Mark Twain

I have yet to watch anything by Ken Burns and his usual crew/co-creators that doesn't inform, educate, entertain and fulfill my expectations. Even a subject like baseball is presented in a way that pulls you into its heart and soul. His forte, is of course, the immense detail and unknown angles that he presents to the viewer, especially when it comes to historical events that can be tedious. This is perfectly exemplified by his handling of the complex subject of Mark Twain/Samuel Clements. His wit, profound understanding of the human psyche and his complicated life are dealt with in such a respectful yet honest way. I knew a bit about the author and had read some of his books, but after watching this biography, I felt I understood him a bit more as a fully-realized human being. The background music, the voices (narrators), the unknown facts and the beautiful photography makes for compelling watching. I cannot imagine a more thorough and even-handed telling of the Civil War, or the Vietnam War, where you are not subjected to the victor's viewpoint alone. I regard Ken Burns as the ultimate storyteller and teacher for not just his American audience, but for all of us who are unaware of or lacking the exposure to the themes he covers so well. Entertainment can and should be more than just mindless viewing. Here is proof it can be many things. And the best.

Wow, its long, took me a couple of days to watch this but it was really worth it. There are just so many layers to Mark that you never think you know him completely. I knew all the basics about Twain but I had no idea of all he did and went through. But, if seeing something this long seems daunting, just remember that it's a film by Ken Burns and he has the knack of being able to make anything exciting and keep your attention.

Using Burns' familiar style, the film manages to give a full account of Twain's life and fill the viewer with great admiration. He was an anti-colonialist, supporter of women's suffrage and defender of the rights and nobility of all races--things most folks today probably don't even realize, as they think of him just as an author. And, in his later years, he seemed to completely give way to depression--yet kept writing and was very productive.

The life of Mark Twain, whose real name was Samuel Clemens, is a totally fascinating and moving story. He hated and spoke out against slavery and was a supporter of full adult suffrage. He was the first American to write in the vernacular and to write a sympathetic and well-developed portrait of a black person: Jim in Huckleberry Finn. He sponsored a struggling black man through law school, who later became the mentor of Thurgood Marshall, who was the first black American Supreme Court justice. Clemens struggled with depression; he was a man of constant sorrow; humour was what kept him from killing himself. He was born into modest circumstances, became wealthy and even became obsessive about it, to the point that it interfered with his writing. His dabbling in investments was a complete disaster; it ruined him financially. He moved in the circle of the elite but was a powerful and outspoken opponent of all that was wrong with society. Since he included himself in that group of wrongdoers, he was accepted by them as a sort of group conscience.

As usual, Ken Burns has made another great documentary. The pace is moderate, the narration is excellent and often very moving, the talking heads are brief and concise and the mood is sincere. After two viewings, it is still on my list of films to see.

The story is amazing! Samuel Clemens was the epitome of "The American Dream": rising from poverty and a wild lifestyle to great wealth and respect; forging a marriage, based on strong and abiding love; loving his family above all else; gambling on investments and the subsequent financial ruin; recovering by hard work (although legally bankrupt, he still paid off all of his debts); bouncing back after each one of more tragedies than any man could expect and, most of all, honesty, integrity, charity and the deepest understanding of what is means to be human. In all this, he was unique in the world. He was a great and inspiring man.

By far, a great documentary about a truly great American. I never knew there was so much more to Mark Twain than just a few books and a name. From a humble Christian beginning in Florida, Missouri; to a world known presence by his end, Twain was a remarkable human being.

Ken Burns couldn't have picked a better, single person or subject to do a documentary. Mark Twain had great humour, and Burns was able to capture this with powerfully wonderful stories and photos. Twain's life was not always humorous, it was filled with tragedy, both personally and financially.

He was humble though, until the end. We need more men like him.

Typically emotional and reverential Ken Burns biography, featuring the usual display of wonderful vintage pictures and discreet music and sound accompaniment, as well as professional line-readings and commentaries.

Twain's interesting life alone and all the anecdotal plentifulness of Burns's script guarantee three-and-a-half entertaining hours, but as a documentary about such a witty and sagacious writer, this feels too conventional and tame in style and presentation, hammering home some of its notions about Twain's inner conflicts too repetitively.

It's still quality work, though.

7 out of 10 failed business schemes