Tom Jones (1963): Shira's Take

I cannot help but compare this movie to Barry Lyndon, which I watched recently. Clearly, they share a mid-eighteenth-century British countryside setting, but there are far more similarities--no truly likable characters, an interesting plot executed oddly (in Barry Lyndon's case, it was painfully nihilistic; in Tom Jones, it was quirky and silly), and this sort of hapless-man-that-stumbles-into-good-luck-occasionally story. You can tell my disinterest in a movie by how many celebrity resemblances I find. My Tom Jones viewing experience (Eitan can attest to this) was filled to the brim with, "Oh my god! It's Rowan Atkinson!" Or, "Doesn't he look a little bit like Quentin Tarantino?" -- These examples are Hugh Griffith (Squire Western) and Julian Glover (Lt. Northerton), respectively. A side note: Eitan mentioned the striking resemblance of Lt. Northerton to Walter Donovan of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and apparently Julian Glover DID play Donovan. So, at the end of the film, when he said something to Tom (Albert Finney) about how in his next life he should live it better and ended it with a pointed, "Mr. Jones," I think that was what made the casting director of Indiana Jones decide to cast him. He just had to change the mister to doctor, and he had the Jones villain thing down. < / tangent >

I found myself irritated that the leading lady, Sophie (Susannah York) was still interested in Tom after his eight billion love affairs with all the women of England. I found myself irritated that the cast felt they constantly were in a state of elbow-nudge inside-joke with the audience. And for some ridiculous reason, Diane Cilento (Molly Seagrim a.k.a. the worst part about this movie) was nominated for an Oscar for this hideously uninspired performance. In every way that Barry Lyndon is stark and depressing and oh-so-70's, this movie is insipid, comedic, and oh-so-60's. Movies like this just don't win best picture anymore--I would compare this to 2008's highly disappointing Mamma Mia! Entertainment is good, but without substance, it always leaves me flat. There were some great scenes, though. I loved Tom sitting across from Mrs. Waters at the inn dining table as they watch each other eat every food imaginable and somehow find the greasy chicken bits all over their faces sexually appealing. The hunting scene was shot so insanely beautifully, until the unnecessary spur-cutting-horse and run-over-goose bits. The hanging scene at the end included close-ups of faces of onlookers from interesting angles, and it was interesting and haunting. Plus, there was a baby pug, which gives any movie extra points. All in all, it's a 7/10, but that might be because it was less awful than I expected. And remember, dear readers: It's not unusual to be loved by anyone. It's not unusual to have fun with anyone.