Tom Jones (1963)

The romantic and chivalrous adventures of adopted bastard Tom Jones in 18th century England.

Director:

Tony Richardson

Writers:

John Osborne (screenplay), Henry Fielding (based on the novel by)

Stars:

Albert Finney, Susannah York, George Devine

Won 4 Oscars. Another 16 wins & 20 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

In eighteenth-century England, "first cousins" Tom Jones and Master Blifil grew up together in privilege in the western countryside, but could not be more different in nature. Tom, the bastard son of one of Squire Allworthy's servants Jenny Jones and the local barber Partridge, was raised by virtuous Allworthy as his own after he sent Jenny away. Tom is randy, chasing anything in a skirt, he's having a sexual relationship on the sly with Molly Seagrim, the peasant daughter of Allworthy's gamekeeper. Tom is nonetheless kind-hearted and good-natured, he who is willing to defend that and those in which he believes. Blifil, on the other hand, is dour, and although outwardly pious, is cold-hearted and vengeful. Despite his randiness, Tom eventually falls in love with Sophie Western, who has just returned to the area after a few years abroad. Despite Sophie's love for Tom, Squire Western and his spinster sister would rather see Sophie marry Blifil rather than a bastard, who Western ...

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Plot Keywords:

arranged marriage | farce | womanizer | rags to riches | highwayman | 

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Taglines:

The whole world loves Tom Jones!

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Genres:

Adventure | Comedy | History

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

MGM Talent Agent

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 June 1963 (UK)

Also Known As:

Tom Jones - Zwischen Bett und Galgen

Filming Locations:

Woodfall Films, Curzon Street, London, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$1,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$37,600,000

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$50,000,000, 31 January 2000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Woodfall Film Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

128 min 121 min (director's cut)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System) Dolby Stereo (restored version) (as Dolby Stereo® in selected theatres)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Shooting concluded with studio work in London. By that time, the cast and crew were overwhelmed by the hard work and too many cut corners. Tony Richardson and his company believed the film was going to be a major disappointment. When the head of United Artists' British office saw the first cut, he predicted disaster.

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Goofs

After Lady Bellaston reads Tom's letter proposing marriage, she wads it into a small ball, clearly wrinkling it. In the next scene, Lady Bellaston shows the letter to Sophie's aunt, but now it is smooth and uncrumpled.

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Quotes

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

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Crazy Credits

Opening credits: In the west of England there was once a Squire Allworthy. After several months in London he returned home. his sister, Bridget. his servants. after supper. "Mrs. Wilkins!" "aaah!" a baby! abandoned!!! "how did it get here?" "who can the mother be?" "Jenny Jones!" "who is the father Jenny?" "send for Partridge the barber!" Partridge the barber - the father? "I will deal with you later, sir!" "you must be sent away from this shame and degradation." "as for your child . . . . . " "I will bring him up as if he were my own son." "what will you call him brother?" "Tom Jones." of whom the opinion of all was that he was born to be hanged.

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Alternate Versions

When the film was first submitted to the BBFC, director John Trevelyan suggested to Tony Richardson that the film would pass as an 'A' (under 16's accompanied) if he removed a shot of Mrs Waters cradling an oyster on her tongue before swallowing it during the famous eating sequence. Richardson refused and the film was passed as an 'X' (no over-16's allowed). All UK releases since then have been cut by 12 secs to remove shots from a cockfight scene, which is regarded as cruel animal activity by the BBFC.

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Connections

Featured in Precious Images (1986)

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Soundtracks

Rule Britannia
(uncredited)
Music by Thomas Augustine Arne

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.