Mark Loosemore I recently watched this movie again and it was still as enjoyable as the first time.It was during my final year at Grammar School that I was lucky enough to be able to appear as an extra during the execution scene. As one of the four drummer boys leading Tom's tumbril to the gallows I experienced film making 1960's style up close.The three days on set are still some of my most memorable experiences.

alan997 Mostly the reviews on IMDb can be relied on, but sometimes they just make no sense. Over upwards of a decade and many hundreds of visits I can recall no starker illustration than the truly unbelievable 6.8 given to Tom Jones. It is, simply, a masterpiece.A brilliant story at the heart of it, of course, but brought to life with fantastic, innovative direction, including affectionate nods to the silents, extraordinary action sequences, unsurpassed breaches of the fourth wall ("Did you see her take it?"), uncommon acknowledgements of some of the grimmer realities of the era, and tour de force performances from the entire cast (who clearly relished every minute), centred of course on the sublime Albert Finney - one of the greats, never better - and the heart-stoppingly gorgeous Susannah York. Tom Jones is one of the ultimate explorations and illustrations of the full potential of the medium: movies don't get better than this. Anyone who contributed to that risible score should hang their head in shame. Anyone else, watch Tom Jones. Then watch it again. And again.

Lee Eisenberg To people in the 21st century, the name Tom Jones brings to mind the singer of songs like "It's Not Unusual", and maybe also Tommy Lee Jones. Tony Richardson's "Tom Jones" has nothing to do with either of them. It was apparently intended as an indictment of the British aristocracy's hypocrisy. It comes across more as a romantic comedy. But most importantly, contrary to its Oscar wins it was far from the year's best movie. Nineteen sixty-three gave us movies like "The Birds" (the ultimate Hitchcock movie), "Hud" (a look at alienation), "Lilies of the Field" (a call for tolerance), "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" (a hilarious indictment of greed) and "Charade" (one of the cleverest thrillers of all time).A line that caught my attention was during the dinner. Tom says something to the effect of "A person can be uneducated and know a lot, and a person can be educated and know nothing." For proof that the second part is true, I submit as evidence George W. Bush and Prince Charles.And now the cast. Albert Finney we all know. Susannah York is a hottie here; her most significant role was in "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?". Diane Cilento was married to Sean Connery at this time. David Tomlinson is best know as George Banks in "Mary Poppins". Jack MacGowran played the alcoholic director in "The Exorcist". Peter Bull played the Soviet ambassador in "Dr. Strangelove" (so naturally, I told his character here not to fight in the war room). Julian Glover later played Donovan in "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" and later played Grand Master Pycelle on "Game of Thrones". And of course, Lynn Redgrave was director Tony Richardson's sister-in-law.As for Tony Richardson, his best movie that I've seen was the posthumously released "Blue Sky", which won Jessica Lange a Best Actress Oscar. Richardson hadn't publicly acknowledged his bisexuality until he contracted AIDS, which eventually killed him. Due to Orion Pictures's bankruptcy, "Blue Sky" sat on the shelf for three years.In conclusion, "Tom Jones" is a movie that will probably draw more than a few MST3K-style comments. Although I will say that Susannah York probably had to beat guys off with a stick after appearing in this movie.

writers_reign This is yet another example of a movie weighed down with gongs and critical acclaim at the time - the so-called renaissance of British films aka the kitchen sink school - that seen today is both embarrassing and cringe-making. Albert Finney, always, like Hitchcock, vastly overrated, adds another wrongly overpraised character to his Arthur Seaton (Saturday Night And Sunday Morning)and leads a cast of British luvvies who have been encouraged to let their hair down and slum it in the interest of adding 'picaresque' to their CVs. John Osborne who had not yet joined the Establishment, has fun sending it up and allows himself at least one stinging satire in the hunting scene in which an innocent deer is torn to pieces by the hounds. Osborne allows Michael McLiammoir to narrate in the equivalent of Chapter Headings and the whole thing is totally forgettable.