Tom Jones (1963 film)

Tom Jones
Theatrical poster by Mitchell Hooks
Directed byTony Richardson
Screenplay byJohn Osborne
Based onThe History of Tom Jones, a Foundling
(1749 novel)
by Henry Fielding
Produced byTony Richardson
Starring
Narrated byMicheál Mac Liammóir
CinematographyWalter Lassally
Edited byAntony Gibbs
Music byJohn Addison
Production
company
Distributed byUnited Artists
Release date
  • 26 June 1963 (1963-06-26)
Running time
128 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Budget£467,000[1][2][3] or £480,000[4]
Box office$17.07 million (U.S. and Canada rentals) [5]

Tom Jones is a 1963 British period comedy film, an adaptation of Henry Fielding's classic 1749 novel The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling. It is directed by Tony Richardson from a screenplay written by John Osborne, and stars Albert Finney as the titular character. The cast also features Susannah York, Hugh Griffith, Edith Evans, Joan Greenwood, Diane Cilento, and David Warner in his film debut.

The film was a success both critically and at the box office, and was one of the most critically acclaimed and popular comedies of its time.[6] At the 36th Academy Awards, it was nominated for ten Oscars, winning four: Best Picture, Best Director for Richardson, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Original Score. It also won two Golden Globe Awards, including Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, and three BAFTA Awards, including Best Film and Best British Film.

In 1999, the British Film Institute ranked it as the 51st greatest British film of the 20th century.

  1. ^ Film giants step into finance The Observer 19 April 1964: 8.
  2. ^ Petrie, Duncan James (2017). "Bryanston Films : An Experiment in Cooperative Independent Production and Distribution" (PDF). Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television: 13. ISSN 1465-3451. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 July 2018.
  3. ^ Chapman, L. (2021). “They wanted a bigger, more ambitious film”: Film Finances and the American “Runaways” That Ran Away. Journal of British Cinema and Television, 18(2), 176–197. https://doi.org/10.3366/jbctv.2021.0565
  4. ^ Chapman, J. (2022). The Money Behind the Screen: A History of British Film Finance, 1945-1985. Edinburgh University Press p 360
  5. ^ Cohn, Lawrence (15 October 1990). "All Time Film Rental Champs". Variety. p. M-190. ISSN 0042-2738.
  6. ^ Bosley Crowther (30 September 2003). "Tom Jones". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 1 October 2003. Retrieved 25 May 2010.