Mark Twain was born in Florida, MO and was a contemporary of my grandfather, an irascible fellow who was born a few miles away in Indian Creek. My relatives stood up for Sam's baptism and so I suspect that we are probably shirt tail relatives of some sort. Most importantly we belong to the same tribe of hard scrabble Missourian stock that tire easily of the nice people of the world that would quickly slip two fingers into your wallet pocket and be away in seconds.
So please, please, do my and Sam's tribe the decency of portraying us as the tough but lovable scoundrels that we really are and don't do yet another sappy fable where you re-invent people to fit your 30's something politically correct world view. It would surely make Sam puke and affect me the same way.
Oh and by the way, Sam would have hung out at Swinkey's General Store at Swinkey's Corners
Good luck on the film but tell it true.