The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling

The BBC and A&E have done it again. TOM JONES is intricate, daring, surprising, funny, and has more fresh air than one might expect of a literary adaptation. Brian Blessed is a revelation as Squire Western, looking more like a Hogarth caricature than seems humanly possible. The rest of the cast are energetic and well-suited to their roles, and the result, at five hours, will surprise many who only know the rascal Tom Jones from the Albert Finney film... There's a lot that that short movie left out, and it will at times remind you of Dangerous Liaisons...which of course was written later... Anyone want to bet that Choderlos de Laclos read Fielding?

This was an excellent adaptation of Tom Jones. Far more accurate to the book than the 1963 version with Finney (although the mere length of this movie ought to have given that away) I think A&E used this movie to get back on track after producing the far from enjoyable Emma and Jane Eyre. Max and Samantha went great together, and the supporting cast was fabulous.Brian Blessed is a PERFECT Squire Weston! I am writing this is because this movie has an excellent rating, and deserves a user comment appropriate to the average person's opinion of it.

Other posters have stated that the Finney version of this story is the best.

I wholeheartedly disagree. This story, as with most of Henry Fielding's stories, is intended as a parody of English 'morality' in his day. The Finney version is a lot of fun, but it's just a film about silly people wandering the countryside. In the A&E version, Brian Blessed performed his character (Mr. Western) in exactly the over-the-top correct way to ridicule the English wealthy. Mr. Allworthy was absolutely perfect as someone who believes that since he is a good honest man, the rest of the world must be good and honest as well. Tom's aunt has the line that in my opinion sums up the meaning of this book/movie (paraphrased), "It is not enough that your actions are good, you must make sure that they appear to be so."

We had the video box set since it first came out -- it was sealed and in our video drawer until this month (December, 2002), when I sold the videos and bought the DVD box set.

I can't believe we waited this long to watch it! Max Beasley is wonderful (and yes, a real Ewan MacGregor look-a-like) as is Samantha Morton and the rest of the cast.

The Oscar-winning 1963 version seems dated and over-the-top compared to the A&E production. Bawdy, racy, all the things Fielding's novel was criticized for, that all remains. It's surprisingly funny and sweet and very, very enjoyable!

I was looking for an earlier version of this movie because I saw it mentioned in an article in Vogue (about a designer, I think it was Diane von Faustenberg, who modeled her wedding on this movie) and got the impression that it would have beautiful costumes. I rented this version without realizing it was the wrong one but I was not entirely disappointed.

The costumes were okay but it was the story I loved. It is such an interesting and engaging story and the acting was good. I couldn't wait to see what else could happen to poor Tom Jones next. I thought that Honor, the lady's maid was an exceptionally entertaining true character and that Benjamin Whitrow as the good squire was totally believable, he was the personification of a good sober man. The movie is long but I couldn't tear myself away from it. In a world of movies with weak plots this movie was hearty as stew. I'm going to try to find the 1960's version too.