Original subtitles

(lively music)

♫ Ha ha

♫ Now listen here, folks, my name is Tom Sawyer

♫ I don't wanna be no doctor or no lawyer

♫ Fishin' by the river that's the only place to be

♫ I wanna be free sittin' under a tree

♫ That's me

♫ Ha ha

♫ These are the stories of Tom Sawyer

♫ Me and Huck Finn just playin' by the river

♫ Chasin' that steamboat, teacher let me be

♫ I wanna be free sittin' under a tree

♫ That's me

♫ Ha ha ♫

- Now, go back to your seat, Thomas.

- Yes, sir.

- Go on.

- Now, I hope you'll all take heed of Tom's

dozin' in class and the result.

Summer vacation may be near, but I'll not spare the rod.

- Ugh.

- Now, let us continue our lesson.

Jeff Thatcher?

- Yes, sir?

- [Mr. Dobbins] Come to the board and cipher the problem.

- Yes, sir.

(light music)

- Now, if all of you would study as hard

as Jeff here does, maybe I wouldn't have

to use the rod as much as I do.

- [Tom Voiceover] That's not true!

I reckon Mr. Dobbins likes givin' us the rod.

He didn't have no call to whup me just 'cause

I was dozin' a bit.

Ooh!

- [Becky] Well, if you want the truth,

Tom Sawyer, you deserved it.

- Gee, Becky, when it's so hot and all,

sometimes a fella can't help dozin' off.

- But you know better than to do it in class.

- Honest, I don't mean to, but I just can't

hardly seem to stay awake,

especially during arithmetic lessons.

- To tell the truth, maybe Mr. Dobbins

does use the rod just a little too much.

At the school I was at before in St. Louis,

the teachers hardly ever gave any of the students whippings.

- That Mr. Dobbins is really somethin'.

- [Becky] I suppose so.

- But it's all right.

Summer vacation is just two days away,

then it's goodbye to Mr. Dobbins.

Ooh.

(Becky laughing)

- What are you gonna do?

- Who cares (yawning) as long as we're not in school.

- We'll play together a lot, won't we?

- You betcha, Becky, every day of summer

vacation we'll play and have fun.

(peaceful music)

After I walked Becky home, I headed down

to the crick, where I met up with my

old pal Huckleberry Finn.

- Ah. - Nothin' like fresh water.

- My backside needs coolin'.

- Huh?

- I got another whuppin' from Mr. Dobbins,

and it still hurts some.

- I reckon you was sleepin' in class again, weren't you?

- Yeah.

Hey, Huck, will you keep a lookout for me

while I cool off a little?

- Ain't nobody around here.

- Whoa.

- Whew, it's hot.

- Come on, Tom, ain't you done soakin' yet?

- I might just stay here the rest of my life, Huck.

I figure it'll take that long to soak this pain away.

- I figure you get whupped so regular

that the skin on your backside is thicker

than most, so why soak it?

Huh?

Uh oh.

- Uh oh?

- Looks like somebody's comin'.

It's old man Dobbins, and he's comin' this way.

You better hide.

- Mr. Dobbins, let's get outta here!

- Hey, wait a minute, school's out.

You ain't got no reason to be afeared of him.

Hold up, Tom, wait.

- You don't understand.

Huck, he'll whup me if he sees us together,

'cause he doesn't like you.

- That figures.

- [Mr. Dobbins Voiceover] Just look at that cool water.

Sure looks inviting.

I wonder if I dare?

Nobody's around.

Well, I don't suppose it could hurt.

(light music)

- Shh.

He's comin' this way.

- Ah, how refreshing.

- Uh.

- All clear.

(Mr. Dobbins struggling)

(Tom gasps)

Ah, how cooling.

- So Mr. Dobbins wore a wig.

I could hardly believe it.

He was as bald as a cue ball.

Boy, did I have a tale to tell.

(Tom and Huck laughing)

Hurry up, Huck, I can't wait to tell

everybody what we saw!

- Yeah, unbelievable.

- I reckon nobody's got wind of Mr. Dobbins bein' bald.

- Well, I sure never woulda guessed it.

- I betcha everybody's gonna start callin'

him the hairless wonder from now on!

- [Huck] Wait'll we tell everybody.

- Yeah!

(Tom and Huck laughing)

Huck, you did see what I saw, didn't ya?

- Yes, siree, I saw exactly what you saw, Tom.

- I still can't believe it.

- What a surprise, I thought he'd ripped

out his hair all together.

- Ain't it the truth?

- He sure looked a whole lot funnier without his hair on.

- Um hmm.

Well, I guess it's something we all can

look forward to when we get older.

(Tom and Huck laughing)

Howdy.

- Tom Sawyer, why can't you ever come home

when I tell you to?

- Did you know that Mr. Dobbins is as bald

as a watermelon, Aunt Polly?

It's downright awesome.

- What did you say?

- [Tom] He ain't got no more hair

than a chicken's got teeth.

- Nonsense.

I'm not gonna let you distract me, Tom.

You answer my question properly.

Why weren't you home for dinner before now?

- Say, did you really mean what you

just said about Mr. Dobbins' head?

- That's right, Sid, I seen it with my own eyes.

His head was shinin' so in the sunlight,

I was almost blinded by the--

- Tom, you hush that nonsense right now!

- I didn't just make it up, Aunt Polly, honest.

- Mr. Dobbins is your teacher.

You show him some respect!

- How did you happen to see his head, Thomas?

- He stopped down by the crick to cool

his head off with cold water,

and that's when I seen him take his hair

plum off and lay it down.

- Dear me, you mean his hair is a wig?

- Um hmm, I was as surprised as you are,

but I swear, it's really so, Mary.

- Oh, Tom, that old story is just stuff and nonsense,

and you know it.

I don't wanna hear any more of it!

- [Tom] I reckon I'll have a bite to eat now.

- Hmm?

You be grateful I'm not sending you

to bed without any dinner!

- The next morning, I was off to school

like a shot so's I could tell Becky and the other kids

about Mr. Dobbins and the big secret

he'd been keepin' from everybody.

I couldn't wait to see their faces when I told 'em.

Becky!

Good mornin', do you wanna hear a secret?

- What?

- Mr. Dobbins ain't got a single hair on his head.

He's bald.

- (gasps) Really?

- That's right, I seen it with my own eyes.

Listen!

Mr. Dobbins ain't got no hair at all.

- Did you hear, Mr. Dobbins wears a wig?

- Oh my gosh. - So while he's down there

by the stream, he commenced to lift

off his hair, kinda like that.

- Really, Tom told me he saw it.

Can you believe it?

- Tom and Huck saw it.

I think it's just a riot.

- I can't believe that about Mr. Dobbins,

and I bet the whole thing is just--

- And so even though your summer vacation

is only two days away, I recommend to all

of you that you keep on studying your lessons

throughout your vacation.

Otherwise, I expect your heads will become quite empty.

Your lessons will fade from memory

unless you study them every day

during the summer months.

Remember, more time spent with the books

means less time spent with the rod.

Study time.

- Tom, you told us a lie.

- Sure don't look like a wig to me.

- You played a dumb trick on us, Tom.

- I was lookin' at his head real careful-like,

but that isn't a wig, Tom.

- I never believed a word of what Tom said

in the first place.

- Mm, honest, and if you don't believe me,

you can go ask Huckleberry Finn,

'cause he seen it too.

- Ask Mr. Dobbins to his face, Tom.

- Why should he ask, Amy?

- Just to prove it.

- Uh, there ain't no reason to ask him.

I'm tellin' ya, I saw it for myself.

- [Amy] Why don't you ask him, Ben?

- Huh?

If I ask him, he'll probably whip me for sure, Amy.

- Ben, I don't think he'd whip you.

- Amy, if you're so sure he won't get whupped,

then why don't you ask him?

- 'Cause I don't believe it at all.

- Tom, if you keep sayin' your story's no lie,

then you should be able to prove it

by askin' Mr. Dobbins.

- And get whupped, no thanks.

- So you're just tellin' another lie as usual, right?

- No!

- Oh boy, this heat makes you want to take a nap.

(light music)

(boy yawning)

(students snoring)

- Uh oh.

Hey, everybody, you better wake up.

- So?

(students waking)

What a bunch of young ingrates!

I gave you this time to study,

but instead I come back to find you're sleeping!

I try to help you develop good study habits

by giving you study time and am rewarded

with a room full of sleepers!

You all have disappointed me.

You will all be punished.

(class gasping)

- But, sir, I wasn't asleep like all the others were.

- Then how come you weren't the one to wake them up?

- It wasn't his fault.

I beat him to it.

I woke 'em up.

- You should have woke them sooner.

You were awake, but you were not studying,

therefore you'll be punished with the rest.

(dramatic music)

(Becky wimpering)

(rod smacking)

(Becky crying) Next, step forward.

- Yes, sir.

- You should not whip little girls.

- Tom, this just ain't right.

- Ooh, whatta you think we should do?

- I want revenge.

- Huh? - Did you say revenge?

- Yup, revenge.

- How, Tom?

- Don't worry, I'll figure somethin' out.

(girl crying)

- Next, come on!

(harmonica music)

(Tom groaning)

Huck, you there?

Huck!

- Uh oh.

- Ow!

Ugh!

- Tom, did you get your behind whupped again?

- Yup.

- That teacher's mighty hard on you.

I'm sure thankful I don't go to no school.

- Yeah, but I'm gonna take revenge on him this time.

- Take revenge?

- I'm gonna get back at him, Huck.

- But since he's your teacher, won't he whup

ya even more if you do somethin' to him?

- That's why I wanna ask you to do me a big favor.

- [Huck] Well, what is it?

- [Tom] I'm askin' you to do a dirty deed

to help me get back at him.

- Huh?

What's that?

- Since you don't go to school no-how,

and Mr. Dobbins already thinks you're no good,

it won't be nothin' for him to be mad at you.

- That may be so, but--

- [Tom] Come on, Huck.

- All right, but what is it?

- I want us to build a pitfall.

- What's a pitfall?

- It's a big hole you dig and cover over

with branches so someone will fall into it.

Ugh!

And that someone'll be Mr. Dobbins.

- You expect he'll fall in it?

- That's where you come in, Huck,

to see to it that he does.

- How am I gonna lead him to it?

- You know how hot tempered Dobbins is,

so all you have to do is call him names,

and he'll chase after you.

- And I run him to right over the pitfall.

- Um hmm, but take care that you don't fall in.

- You mean with my luck?

- Come on, Huck, without you, there's no

way this plan'll work.

- Hmm.

(lively music)

That's enough, ain't it?

- [Tom] Nope, it's gotta be deeper.

- But if it's too deep, he might hurt hisself.

- [Tom] We'll fill it with water to break his fall.

- It's gonna be a mud puddle then, ain't it?

- Yeah.

- Ugh.

- [Tom] Disguise it real good, Huck, so he won't

know the hole's there.

- Yeah, it's hard to see it.

- Besides, he's gonna be runnin' hard after you

and not payin' much attention to where he's goin'.

- So how we gonna make him run hard anyway?

- Don't worry, that'll be the easiest part.

Now, here Huck, we'll use this piece of wood

to test it with.

- Let's see how it works.

Here we go.

- All right. - Gee.

I don't think callin' your teacher names

is enough to make him chase me.

- [Tom] Don't worry, we'll figure out some way

to get his dander up.

Somethin' that'll throw him into a blind rage.

- [Huck] I'm agreed.

Somethin' that'll make him madder than a hornet's

nest or else he won't give chase.

- Don't forget, I'm an expert at makin'

Mr. Dobbins angry.

It's all set.

Now, Huck, you better take a practice jump

or two so we can be sure you can make

it clear over the pit without fallin' in.

- Yup.

- Come on, Huck.

- Whoa. - Oh!

Huck?

You all right?

- [Huck] So what's our plan, Tom?

- Well...

- How about if I grab his book bag and run away with it?

- That just might work, yeah.

Oh boy.

- Hey, Tom, you all right?

- Well, a little muddy.

Hey, I just thought of a great idea.

- And now we near the end of our time

together for this school year,

and as I know not all of you have put

your hearts into studying your lessons as you should.

I hope this summer you'll remember to practice

your reading, writing and arithmetic every day

so when you return to school, you'll all

be the wiser for your efforts. - I didn't hear a word

Mr. Dobbins was sayin' 'cause I was too busy

thinkin' about that final bell

and what me and Huck had planned.

(bell ringing)

Hurray, free at last! - Woo!

- So where are we all goin' now, Tom?

- To the crick.

- And are we all gonna wait there for Mr. Dobbins?

- Um hmm.

- [Ben] Do we have to do anything?

- Just watch, you'll see.

(light music)

Hey, Huck, where are ya, Huck?

- Hey, Tom.

I'm up here.

- Ain't you powerful hot up there?

- Naw, I'm in the shade here.

- Got the cat?

- Yeah, I got him up here.

(cat meowing)

- Is this spot okay?

- Yup, make sure he stands right on that spot.

- Huck's gonna help us pull a trick on Mr. Dobbins

to get back at him for the whippings he gave us.

- So what's gonna happen here, Tom?

- Just wait, you'll find out, Ben.

- Now, you boys aren't planning to hurt

Mr. Dobbins, are you Tom?

- He's not gonna get hurt, Amy.

- But you said you're gonna get revenge, didn't you?

- Yeah, that's right, we're really gonna get him.

Now, we need someone on the other side over there

to keep a lookout for him.

Well, do I have a volunteer?

- I'll go, Tom.

(light music)

How 'bout here?

- That'll do fine, Joe.

Now, keep your eyes open and give a yell

when you see him comin'.

Now, all we have to do is wait for Mr. Dobbins

to get here, but we have to make sure

that he's standin' on this spot where I'm

standin' right now.

- When do I give him this bouquet, Tom?

- Right after Alfred finishes his speech.

What's most important is to make sure

he stays on this spot as long as we can.

- My heart's beating so fast I can't stand it, Tom.

(children talking)

- Everybody get ready now, Mr. Dobbins'll

be here any minute.

- Ah.

(suspenseful music)

- Uh oh.

There he is.

Hey, here comes Mr. Dobbins.

- Come on out, everyone.

Okay, everybody line up in three rows.

- What in tarnation?

And just what do you think you're all doing?

- We've all been waiting for you, sir.

- Oh, what for?

- We have a long vacation comin',

but we want to thank you for learnin' us our lessons.

And we also wanted to give you a nice

bouquet of flowers as a token of our gratitude toward you.

- Oh, I see.

- Amy, will you please present the flowers?

- Sir.

(children clapping)

- I thank all of you.

- Yay!

- I must confess that I feel that you think

I've been a bit too strict with you.

However, you can feel proud of the attention

I have lavished on you.

(children gasp) Ooh!

Hmm? Hmm?

Say, who's that up there?

Come out now!

- Why, hello, does this wig belong to somebody?

- So it's you! (children laughing)

Huck Finn!

(Mr. Dobbins grumbling)

Come down here this instant, you devil!

- Hey, baldy, here's your hair, come and get it!

- Give that back!

- Better run, Huck.

- [Mr. Dobbins] I'll get you!

- [Huck] Whoa!

- [Tom] Go, Huck, go!

- Come back here, you!

I swear I'll tan your hide boy!

So help me, you heathen!

(chase music)

(children laughing)

Confounded little villain!

- Whoa!

- You!

Ah!

- Mr. Dobbins. - Where did he go?

(funny music)

- [Huck] Here, I think this is yours. (laughing)

(Mr. Dobbins grumbling)

(throat clearing)

(children laughing)

- Yay!

We had finally settled our grudge with Mr. Dobbins,

and ahead of us was a summer filled with sun,

fun and lots of adventures.

(lively music)

♫ These are the stories of Tom Sawyer

♫ Me and Huck Finn just playin' by the river

♫ Chasin' that steamboat, teacher let me be

♫ I wanna be free sittin under a tree

♫ That's me

♫ Ha ha ♫