This romping bawdy adaptation of Henry Fielding’s picaresque novel of the 18th Century was an enormous hit and won Oscars in 1963 for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Scoring
Albert Finney stars in the title role as the young man who travels to London to seek his fortune.
Finney’s brilliant co-stars include Hugh Griffith as the roistering Squire Western, Susannah York as his daughter – and Tom’s true love – Sophie, and Edith Evans as Sophie’s prudish aunt, who rebukes an importunate highwayman with the words, “Stand and deliver? I am no travelling midwife!”
The sluttish Molly Seagrim (Diane Cilento), “that troll Mrs Waters” (Joyce Redman) and “the notorious Lady Bellaston” (Joan Greenwood) are just three of the women Tom becomes involved with.
The plot is rudimentary, but it doesn’t matter because there’s so much fun to be had from the film’s mechanics.
John Osborne’s witty script is brilliantly aided by the score by John Addison and Richardson’s direction which makes ample use of several venerable film techniques – a split second freeze, a wipe across the screen, and even actors addressing the audience directly.
Tom Jones Albert Finney Sophie Western
Susannah York Squire Western
Hugh Griffith Molly Seagrim
Diane Cilento Miss Western
Edith Evans ‘Mrs Waters’/Jenny Jones
Joyce Redman Lady Bellaston
Joan Greenwood
Narrator
Micheál Macliammóir Squire Allworthy
George Devine Bridget Allworthy
Rachel Kempson Mrs Wilkins
Angela Baddeley Partridge
Jack MacGowran Black George
Wilfred Lawson Square
John Moffatt Thwackum
Peter Bull Blifil
David Warner Mrs Seagrim
Freda Jackson Lawyer Dowling
Redmond Phillips Parson Supple
James Cairncross Honor
Patsy Rowlands Lieutenant Northerton
Julian Glover Mrs Fitzpatrick
Rosalind Knight Susan at Upton Inn
Lynn Redgrave Mr Fitzpatrick
George A. Cooper MacLachlan
Jack Stewart Mrs Miller
Rosalind Atkinson Lord Fellamar
David Tomlinson
