Joseph Andrews (1977)

Lady Booby a.k.a. "Belle", the lively wife of the fat landed squire Sir Thomas Booby, has a lusty eye on the attractive, intelligent villager Joseph Andrews, a Latin pupil and protégé of ... See full summary »

Director:

Tony Richardson

Writers:

Tony Richardson (screen story), Allan Scott (screenplay)

Stars:

Ann-Margret, Peter Firth, Michael Hordern

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ann-Margret	...	Lady Booby alias 'Belle'
Peter Firth	...	Joseph Andrews
Michael Hordern	...	Parson Adams
Beryl Reid	...	Mrs. Slipslop
Jim Dale	...	The pedlar
Natalie Ogle	...	Fanny Goodwill
Peter Bull	...	Sir Thomas Booby
Kenneth Cranham	...	The Wicked Squire
Karen Dotrice	...	Pamela
James Villiers	...	Mr. Booby
Norman Rossington	...	Gaffer Andrews
Patsy Rowlands	...	Gammer Andrews
Murray Melvin	...	Beau Didapper
Ronald Pickup	...	Mr. Wilson
Penelope Wilton	...	Mrs. Wilson

Storyline

Lady Booby a.k.a. "Belle", the lively wife of the fat landed squire Sir Thomas Booby, has a lusty eye on the attractive, intelligent villager Joseph Andrews, a Latin pupil and protégé of Parson Adams, and makes him their footman. Joseph's heart belongs to a country girl, foundling Fanny Goodwill, but his masters take him on a fashionable trip to Bath, where the spoiled society comes mainly to see and be seen, yet Sir Thomas really seeks relief for his sick foot, but drowns in the famous Roman baths. When the all but grieving lady finds Joseph's Christian virtue and true love resist her lusting passes just as well as the many ladies who fancy her footman, she fires the boy. On his way back on foot, he falls prey to highwaymen who rob him of everything, even the clothes on his back. He's found and nursed by an innkeeper's maid, which stirs lusts there, again besides his honorable conduct, but is found by the good Parson. Meanwhile, the lady consents to her cousin marrying below their ...

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Plot Keywords:

parson | footman | innkeeper | gypsy | female nudity | 

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Taglines:

A lady's secrets. A servant's lust. A lover's betrayal.

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Genres:

Adventure | Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

31 March 1977 (UK)

Also Known As:

As desventuras de Joseph Andrews

Filming Locations:

Castle Combe, Wiltshire, England, UK

Box Office

Gross USA:

$839,865

Company Credits

Production Co:

Woodfall Film Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min (TV)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

There are several similarities between the Tom Jones (1963) and this movie. Director Tony Richardson once said of this: "I didn't try to avoid these similarities. But on the other hand, I haven't used a lot of the devices I used in Tom Jones (1963), like narration and speeded-up sequences. I haven't used the same kind of tricks, because I'm not trying to repeat anything."

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Connections

Referenced in The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson: Ann-Margret/Robert Mitchum/Tom Dreesen/Joseph Sorrentino (1978)

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Soundtracks

I Wonder Where Maria's Gone
Traditional
Arranged by Robert Stewart (as Bob Stewart)

User Reviews

Another Ribald Romp By Henry Fielding

Another reviewer described Peter Firth in this film as "ludicrously pretty." It's not only true, but for a future film I'm going to reference that comment in describing Leif Garrett. But as for Joseph Andrews, Peter Firth's looks and innocence keep drawing women to him like flies to flypaper.

Peter Firth's been brought up by pious pastor Michael Hordern who is a throwback to the Puritans of the last century. He's definitely out of place in mid 18th century Great Britain, the age of Walpole and the first two Hanoverian Georges were ones in which they believed in let the good times roll. Peter's spotted by Ann-Margret wife of fat nobleman Peter Bull who thinks he'd make an excellent footman and of course she has other things in mind. Especially after Bull expires in an old Roman bath that the gentry of Hanoverian Great Britain have revived the custom of.

Firth's got every woman in the cast chasing him, but he wants to stay virtuous and save himself for his true love Natalie Ogle. That proves close to impossible, in the meantime everyone is envying his good luck with the ladies.

Tony Richardson who directed Tom Jones fourteen years earlier to an Academy Award for Best Picture brings the same eye for detail to the sets and costuming and atmosphere of the same era that Henry Fielding was writing about. The two in the cast I love are Beryl Reid with that wonderful Dickensian name of Mrs. Slipslop and Ann-Margret as Lady Booby who does more than hold her own with the British cast. Bridging the two Fielding/Richardson collaborations is Hugh Griffith who returns briefly in this film in his role as Squire Western from Tom Jones.

Joseph Andrews for reasons I can't explain is unjustly overlooked and critics seem to say Richardson was just trying to recreate Tom Jones again. Considering it's the same source that gave us Tom Jones that charge is ridiculous. Joseph Andrews has enough merit to stand on its own and should be seen and recognized for the fine film it is.