inspired by the Tom Sawyer Island attraction at Disneyland. In fact, that island was created in the 1950s, at least 15 years before this film debuted. And I don't recall an island in the movie, either. Also, Jodie Foster and Johnny Whittaker both appeared in Disney's NAPOLEON AND SAMANTHA the year before, so I assumed this was a followup.
shareReaders' Digest produced it and had several articles as the project was proposed, filmed, and released. The island in the movie was in the middle of the Mississippi. It was also mentioned in the book. This movie is special to me since it was the last thing we did as a family. My dad passed on a month later after we saw it during Thanksgiving and I was home from college. We followed the production of the movie and discussed it.Although he was 80% deaf he was able to follow the action.
shareThanks for sharing your touching post. Sad to hear that your dad passed while you were still quite young. My mother passed away suddenly last summer, and though she was 80, it's still hard to accept that she's gone. I was six when TOM SAWYER was released, and my family seldom went to the movies, but I do recall seeing that. Johnny Whittaker was Jodie Foster's first leading man, lol!
shareHmm. Though I see exactly how you came to that conclusion it never occurred to me. Perhaps because had it been so the very proprietary Walt Disney Company would have made it known.
shareI think Disney did purchase the home video rights, however, because I do recall seeing their name on a VHS box. A shrewd marketing move, as the film can be used to promote Tom Sayer Island.
shareAnother likely reason, other than it's a family film, is that the Sherman brothers wrote the music. It's largely the same reason people think Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is a Disney film. The Sherman brothers were always closely associated with Disney, and their work has a certain sound that many identify as Disney - both for theme parks (It's a Small World) and films.
shareI think there's only song in the film - not really a musical - but maybe the Shermans also handled the score. In many respects, CCBB is a James Bond adventure, but written for kids.
shareIn many respects, CCBB is a James Bond adventure, but written for kids. - CooperCamden
Yes, I was aware of the Fleming connection. In fact, I had the book as a child, though I never bothered to read it. Some folks associated with the Bond films - Ken Adam, Gert Frobe, and Desmond Llewellyn - also worked on CCBB.
"Siamese prostitute"! How amusing you are!