Tom Jones (1963) Review

Title: Tom Jones
Year: 1963
Director: Tony Richardson
Country: UK
Language: English

Henry Fielding's The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling was widely admired when it was first published in 1749. It was a risque tale of sexual adventures that the church thought was corrupt. Tony Richardson's 1963 film adaptation, Tom Jones, broke box office records and won Best Picture at the Academy Awards. It was not without critics, who thought the picture was too sleazy for the time.


The film is about the romantic and chivalrous adventures of adopted bastard Tom Jones (Albert Finney) in 18th-century England.

Tom Jones is the raunchiest, randiest film to win Best Picture. It's offbeat, quirky and charming. It is a film that perfectly captures the British Invasion of the 60's, the rise of the Sexual Revolution and the growing importance of free love. It is a remarkably feminist picture as it's the female pictures pushing sexuality and engaging with our horny main character on their own terms.


The cinematography and photography in Tom Jones are quite innovative at the time. Star Wipes, made most famous in Star Wars, can be seen 14 years earlier. Though set in the 18th Century, the director admitted he "shot everything as if it were happening today." The score too adds to the overall debauchery.


Tom Jones' influence can be seen in a variety of popular mainstream cinema; from Star Wars to Monty Python to Austin Powers. It is a vastly underrated Best Picture winner; a surprise hidden gem for those who haven't seen it. I adored this movie.