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It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

This is a gorgeous movie made by a gorgeous spirit.

a lovely surprise. it is not only a biographic movie but a charming fresco who can be real surprise for many viewer. the script, the acting, the artistic solutions are pillars for a special form of fairy tale because the adventures , the Fredric March performance , the music and high quality humor does a special work with value of homage and invitation for readers . it seems be magic and the axis of that fact is the incredible freshness of images. it is pure delight. and useful meeting with the universe of a great writer. so, indicated trip in Mark Twain empire. see it. for memories who are resurrected. for the joy to discover an admirable work.

I am one of the biggest fans of the classic era of Hollywood films of 1920-1950. However, there are a few genres within this that I am not especially fond of--musicals, religious epics and biopics. As far as musicals go, I only like a few...very few. I am not against the idea of religious epics, but most play fast and loose with the source material and would bore non-believers. And, biopics are usually wildly inaccurate--with a much greater emphasis on theatrics and sentimentality.As far as this film goes, it is like the prototype of a bad biopic. While the life of Samuel Clemens was pretty exciting and full of strange twists and turns, the film generally only handles these interesting facets in an episodic fashion. Instead, the emphasis is on schmaltz and sentimentality--and it sure ladles it on thick!! Here are a few god-awful examples: 1. When Clemens (Frederic March) is having doubts about his chosen life as a writer, his wife (Alexis Smith) tells him that he MUST go on...as he "...owes it to the ages"! First, how would she know that he could become the world-famous writer he would become?! Second, who talks like this?! My wife is, incidentally, a very successful writer--and IS world-famous. Yet, I don't remember a single conversation that sounded anything like this!! Of course, she's not Mark Twain...but still...no one talks this way! 2. Throughout the film, music drones on and on and on in order to make some of the sappiest scenes I can recall--and I've reviewed a ton of films! Can't a scene be simply done--without patriotic or sentimental music?! 3. Clemens' wife always refers to him as 'Mark Twain'. Whose family refers to a writer by their pen name?! She WAS Mrs. Clemens...NOT Mrs. Twain. Was this some dopey attempt to continually remind the audience that Sam Clemens WAS Twain?! In addition, the film is highly episodic--especially later in the film. The first 2/3 of the film is actually pretty enjoyable as Clemens tries a variety of careers and begins his work as a writer. But then, the film bounces wildly through the next few decades in only a few short minutes--like they weren't especially important--yet this is when Clemens created the bulk of his works.I should point out that I don't hate all biopics. Some, such as "Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet" or "Young Tom Edison" are quite enjoyable and stick closer to the facts. It's the way that humans are no longer human (almost saint-like) in many biopics of the day that turns me against them--especially since I am a history teacher and want the whole truth (warts and all). And, because of this and some bad storytelling, I am NOT recommending you waste your time with "The Adventures of Mark Twain" and instead watch a documentary about him instead.

Of course, this biography of Mark Twain will be of interest to any admirer of the man - which is why I rented it - or to any fan of Fredric March, who gives a fine performance as usual...however, the complexity and objectivity we'd expect of a modern biography is sorely lacking. Sure, some of Twain's less successful moments and un-PC jokes are depicted in this movie, but the overall tone is 100% laudatory. This movie indulges in several clichés of the biopic genre, such as the twirling-newspaper montage sequences, as well as a greatest-hits jokes montage featuring audiences cackling like they're on drugs. Many plot points seem manipulatively sentimental, and the performances by some supporting players are mawkishly earnest and come off as laughable to the modern viewer. And - of course - the portrayal of African Americans is, to put it politely, unfortunate. The movie, in order to end on a relatively high note, leaves out some of Twain's later life tragedies and more bitter attitudes he adopted in his old age. Happily, this first big attempt at a Twain film biography was not the last and Twain fans received better film portraits of the author in subsequent years.

In spite of the discrepancies it was a fine movie. I have read most of the biographical works and this gives a wonderful picture of who Mark Twain really is. It captures his love of his wife & family very nicely. I recommend it to all that enjoy Mark Twain. The acting was better than average for that period in movie making.