Original subtitles

♫ Now listen you 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 want to free

♫ Sitting under a tree

♫ That's me

♫ Haha

♫ These are the stories of Tom Sawyer

♫ Me and Huck Finn just playing by the river

♫ Chasing that steamboat

♫ Teacher, let me be

♫ I want to free

♫ Sitting under a tree

♫ That's me

(calm music)

(hammer clanging)

- Bye Aunt Polly.

Come on, Tom!

- Have a nice day, boys.

- Bye Aunt Polly.

- Bye.

- Come on, Tom.

Can't be late for school.

- A tomato would sure go nice at lunchtime.

That one.

- Tom!

Tom?

Oh bother, he's already late.

- [Tom] Were you calling me, Aunt Polly?

I was just on my way to school.

- You be sure to come home right after school.

You hear me?

You've gotta paint that fence.

You promised to have that finished by tomorrow night.

- Don't you worry, Aunt Polly.

I'll be home right after school

less Mr. Dobbins blames me for something

and makes me stay.

Gotta go now, or I'll be late.

Then he'll make me stay after for sure.

Bye, Aunt Polly!

- [Aunt Polly] Stay away from trouble

and trouble will stay away from you!

Straight home now, don't forget.

- [Tom] I won't.

- That boy's gonna vex me to death.

- If you'd like your fence painted,

I'd be happy to do it for you, Ms. Polly.

If you got the paint, I can start this afternoon.

- Thank you, Jim, but it's Tom's job,

and by glory, he'll do it.

Tom's gotta learn to accept responsibility,

and work is the best way I know of to teach him.

Thank you, Jim.

It was kind of you to offer.

- [Jim] Any time, Ms. Polly.

- It's my duty to care for him,

and goodness knows I've tried to raise him

the best way I know how.

It'll be mighty hard to make him work on Saturday

when all the other boys are off from school.

Tom hates work than anybody I ever seen,

and that's the truth.

But there comes a time when little boys

have to grow up.

And some day, he'll thank me for what I've done.

(Aunt Polly humming)

- Good morning, Father.

- Morning, son.

- [Ben] Jiminy, if I had a brand new baseball,

I'd be a bigshot at the fellas at school.

So long!

(lively music)

- Bye mom.

- [Ben] Wait for me, Joe.

- Well, hurry up, slow poke.

- [Tom] The girl I like the best is Amy, Amy Lawrence.

We walk to school together every morning.

- [Amy] Good bye, Mama!

- [Amy's Mother] Have a nice day at school, dear.

- Nice morning, ain't it?

- [Amy] Hi Tom.

Guess what?

Last night, my mama baked up a batch of raisin bread.

If you want to, you can sit with me at lunchtime

and have as much as you want.

You like raisin bread, don't ya?

- Sure enough, Amy.

- [Amy] I thought so.

- [Tom] Look there!

Everyone's waiting for us.

Morning, everybody!

- Hi!

(Tom laughing)

- [Boy] Hey Tom.

(everybody giggling)

(church bell tolling)

(lively music)

- Sometimes, I wish I could be like my friend Huck.

You see, he don't have to go to school.

(Huck yawning)

The folks in town say Huck's a bad sort

and tell their kids to stay away from him.

Huck says he don't care what they say

long as no one tries to tell him what to do or where to do.

Hey there, Huck!

Hey, Huck Finn!

Good morning to you!

- Good morning.

- [Boy] Going for a swim?

- No, getting my breakfast.

(children laughing)

- [Tom] Huck's got no home,

least not like the rest of us do

with a house and all.

Huck says he wouldn't have it no other way

and that his home is the whole Mississippi River,

the finest, prettiest home anybody could wish for.

So I guess you might say that Huck's backyard

is bigger than all the ones in town put together.

Daydreaming about the river

makes a fellow want to kind of slow down and drift along,

which does a body no good at all

when he's supposed to be paying attention in school.

- The next word is father.

F-A-T-H-E-R.

Now then, Tom, spell mother.

- Umm, uhh.

- Can you spell it, Tom, or not?

- I didn't hear the word, sir.

- Then I'll repeat it for you now that you're listening.

You are asked for the correct spelling

for the word mother.

- Um, uhh.

- [Teacher] Can you or can you not

spell the word, mother, Tom?

We haven't got all day.

- Uh, course I can.

M-O-T-H-E-R.

If there's one thing I'm good at, it's spelling.

I could even spell it for you backwards if you like.

'Course it wouldn't make too much sense that way,

now would it?

(Tom chuckling)

The best thing about school is when it's over,

especially on Fridays, when me and the other boys

play baseball, which I reckon

is just about the best game ever invented.

(light music)

(boy grunting)

(Tom and boy grunting)

- He's out!

Tom got there first.

The runner's out.

- You heard. - I'm out.

(boys chattering)

- [Tom] You heard the umpire, Billy.

He says you're out.

- Hey!

I betcha nobody can guess what I brought with me.

- [Boy] What's Ben yelling about?

- Look here!

It's brand new, not all beat up

like that old one you're playing with.

- Wow, brand new ball like that cost a bundle.

Where'd he get it from?

- It's a dandy.

It'd go for a mile if you hit it right.

Just look at that bounce.

Want to have a look?

(boys yelling and cheering)

- [Boy] That's a marvel, Ben.

- [Ben] Come and get it.

- [Boy] Let me see!

- All I said you could do was look at it now.

Stop shoving.

Cut it out!

- [Boy] Ain't you gonna let us see it?

- Yeah, but keep your hands off.

I'm the only one that gets to touch it.

(boys chattering)

- Yup, no doubt about it.

That's a brand new ball, all right.

Let me see how far I can hit it, Ben.

- No, Tom.

You'll tear it up.

- Come on, let me hit it just once, Ben.

Come on, just one time.

- [Boy] Just once won't hurt it.

It'll still be just like new.

Come on, Ben.

What do you say?

- Nothing doing.

It wouldn't be new then.

- The ball is yours, so it's only fair

that you be the one to hit it first, Ben.

- [Boy] Tom's right.

- Well.

(playful music)

- [Tom] Hey, quiet down will ya?

How's he gonna hit it with everyone yelling at him?

Alright Ben, you ready?

- [Ben] Ready!

- Remember, keep your eye on the ball.

(Ben grunting)

(boys chattering)

- [Ben] I'll hit it this time.

You'll see.

- I throw it real slow, and you still missed it

by a mile, Ben.

- I don't want it slow.

I'm a better batter than anybody.

You just pitch it again, and I'll prove it.

(Tom grunting)

- Alright, Ben, if that's what you want.

But if I pitch like I usually do,

it'll probably go right by you.

- Let me worry about that.

You just pitch the ball, and you'll see I'm right.

I'm ready for ya.

Come on, pitch it to me.

- Okay, you asked for it.

I'll give you my fast ball.

(Ben grunting)

- [Boys] Wow!

(boys chattering)

- [Boy] Look at that.

- Wow, hey Ben, you clobbered it.

- Come on, guys.

Let's go get it.

(boys chattering)

- Yeah!

I smacked it a mile.

I told you I would.

(playful music)

- It's getting awful late.

It's gonna be dark soon.

Listen, we're never going to find it now.

We better come back tomorrow

when we can see better.

- [Ben] We've gotta find it now, not tomorrow.

Come on, it must be around here somewhere.

- I'm tired, and I'm hungry, Ben.

We've been looking for it the whole afternoon.

(boys chattering)

- [Boy] It's getting dark.

- You gotta help me find it.

If my father finds out I took that baseball,

I'll be in a heap of trouble.

- You only got yourself to blame for it.

You're the one who hit it over everybody's head,

and I don't see why we should all miss supper

on account of your hitting it so hard.

- Alright, go home, all of you,

but I'm gonna stay out here 'til I find it.

You hear me?

Go on, desert me, you lily livered bunch of cowards!

(Ben sobbing)

But I'll never let you touch that ball again.

- [Tom] I was supposed to come home right after school.

I'm in big trouble, sure enough.

If Aunt Polly catches me coming in so late,

I'll catch it for sure.

(light music)

I'm so hungry I could eat a mule,

but I don't dare wake up Aunt Polly.

Now I gotta go to bed with my stomach growling

and all because of that confounded baseball.

There's nothing more discouraging

than having to do something you have a true disliking for,

and worst of all, on a Saturday

when all the other boys is off doing whatever they please.

- [Aunt Polly] Get some more paint on your brush, Tom.

I want a nice solid coat on that fence

that'll stand up to the rain.

(light music)

That's better.

It'll be a fine looking fence when you're through.

- You bet it will, but you don't have to waste your time

watching me all day.

I'll call you when it's done.

- Very well, Tom.

But I warn you, young man.

If you're thinking of running off

with your friends and that fence isn't done,

you surely won't like what's waiting for you

when you come back.

- Already seems like I been here forever,

and look what's still left!

(Tom sighing)

Phooey, gee, this is discouraging.

- Let's see, that's 15 boxes of salt

and 25 bars of soap.

Hmm, and five bottles of wax

and three of the cleanser.

Ben?

- Yes, Papa?

- Just wondering if you noticed

we got those new baseballs in yesterday.

- Can't says I have.

Didn't see them.

- Thought you'd like to know

since you like the game so much.

We got a whole case of them.

- A whole case, golly.

Phew.

(light music)

- Hi, painting, huh?

That's a lot of work.

- [Tom] Hi Huck.

- I thought since you didn't have no school today,

you might want to go fishing,

but looks like you're gonna be stuck here a while.

- I'm afraid you're right.

Aunt Polly's fit to be tied.

If I don't finish this painting,

I'll be in real trouble.

- [Huck] Sounds like you're in a pickle, alright.

What'd you do to make her so mad at ya?

- Well, I promised I'd come right home from school,

but I was playing baseball

and plum forgot all about it.

I got home so late, I didn't even get no supper.

- Well, there, there now Tom.

Reckon you could use some help.

- I appreciate the offer, Huck,

but I'll manage to muddle through the day somehow.

Besides, you've been a real good friend to me,

and I couldn't ask you to do something as troublesome

as this slapping of paint all day.

- You gotta point there, besides which,

I don't know the first thing about painting and such.

Oh yeah.

Say, Tom. - Yup.

- Think you might have a use for this?

- Depends on what it is.

- Just something I found out in the woods.

You were playing some kind of game with it.

- Wouldn't happen to be a.

Jiminy Willikers, you found it!

Do you know what you got there, Huck?

It's a brand new baseball.

- [Huck] Well, you want it or don't you?

- You bet.

- [Huck] Well I sure ain't got no use for it.

- Wowee, this is the best present I ever got from anybody!

You're a pal, Huck.

- Shucks.

- Now that I got this baseball,

I'm not gonna have to paint this fence

all by myself.

Ben's gonna help me.

- Wooo, wooo!

Get outta the way all you river rats,

or I'll sail right over you.

Alright, men.

Step lively now.

Let go the port line!

(Ben mimicking bell)

What are you up to there?

Step lively, I said.

Lazy bunch of loafers!

Huh?

I don't believe my eyes.

Is that really Tom Sawyer I see painting that fence?

Well I declare I do believe it is.

Well now, it's a mighty hot day,

probably most perfect day for swimming I've ever seen.

Who'd want to go with me, I wonder.

Sure would be fun to take a friend along.

Say, how about you, Tom?

I know how much you like to swim on a hot day.

After all, it's Saturday, and there's no school,

but if you got something you have to do,

I guess I'll have to go by myself.

Well nice seeing you Tom.

Good bye now.

- Hey Ben, you wouldn't happen to have any use

for a brand new baseball, would you?

- Huh?

- Reason I ask about it is 'cause I have one right here

in my pocket.

It's right here.

- Hey!

- [Tom] Looks like new, see!

Why I bet it ain't been hit more than once.

- That's mine.

I gotta have it back, Tom.

Now hand it over.

- Sorry, but I got it as a present from Huck.

It belongs to me.

- Huck Finn?

- Yeah, he gave it to me this morning.

You can ask him yourself, Ben.

- You know as well as I do, that's the ball

we lost in the woods yesterday.

- It has one little scuff mark on it,

so I was thinking about painting it white

to cover it up.

- No, wait!

I've gotta have it back.

If Dad finds out I took it, I'll be in big trouble.

- Oh righty, Ben.

I'll give it back to you.

- Hmm, really?

Now don't kid me.

- Sure I will, Ben.

Course there's a little favor you could do for me.

It's nothing much at all.

It's just, ooh.

- No, I'll pay anything you want

if you just give it back to me.

- Huh?

I'll be.

Is that you, Tom?

- Howdy, Billy.

- Hi you, Billy.

- Hey, this is Tom's fence, ain't it, Ben?

How come you're giving up your Saturday

to work on it?

- He's doing it 'cause he's such a good friend of mine.

That's what friends are for.

Ben knows that better than anybody.

Ain't that right?

- Right.

- Gee. - Yup.

You see, it's in his nature

that he just has to help out

when he sees one of his friends in trouble, right Ben?

- Right.

(Ben growling)

- Well, I declare.

Guess I really didn't know what Ben was like.

- Can't judge a book by its cover, Billy.

(Tom laughing)

- Life's full of surprises.

(Ben giggling)

(Tom, Ben, and Billy laughing)

- Hey, how about letting me do a little, Tom?

- Huh? - Huh?

- What do you mean, Billy?

- I mean painting.

I'm your friend too, aren't I?

Can't I, Tom?

How about it?

What do you think, Tom?

- It's obvious to me you're a born painter, Billy.

- You know, painting's a lot of fun.

Can I do some more?

- It's okay with me.

You just go right ahead.

Huh?

You hear that Ben?

He's convinced he's having fun!

- Huh.

- You're right, Billy.

I can't think of anything more fun than painting.

Sure had fun now, didn't we?

Guess this was your lucky day.

- [Billy] Yeah, I guess so.

(Tom and Ben whistling)

- Golly, I think it's a down right shame

you two have to pain that fence on a Saturday.

(Tom and Ben whistling)

How come you're so cheerful about painting a fence?

- [Tom And Ben] Huh?

- What do you know?

Look who's here.

I was having so much fun

I didn't see you.

How about you, Ben?

Did you notice Joe standing there?

- Me? Nope.

(Tom and Ben whistling)

- Tom, what kinda trouble you in this time?

- [Tom And Ben] Huh?

- You must be in trouble to have to paint the fence

on Saturday, come on, what happened?

- What's he talking about?

- Golly, don't ask me.

- I believe that painting fences

is more fun than almost anything, right, Ben?

- I'd have to admit Tom's right.

- Gosh, it never occurred to me

you could have so much fun painting.

- Yup, painting may seem like work to some,

but not to me.

Matter of fact, I can't think of one thing in the world

I'd rather do.

Can you, Ben?

- Tom's right.

Ain't not doubt about it.

- Right.

(Tom and Ben whistling)

- Hey Tom.

Let me do it awhile.

I'm real good at painting.

- [Tom] Gee, I'd let you if I could Joe.

But I'm afraid I can't.

- Well why not?

- Aunt Polly's real particular about what it looks like.

It's gotta be perfect

'cause it's right on the street,

and everybody sees it.

Sorry about that, Joe.

- [Joe] Let me just paint one board.

I'm real good at it, honest.

- I sure wish I could let you Joe.

But if Aunt Polly found out,

I'd get in trouble.

- Aww, she'll never find out.

I promise ya.

I'll even give you my favorite marble.

- It's beautiful, Joe.

I'm sorely tempted, I am indeed.

But if Aunt Polly found out,

she'd have a fit.

- You're being stubborn as an old mule, Tom.

Alright then, I'll give you all of them.

Here.

(playful music)

- [Tom] It's downright amazing.

When you tell people they can't have something,

then they'll do anything to get it.

- [Johnny] Hey Tom, whatcha doing?

- [Tom] You know what, Johnny,

you're painting so good,

I'll let you stay a little while longer.

- [Johnny] Gee, thanks Tom.

- Want some?

(lively music)

- Gee, you're doing a fine job, Johnny.

(Tom and Ben humming)

I guess you might say it's a day for the history books.

Here it is, Saturday, and not one boy at the swimming hole.

They're all too busy painting Aunt Polly's fence.

- Yah!

(lively music)

- [Tom] By golly, we did it, Ben, we did it!

- My word.

I must be seeing things.

That fence looks absolutely splendid.

I must say I was wrong about you, Tom.

- Thank you.

I'm glad you like it, Aunt Polly.

I told you could work

when I put my mind to it.

- You've made me proud of you today.

I think that's the prettiest fence in town.

- Yes, ma'am.

Oh yeah, almost forgot.

- [Aunt Polly] Forgot what, Tom?

- [Tom] To give back Ben's baseball.

Thanks for letting me borrow it, Ben.

And well, for everything else too.

- Yes, indeed.

You've made this a very special day for me.

I'm sorry I was wrong about you.

- [Tom] I guess it's true what they say, Aunt Polly.

Everybody makes mistakes about one thing or another,

even if they're right about everything else

the rest of the time like you are.

- [Aunt Polly] Why yes, I suppose so.

- [John] Well thank you, Jed.

Say, don't forget your change.

- [Jed] Thanks John.

- You sure there's nothing else I can get for you?

- [Jed] Nope, that should do her.

Thanks John.

See you next week.

- [John] There you are.

Kinda heavy.

I'll get Ben to carry it out to the wagon for you.

- [Jed] Oh that's alright.

Afternoon, John.

- Phew.

- Ben?

What's the matter, son?

What's wrong with you, hm?

You sick, boy?

- No, it's nothing.

- It looked like you were about to pass out.

- Nah.

- Tell me what it is, boy.

- Well, I haven't eaten all day long.

I'm hungry.

(Ben crying)

- Why you eat more than anyone I know,

and that's what you're crying about?

Now stop that whining, Ben.

I don't know how any boy of mine

could be such a crybaby.

- [Tom] Ben finally confessed about taking the baseball,

and then his Pa gave him something to cry about.

Well there she is, the whitest, prettiest fence

you ever did see,

and you know what?

Everybody who passes by admires it

and says that's the fence that Tom Sawyer painted.

♫ These are the stories of Tom Sawyer

♫ Me and Huck Finn just playing by the river

♫ Chasing that steamboat

♫ Teacher let me be

♫ I want to be free

♫ Sitting under a tree

♫ That's me