Tom Jones (1963)

I complete my viewing of the entire Best Picture Oscar cannon with Tom Jones. Based on the Henry Fielding novel The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, this is a playful, bawdy, and lightheartedly vulgar film of immense likability. Tom Jones (Albert Finny), a bastard child raised by a wealthy country gentleman in mid 18th century England, is of a sort well liked by the ladies. Tom Jones gives into his fleshly desires on a frequent basis, but his adopted father loves and sees good in him, while his outwardly pious, inwardly petty cousin Bilifil plots against him.


Toms true love is neighbour lady Sofie (Susannah York), but they are kept apart by the machinations of others, and in the course of the story Tom is banished from his home, goes on a number of adventures, and beds a number of women. The plot is likably episodic and engaging, but its the presentation that makes this film. Tongue-in-cheek, knowing, and as I said playful, the movie begins with a sort of 'silent film' sequence of baby Tom's discovery at the Allworthy estate, and continues to employ visual flourishes, and camera tricks throughout. We have a delightfully droll narrator, who comments on the goings on and makes sure to cut out the love making scenes, so as to accord with 'a sense of propriety'.


It's kind of surprising that a film like this could be released in 1963, and embraced so by the Academy. The film was a portend of things to come I suppose, but also features a bit of an old school nudge, nudge approach to sensuality, (though there's sure a lot of cleavage in this film). Perhaps appropriately this movie about a charming, hansom womanizer was the last film JFK ever saw, he watched it five days before his death. Anyway this is a great, fun, and sadly lesser known Best Picture Oscar winner. Grade: A