Tom Jones – Zwischen Bett und Galgen

Fehler bei Vorlage * Parametername unbekannt (Vorlage:Infobox Film): "starring; director; released; 1; runtime; image; name; writer; budget; distributor; language; imdb_id"

Tom Jones was a British 1963 comedy film and winner of four Academy Awards, including Best Picture. It was one of the most critically acclaimed and popular comedies of its time.^[1]

The film was based on the novel The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling written in the English language by Henry Fielding in 1749.

Tagline: The whole world loves Tom Jones!

Plot

Vorlage:Spoiler

Tom Jones (Albert Finney) is found as a baby on Squire Allworthy's bed. Thinking that his barber and one of his servants, Jenny Jones had "birthed" the infant out of lust, the squire banishes them and chooses to raise baby Tom.

Tom grows up to be a rougish, yet kind and decent fellow who adores and is adored by the opposite sex. However, he loves only one woman, the gentle Sophie Western (Susannah York), who loves him madly. Sadly, Tom is stigmatized as a bastard and cannot wed a young lady of her high station.

There is another young man in the Allworthy family named Blifil (David Warner), who is supposed to be legitimate, having been the stepson of the Squire's sister Bridget (Rachel Kempson), after the untimely death of her husband. Soon, the hypocritical representatives of society, including two of Tom's tutors and Allworthy's evil nephew, Blifil, twist the truth. Allworthy (George Devine) banishes Tom from his home with a small cash legacy and sends him out into the world to seek his fortune.

In his road-traveling odyssey, Tom beds a Mrs. Waters (Joyce Redman), has to escape from a jealous husband who accuses Tom of having an affair with his wife (he did not), has two deadly swordfights, meets his accused "father", saves Mrs. Waters from rape by an evil Redcoat Officer and is bashed in the head by that officer and robbed of his small legacy.

Soon he arrives in London and attracts the attention of Lady Bellaston (Joan Greenwood), a very sensual gentlewoman over 50 years of age. She rich, beautiful and unscrupulous. Eventually, Tom ends up at Tyburn Gaol, facing a boisterous hanging crowd for a murderous assault on a still dying man. He is rescued in the nick of time and cleared of any wrong doing and all ends well. Vorlage:Spoilerend