Customer Reviews

The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling [VHS]

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

"It is a pity he was not immortal, he was so formed for happiness." -- Mary Wortley Montagu on the death of her cousin, Henry Fielding.

This dramatization of this most wonderful book is nearly perfect. I say nearly perfect because that are one or two little problems with the sound (no, Honour doesn't mean she wouldn't say a word if Sophia were to go to bed with Mr. BLIFIL instead of Mr. Jones, nor does Miss Western mean to say, "Brother, if you would only leave your NIECE to my care...") but never mind that. It doesn't matter because the director, Metin Huseyin, has his fingers on the pulse of 18th century England. It's not a "bawdy romp." It was really like this. Straight, nonintoxicated Englishmen hugged and kissed each other in public (a show of feeling was considered a mark of a gentleman). People talked more openly about sex than they did for another 175 years, the fact that women liked it too, and the fact that sex is, every once in a while, a motive for human behaviour. Women talked back and demanded respect. Hypocrisy was everywhere (and just like now, you could sometimes say so). About 140 crimes carried the death sentence. Money and property sometimes mattered more than people. Young people sometimes had to marry the person they were told to marry whether they hated them or not, and being kind, generous and amiable could get you in worse trouble than being greedy, grabby and nasty. Fielding wrote it all down and Huseyin delivers it wonderfully well here.

Tony Richardson's Tom Jones was splendid, to be sure, and is full of brilliant acting, but in many ways it was, to quote a friend of mine, rather like, "Austen Powers does the 18th Century." This is Tom Jones as Fielding conceived him. A pretty, sweet fellow, probably based on Fielding's youthful self, who makes a few very human mistakes and, with the help of his enemies, nearly gets himself hanged.

The casting in this production is marvellous and the director has, probably through his obvious great love for this story, allowed each actor to be infused with a faithful sense of character. Fantastic as Joyce Grenfell was, to the heavily Freudianized audiences of 1964, a character like Lady Bellaston could only be portrayed as a clinging nyphomaniac. Lindsay Duncan, on the other hand, is perfect as the mature, sexy, selfish, independently wealthy female who does exactly as she likes, a type of woman not unknown today and not unknown in the 18th century, either. (It was the Victorians and people in the first three quarters of the 20th century who claimed women like this were aberrations.) Peter Capaldi is great as the horribly funny Lord Fellamar. Partridge is rumpled, wronged and tender-hearted. The household parasites ARE odious, Brian Blessed IS Squire Western (complete with dog slobber and misguided parenting), Samantha Morton is perfect as Sophia, who in turn was based on Fielding's beloved wife, Charlotte; lovely, hot-tempered, brave and honest. As is true of all the casting, her long-suffering, imperfect maid and friend, Honour, is great. The child actors well match their grownup counterparts. Beesley is a good Tom and also has a nice bottom. John Sessions, who plays Fielding himself, our wry narrator, is a delight.

This production is much closer to the original, including the dialogue, already in place by Fielding, who wrote dialogue for his novels like the dramatist that he was; so in a way it was already a screenplay. Some of the longer narrative passages had to be pared out, of course, but why both directors (Richardson and Huseyin) leave out the fact that Squire Allworthy sends his precious but disgraced Tom off, well provided for, with 500 pounds in his pocket, I don't know, but I'm sure they had their reasons. The sets may not be brilliant, but the costumes, make-up, acting and directing are. This is a wonderful production in the old BBC tradition. Get it and love it, because they aren't making them anymore. And if you think we won't suffer for this loss, then listen (as if you could avoid it) to the deafening whine that passes for so much of modern dramatic art. We need Henry Fielding as much now as they did then.

I tend to hate all movies that have been books and Tom Jones just happened to be a favorite book of mine. Yet, when I saw this version, I loved it completely. The production crew didn't cut down the story to a bitter pulp and they made the story come alive. I'm an actress as well and can tell when an actor is merely doing the minimum. You'll love Henry Fieldings' narative over the story and all the hilarious mishaps that follow. Enjoy!

Here's a story filled with dastardly plotting and prevarication, true love and tawdry sex, wild drunkenness, chases, disguises, near-misses, and utterly improbable (but hilarious) meetings. Wonderful acting by British stage and film stars--fans of BBC literary adaptations will recognize many favorites--bring this wild, picaresque tale to life with charm and boundless verve. Perhaps best of all is the screenplay, which manages to make sense of everything in Fielding's convoluted tale while also making the most of 18th-century English, when the language was at its graceful, urbane peak.

Just try to watch this one with a straight face!

This "Tom Jones" is funny, irreverent, bawdy, exuberant, and shocking to the sensibilities of anyone who believes that all "literature" is prim and proper. It's good fun!

Cara

First of all - I am surprised to find so many people gave this Tom Jones interpretation 1 star.... but I read those votes are due to 'sexual content' and incorrect rating of "G."
To be blunt: You will see breasts, some buttocks here and there, and at least one 'thrusting' scene, WHICH are ALL no more than a few seconds of film time, scattered throughout. Be assured, skirts cover thighs and "other things"...... so the "smut" vote is interpretation. If you prefer prim and proper A&E/BBC...... be fairly warned.
The nature of the scenes are indicative of how people behaved in those times - from the most dignified yet depraved courtiers to the lowly housemaids... Although A&E is better known for their prudence, I found that acceptance of the scenes in this movie comes in stride with the rawness of the characters and the story, which is about scandals of THAT nature.

That being said, I found the film enjoyably different. The way that the narration is done is very reminiscent of a Monty Python storytelling - where the narrator can be easily affected by the scenery/players, as well as comical interruptions to end or begin a scene. The storyline (History of a foundling) has SO many plot twists and turns, that although the end may be guessable - the means is highly entertaining in its complexity.

Brian Blessed is a hilarious (and my favorite character) "country squire boobie" who is irrationaly blustering and bellowing. His conduct is ridiculous, but causes so much confusion and chaos, that it can't help but be amusing. Lindsay Duncan (HBO's Rome, Servillia) as the devious Lady Bellaston is fantastic - her seductive nature and relentless jealousy are a force to be reckoned with. All the actors do a superb job.

All in all, I found the film to be charming. It ISN'T your typical pristine BBC or A&E production, and it should have been rated PG-13 or R, but I believe Henry Fielding wrote the racy story in a bawdy manner to begin with. I enjoyed its hilarious confusion and earthy interpretation, with an open mind.

This version of the novel by Henry Fielding is brilliant. Although I agree with the viewer from New York that the Oscer Winning Film of Tom Jones is a classic, you cannot compare the two versions. This television production is more faithfull to the novel and benifits from excellent performances from the whole cast. It is simply what televisions are made for.

I think that "Tom Jones" is my favorite movie. I must have seen the Albert Finney version (at least) a hundred times. I thought that it was impossible to improve on this wonderful movie. BUT I LIKE THIS VERSION EVEN MORE! Max Beesley is as good a Tom as Finney. I loved Susannah York, but Samantha Morton is even more endearing. The one character from the original movie who cannot be improved upon: Hugh Griffith! He is amazingly funny as Squire Western in the 1963 version. The A&E version is much longer than the original, and gives much more delicious detail. Some things are omitted completly from the 1963 movie.
The quality of the DVD is very good (both sound and picture). This is not a good choice if you are easily offended by bawdy behavior. But both versions give a delicious look at life in 18th century England, showing the bad along with the good (and having a lot of fun in the process).

This movie is great. My favorite A&E miniseries is Pride and Prejudice, but this is a close second. It's funny, racy, the costumes and sets are beautiful, and the story moves along fairly quickly. A great choice for a rainy afternoon!

I really have to place this production of a very human work of comic delight at the top of my list. Gilbert and Sullivan's Sorcerer is a companion to it and so is Iolanthe. I now know why my dear father told me to read Tom Jones when I was a teenager long ago (he also worshiped Iolanthe). I found it too stilted and of the age it was written. Now I see that it was not that it had lessons of life but that it was so much fun when you know life well (i.e. youth will not understand how funny it is)! And here you have it. Benjamin Whitrow as the father (same in the definitive "Pride and Predudice" production) is so endearing and loving and wise (much like my own dear Dad was). And all the romp with music to match and John Sessions filling in as the commenting Henry Fielding. I believe my sentence is for life and it is to watch this production yearly till death. The music, the actors, the screenplay, the direction, setting (landscape, buildings, dress, etc) are all perfect. Brian Blessed as Sophies dad is so ... well just see it. Thanks All you hard working folks who created this. It was based on a tale from a very humane judge of four hundred years ago and will last as a visual play of his work for another four hundred years. You have created a true lasting masterpiece. Thanks!!!
For all the prudes who are horrified by the morality of this period of England I feel sorrow. Perhaps watching "Moll Flanders" by Daniel Defoe might wake you up to how hard your ancestors had life and that being a good person really means not being cruel to others in the end. Caring in the face of suffering high and low. Morality is so often an excuse for cruelty. Get into the carriage and rock along with Judge Fielding and his tale of human foibles!

Henry Fielding's "Tom Jones" is a great mini-series with beautiful costumes, romance, comedy and a whole lot of good acting! Although I have to confess to have been shocked by the moral of this piece and admit that it is nothing like A&E's "Pride and Prejudice"; the two mini-series are of two different leagues altogether. (Those who enjoy A&E's P&P may have to think twice.) However, if you like period pieces and are in for a good bawdy fun, you'll very much enjoy "Tom Jones".