A shy and quiet World War II evacuee is housed by a disgruntled old man, and they soon develop a close bond.
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Title: Goodnight, Mister Tom (TV Movie 1998)
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| John Thaw | ... | Tom Oakley | |
 |
Nick Robinson | ... | William Beech |
| Annabelle Apsion | ... | Mrs. Beech | |
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Thomas Orange | ... | Zacharias Wrench |
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William Armstrong | ... | Dr. Stelton |
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Geoffrey Beevers | ... | Vicar |
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Mossie Smith | ... | Mrs. Fletcher |
|
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Peter England | ... | Michael Fletcher |
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Ivan Berry | ... | George Fletcher |
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Harry Capehorn | ... | Edward Fletcher |
| Merelina Kendall | ... | Mrs. Holland | |
| Marlene Sidaway | ... | Mrs. Webster | |
| John Cater | ... | Dr. Little | |
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Denyse Alexander | ... | Mrs. Little |
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Avril Elgar | ... | Mrs. Ford |
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Plot Summary
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Storyline
We're in an English village shortly before Dunkirk. "Mr. Tom" Oakley still broods over the death of his wife and small son while he was away in the navy during WWI, and grief has made him a surly hermit. Now children evacuated from London are overwhelming volunteers to house them. Practically under protest, Mr. Tom takes in a painfully quiet 10-year-old, who gradually reveals big problems. William nightly wets the bed. He can't read or write, although he is intelligent and shows artistic talent. He constantly dreads going to hell. Scars cover his back. Mr. Tom soon realizes that his little boarder comes from a horribly abusive home, and determines to provide him a better one. All goes well until William's mother persuades him to return to London for a few days' visit. When Mr. Tom hears nothing from the boy after two weeks, he can endure the loneliness and worry no longer. Written by Paul Emmons <pemmons@voicenet.com>
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Details
Country:
UKLanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
30 May 1999 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Masterpiece Theatre: Goodnight Mister Tom See more »Filming Locations:
Turville, Buckinghamshire, England, UKCompany Credits
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IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Sound Mix:
StereoColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.33 : 1
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Did You Know?
Trivia
Based on the book, 'Goodnight Mister Tom' See more »Goofs
When Tom is asking the woman for clothes whilst repairing the roof. The guttering behind him is plastic, definitely not correct for the period. See more »Alternate Versions
In the UK, the version shown on ITV1 cuts out the scene where William's mother is shouting at him then cuts to the next scene immediately after she slaps him we only hear the sound of his cry as does so before it goes black. Originally, when his mother slaps him quite hard, he falls off the chair on the floor & she leans over threatening she has knows lots of shops that sell belts & to get upstairs out of her sight, which then he runs very quickly scared up the stairs and covers his ears on the bed as she shouts to the screaming baby "And you can shut up and all!" The ITV DVD is uncut. See more »Frequently Asked Questions
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The plot of GOODNIGHT MR TOM on paper makes it seem we are in for a large dose of maudlin,sickly sentiment.But,talented director Jack Gold is an expert on touching the emotions in the right manner,and it emerges instead as a compelling,deeply moving wartime drama with excellent production and lead performances.One of the best,if not the best TV movies of the 1990's which possibly would've had even greater success if it had been released in the cinemas.
The evacuation of children to countryside towns and villages in World War II was of course a common practice,but in the case of the young boy here was doubly important because of a wretched home life in the UK's capital.The horrors of war on the home front are not drifted over though,and the construction of the film until it's throat-lumping,misty-eyed ending leaves us with a sense of optimism despite what has happened before.It is almost(but not quite)worthy of comparison with the finale to IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE(1946).All in all,a modern classic.