TOM JONES

Eighteenth century Somerset. Squire Allworthy finds an infant abandoned in his bed. He banishes the supposed parents, Jenny Jones and Partridge both servants in his employ and names the child Tom Jones, bringing him, up with his legitimate heir Blifil. Tom grows up as a wild but goodnatured youth, generally beloved except by the envious Blifil. Tom is in love with Squire Western's daughter Sophie, but falls into disgrace after and adventure with Molly, the local trollop. Sophie's aunt, Miss Western, presses for a marriage between Sophie and Blifil. Allworthy and Western joyfully agree, but Sophie rebels, declaring her preference for Tom. Blifil and his avaricious tutors, seize the opportunity to blacken Tom's name, and the distressed Allworthy banishes him. Tom sets off to seek his fortune in London, running into a series of adventures. Sophie, meanwhile, has run away after him, in company with Mrs. Fitzpatrick, a cousin running from her husband. In London Tom is attacked by Mr. Fitzpatrick, who suspects him of seducing his runaway wife. Defending himself, Tom wounds Fitzpatrick, and Blifil bribes a pair of rogues to swear that Tom was trying to commit robbery. He is saved from hanging at the eleventh hour by the discovery of Blifil's villainy and reinstated in Squire Allworthy's affections. A further discovery reveals that though still illegitimate, Tom is the son, not of Jenny Jones, but of Allworthy's deceased sister Bridget. Allworthy joyfully assents to a union between Tom and Sophie.

"Many of the fiIm's 'gimmicks' the hero's winks at the camera, the quickfreeze photography the commentary are in principle, legitimate, indeed, praiseworthy attempts to translate into film terms Fielding's ironic digressions and asides, though they miss Fielding's dryer moral purpose and come perilously near whimsy. The erotic eating sequence is creatively developed from Fielding's metaphors, which repeatedly compare sexual pleasure to gluttony. To Fielding's keen sense of the faults in English justice the film adds a more modern and classconscious exposé of poverty the animal conditions of the Seagrims, and London poverty." (Raymond Durgnat, Loved One, "Films and Filming", March 1966, p. 39)

Director: Tony Richardson.
Screenplay: John Osborne, dal romanzo di Henry Fielding.
Fotografia (Eastman Colour): Walter Lassally.
Editor: Anthony Gibbs.
Art director: Raliph Brinton, Ted Marshall.
Music: John Addison.
Sound: Don Challis.
Cast: Albert Finney (Tom Jones), Susannah York (Sophie Western), Hugh Griffith (Western), Edith Evans (Miss Western), Joan Greenwood (Lady Bellaston), Diane Cilento (Molly Seagrim), George Devine (Allworthy), Joyce Redman (Jenny Jones), David Warner (Blifil), David Tomlison (Lord Fellamar), Rosalind Knight (Mrs. Fitzpatrick), Peter Bull (Thwackum), John Moffat (Square), Patsy Rowlands (Honour), Wilfrid Lawson (Black George), Jack MacGowran (Partridge), Freda Jackson (Mrs. Seagrim), Julian Glover (il tenente Northerton), Rachel Kempson (Bridget Allworthy), George A. Cooper (Fitzpatrick), Angela Baddeley (Mrs. Wilkind), Avis Bunnage (la padrona del George lnn), Rosalind Atkinson (Mrs. Miller), James Cairncross (il pastore), Redmond Phillips (l'avvocato), Mark Dignam (il tenente), Lynn Redgrave (Susan), Michael MacLiammoir (narratore).
Production company: Tony Richardson per la Woodfall.