Tom Jones (1963)

Tom Jones, abandoned as a baby in mysterious circumstances, is brought up by Squire Allworthy. Resented by Allworthy's legitimate heir Blifil, Tom grows into an amiable rascal, fond of the ... See full summary »

Director:

Tony Richardson

Writers:

John Osborne (screenplay), Henry Fielding (novel)

Stars:

George Devine, Rachel Kempson, Albert Finney

Won 4 Oscars. Another 18 wins & 18 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
George Devine	...	Squire Allworthy
Rachel Kempson	...	Bridget Allworthy
Angela Baddeley	...	Mrs. Wilkins
Joyce Redman	...	Jenny Jones - Mrs. Waters
Jack MacGowran	...	Partridge
Albert Finney	...	Tom Jones
Diane Cilento	...	Molly Seagrim
Wilfrid Lawson	...	Black George
John Moffatt	...	Square
Peter Bull	...	Thwackum
David Warner	...	Blifil
Freda Jackson	...	Mrs. Seagrim
Redmond Phillips	...	Lawyer Dowling
Hugh Griffith	...	Squire Western
Susannah York	...	Sophie Western

Storyline

Tom Jones, abandoned as a baby in mysterious circumstances, is brought up by Squire Allworthy. Resented by Allworthy's legitimate heir Blifil, Tom grows into an amiable rascal, fond of the fair sex. He loves Squire Western's daughter Sophie, but when discovered by his tutors with a local girl Molly, he is banished by his benefactor. After numerous adventures he reaches London and embarks on an affair with the wealthy Lady Bellaston while Squire Western's sister has arranged a marriage between Sophie and Blifil. Horrified, Sophie escapes to London, meeting up with her cousin Mrs. Fitspatrick who is also running away from her husband. Mr. Fitzpatrick follows them and suspects Tom of having seduced his runaway wife.

---

Plot Keywords:

squire | british | tutor | sex | love | 

---

Taglines:

The whole world loves Tom Jones!

---

Genres:

Adventure | Comedy | Romance

---

Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Official Sites:

MGM

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 December 1963 (France)

Also Known As:

Tom Jones!

Filming Locations:

Bridgwater, Somerset, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$1,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Woodfall Film Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

128 min 121 min (director's cut)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System) Dolby (restored version)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Welsh singer Tom Jones (born Thomas John Woodward) chose his professional stage name from the title character/protagonist of this film.

---

Goofs

As the hunt begins, we see the riders on horseback on their way out to the hunting grounds, with a tall block tower appearing in the background. Clearly visible on top of the block tower is at least one very tall radio antenna.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Narrator: In the west of England there was once a Squire Allworthy. After several months in London he returns home.

---

Connections

Featured in 100 Years of Comedy (1997)

---

Soundtracks

"O God Our Help in Ages Past"
(uncredited)
Words by Isaac Watts and music by William Croft
Sung in church

User Reviews

A New Sense of Moderism

This is an adaptation of a large book, a Henry Fielding novel. In the early 1700's the growing middle class in Europe, especially in the British Empire, became literate. As an entertainment to get through the long hours of new leisure, novels flew from the printing presses. Tom Jones was a hit from the first. It was a bawdy tale with amusing detail. It is lucky that an experienced playwright like John Osborne was assigned the screenplay and double lucky that a fine director, Tony Richardson brought the tale to life.

Indeed, Richardson is a poet with the lush English countryside. Since much of the film depicts Tom Jones' amorous adventures in the grass with Molly Seagram, the peasant wench, on a skiff with the Squire's daughter, Sophie, in the tavern with Mrs.Wilkens, and in the suites of a countess, the bawdy adventures spin by as food shoots from the mouths of lovers. There are also duels, a misunderstanding about the linage of the Jones baby, and an unwanted suitor for the lovely Sophie, Susan York.

I saw this film as a teen in 1963 and it telegraphed a new sense of modernism and sexual freedom without pretense that is ironic since Fielding's story was hundreds of years old on the eve of the Beatles and the swinging London of the 60's.