr. Dobbins? - Well, what is it?

- It's just that it makes no sense to me

how everybody can be so sure that Tom and the other boys

aren't still alive, seeing as nobody's found their bodies

or anything.

- Becky, those boys are not going to return.

That's the truth of the matter

and we just have to accept it.

Sheriff Collins happens to be an expert authority

in such matters, you know.

- I believe that Tom and the other boys are still alive.

- [Dobbins] And why have they disappeared?

- I don't know the reason, not for sure.

But I am sure that Tom and the others are still alive.

(children chattering)

- Please sir.

- Now what, Miss Lawrence?

- I don't mean to be contrary, sir,

but I think Becky is right and the sheriff is wrong.

- It's only natural for you to find it difficult

to accept the fact of your friends' demise,

but be that as it may, those three boys shall never return.

Now let that be an end to it.

The subject is closed.

- Ben, hey, Ben!

Come on down to the beach with me and Huck.

We're looking for turtle eggs.

Huck says they taste better than just about anything.

- No thanks.

- Huh?

What's wrong with you?

- Nothing's wrong.

Guess I just don't feel like moving, that's all.

- Are you sick or something?

- No, reckon not.

- What are we waiting for then?

Come on.

- Not right now, okay?

- Okay, Ben, whatever you say.

We'll be on the beach if you change your mind.

- I want to go home.

- Huh, yeah.

There they are.

- Hey Huck, you found any yet?

- Come have a look.

- Wow.

- I told you I knew how to find them.

- There they are.

- They'll sure taste mighty good fried up

with a little butter, Tom.

Say, Tom, what's Ben doing?

- [Tom] Not much of anything.

Seems like he's in kind of low spirits.

- I reckon he just wants to go home.

That's all that's wrong with him.

- I reckon you're right.

I think if he had to do it all over again,

he never would have left home.

- We gotta go back sooner or later, right, Tom?

You're a little homesick, aren't you?

- Are you kidding?

- Come on, Tom.

Not even a little bit?

- Nope, I could stay out here all summer.

- Hey, you're something, Tom.

I admit, I miss St. Pete a lot more than I thought I would.

- Say.

Mm, mighty impressive cooking.

If they taste as good as they smell,

they're gonna be powerful fine.

- There.

Hey Ben, come have some.

Well, you want some or don't you?

- No, I'm not hungry.

- The turtle eggs are real good.

There ain't nothing like them, Ben.

Take my word for it.

- Guess I don't want to stay here much anymore.

- Ben?

- [Ben] I've had enough of this island.

I want to go home.

- Not now.

- The two of you ought to go with me.

We should all go together.

- But here there's nobody telling us what to do.

We can do whatever we like.

- [Ben] Can't stop my father from worrying.

Can't sleep in a warm bed tonight.

And I can't talk to nobody but you and Huck.

- [Tom] We're the only ones you talk to anyway.

And you can fish and go swimming anytime you want.

Be the terror of the seven seas.

- I don't care about that.

I'm going back, you hear?

- You took the pirate's oath just like we did, Ben.

You'll just have to go by yourself.

Me and Huck are gonna be staying.

Right, Huck?

- Well-- - Right.

- All right then, if that's the way things are,

I'll go by myself.

Just see if I don't.

- When you get back,

you know what's gonna happen, don't you?

Everyone's gonna laugh at you because they'll know

you're a coward who would rather sleep in a warm bed

than keep a promise you made to your best friend.

That ain't the pirate way, Ben.

- I don't care.

- Go then.

Right, Huck?

Sniveling crybaby.

We'll be better off without him.

- Tom, I'm going too.

- You're what?

- Going back to St. Pete with Ben.

- You got no family waiting for you, Huck.

What do you want to go back for?

- St. Pete is home.

Hey Ben, hold on, wait right there.

I'm going with you.

(Tom sighs)

- Well, I guess I gotta tell them and quick.

Listen Ben, you and Huck gotta come back.

Go on back to St. Pete if you want to

but there's something important I gotta tell you first.

It's real important, honest.

I swear it is.

I cross my heart and hope to die if it ain't.

Come on, you guys, hurry up, will ya?

We ain't got all day.

All right?

I'll do it the hard way.

- All right.

- I guarantee that after you hear what I've got to say,

you won't want to go back to St. Pete today.

- Well?

- The three of us will go back on Sunday

for a real special occasion.

- Please let Tom and the others be all right.

They didn't mean any harm by running off the way they did.

They just wanted to-- (gasps)

Oh no!

I sure hope Tom found a safe shelter.

Looks like there's a big storm coming.

- Huh?

Oh, it must be Tom, he's come back.

Or is it a ghost?

It's just the wind, I hope.

- Huh?

Uh oh.

Huck, hey Ben.

Wind's picking up.

- Yeah, storm's on its way, a big'un.

- A little rain won't hurt us.

- Ain't gonna be just a little, Ben.

We gotta find shelter.

How about the cave?

- Better than out in the open.

- That lightning could be dangerous out here.

Come on.

- Let's get out of here!

- Hurry up, you two.

- Right behind you, Tom.

(Ben yells)

- Let me in, I'm scared.

(boys screaming)

- Only a few more feet to go.

Come on, Ben.

- I wouldn't be here if I hadn't let you talk me out

of going back when I should have.

- So it's all my fault?

- Well, I wouldn't be here at all if it weren't for you,

now that's true enough, I reckon.

- It was your decision.

Quit trying to blame all of your problems

on everybody else, Ben.

- Right now I just want to get to that cave.

- We're almost there, Ben, don't stop now.

- The cave's up here, just a few more feet.

Come on.

Boy am I tired.

- Sure is cold.

How about making a fire, Huck?

- No way to make a fire with everything wet the way it is.

- It's freezing.

- Don't worry, Ben, it'll be daylight before too long.

- Sure is one heck of a storm.

- There wasn't any thunder and lightning last time.

- And it was daytime. (yawns)

- You know, us three are awful lucky.

Being here at just the right time.

- Right for what?

- The experience, Ben.

- I don't see what's so lucky about that.

- It's an experience nobody else will ever have

except for us.

- Some luck.

Wet and cold and frozen to the bone in a cave.

- Complaining ain't gonna change things any.

(Huck snoring)

Don't know if it's right for Huck to be sleeping.

It's mighty cold in here.

Better move around some, Huck.

- Thanks, Tom, but I've slept outside all my life.

I'm used to it by now, I reckon.

- [Tom Voiceover] When I told Ben and Huck

why we couldn't go back

until Sunday, they agreed to go along with my plan.

But if they had gone back when they wanted to,

they would have been safe and warm

instead of half frozen and miserable.

Tell you one thing, my plan better work

or they won't say another word to me

for as long as I live.

- Golly.

Aunt Polly, Mary, aren't you two ready yet?

We gotta hurry up and go.

We're gonna be late for the funeral.

- Don't be foolish, Sid.

- What do you mean?

- They can't start the funereal until we get there,

don't you remember?

- That's right, I forgot.

- Where's Mother?

She should be ready by now.

Aw.

(Polly crying)

- Mother, I know how painful this is for you.

Perhaps you shouldn't go.

- Tom's going to his heavenly reward

and I'll be there to help him find the way.

- Yes, shall we go now, Mother?

Now Mother, everyone's congregated at the church.

They're waiting for us.

- You're right.

Well. (sighs)

- Take my arm, okay?

- Morning. - Morning, Mr. Goodly.

Shop will be closed for a couple of days

thanks to that fool son of mine running off

and getting himself killed like he did.

- The missus and I just wanted to tell you that--

- Yes, what is it?

Well?

- We're on our way to the funereal

and we're wondering if you would like to accompany us, John.

- [John] Thanks, but you go on ahead.

- Very well.

Our condolences to you.

- Thank you, Mr. Goodly.

- [Mrs. Thatcher] Go on, Becky, I'll join you in a moment.

- Mama's putting on her hat, Papa.

She'll be out in just a minute or two.

- All right, dear, best you get in then.

- Yes, sir.

- One of those boys was a friend of yours.

Tom Sawyer, I believe?

- Uh huh.

- It's a sad thing to lose a friend.

It's a great pity.

I'm sorry.

So young and so much to live for.

I understand the oldest of them was only 12.

A cruel fate for one so young.

- I'm sorry for having kept you waiting, dear.

Go ahead, dear.

There's absolutely no shame in your crying

for such a good friend who's passed away.

Go ahead, dear.

God in his infinite wisdom created tears

for us to make our sorrows easier to bear.

- Mm, mm, mm.

Tom, Ben, and Huck.

Don't seem fair their dying before I do.

T'ain't fair at all if you ask me.

Three of the finest boys you ever hoped to meet

being taken by the grim faced reaper while he suffers

a poor old drunk like me to go on living.

Makes no sense.

No sense at all.

- Brothers and sisters, we are gathered

on a mournful occasion today.

- It's all clear.

- The other day on the river, I'd have been lost

if it hadn't been for them.

Saved me from a watery grave.

St. Peter must have made a mistake in his ledger book

and they ended up where I should have been.

That day on the river, I kept yelling for someone to help

and nobody would except them.

But when they needed help,

there weren't nothing I could do about it.

Hmm?

I seen 'em.

They're dead but their ghosts are after me.

I'm sorry I wasn't there to help you like you done for me.

Please forgive me.

I would have saved you if I could, believe me.

- [Congregation] Amen.

- From the sound of it, that's a mighty big crowd.

- I bet you everybody in St. Pete has come

to see us off.

- Now that we're here, I'm too scared

to go in and face them all.

- Listen to me, Ben.

We're gonna do it just the way we planned it.

When the minister reaches the end of his sermon

and everybody's crying their eyes out,

we'll appear out of nowhere and say,

"We're all back safe and sound, praise the lord."

- Hmm.

- [Tom Voiceover] This was our big moment.

I couldn't wait to see the looks on everybody's faces

when they seen the three of us.

Not dead, but all bright eyed and bushy tailed

as we ever was.

I reckon I hadn't thought about what a serious

and sad situation we was walking into.

- And Jesus said, if any man walk in the day,

he stumbleth not because he seeth the light

of this world.

But if the man walk in the night, he stumbleth

because there is no light in him.

And Jesus sayeth unto Martha,

"Thy brother shall rise again."

Martha sayeth unto him,

"I know that he shall rise again

"in the resurrection at the last day."

Jesus said unto her, "I am the resurrection and the life.

"He that believeth in me, though he were dead,

"yet shall he live.

"And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die."

God has taken Tom Sawyer, Ben Rogers,

and Huckleberry Finn away from us.

And though their smiling faces will be sorely missed

by every one of us, we know with the absolute certainty

born of Christian faith that they shall never die,

and that their joyful souls are basking

in the radiance of God's eternal love.

We shall mourn their passing.

True, they are gone, but they will never be forgotten.

We shall always remember their winning ways,

their rare promise, their sweet and generous natures,

their graceful innocence,

and their spirited enjoyment of life itself.

Now may they dwell happily in a better world than this,

in the glorious kingdom of heaven abo-- (screams)

I don't believe it.

It can't be. (stammering)

- Huh?

- What?

(congregation murmuring)

- Is it really you?

- It's me all right.

- I knew you were all right.

Knew it all the time.

Oh, Tom, Tom, you're back.

- How are you son?

- All right.

- My son, Ben.

- I'm right glad to be home, Dad.

- Tom, I'm so happy to see you I'm about to burst.

- Me too, Tom.

- A miracle.

A miracle has happened here today.

Now everybody, let's get up on your feet

and thank the dear lord with a hymn.

- ♫ Holy, holy, holy lord God almighty

♫ Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee

♫ Holy holy holy, merciful and mighty

♫ God in three persons, blessed trinity

- [Tom Voiceover] We made history just like

I said we would.

The first people ever to attend their own funeral.

But even better than that is the way Becky Thatcher

was looking at me.

- Edward, it's wonderful, isn't it?

Like they say--

- [Both] The lord works in mysterious ways.

- Oh golly, I'm so glad.

- You little--

- [Edward] Get up there.

- Tom sure knows how to plan things, all right.

Everything worked out just like he said it would.

Oh, no.

That storm must have come through here mighty hard.

Well, it needed some work anyway.

I reckon it's true.

There ain't no place like home. (chuckles)

- Come on everybody, hurry up.

- I still find it hard to believe.

- So do I.

- I declare Tom Sawyer, you're covered with enough dirt

to fill a ditch.

I'm not letting you out of my sight

until every particle has been scrubbed off.

Sid, go fill up the tub.

- [Tom] That ain't dirt, Aunt Polly.

I got a sun tan.

- [Polly] Tom Sawyer, you haven't changed a bit.

Now get in that tub and start scrubbing.

♫ These are the stories of Tom Sawyer

♫ Me and Huck Finn just playing by the river

♫ Chasing that steamboat, teacher let me be

♫ I wanna be free, sitting under a tree

♫ That's me