Henry Fielding's Tom Jones

Starring:John Sessions, Benjamin Whitrow, Sara Kestelman, Tessa Peake-Jones, Ron Cook, Camille Coduri, Soo Drouet, Christopher Fulford, Richard Ridings, Michael Cronin (II), Con O'Neill, Niven Boyd, Stuart Neal, Brian Hibbard, Caleb Lloyd, Brian Blessed, Laura Harling, Frances de la Tour, Mossie Smith, Max Beesley
Director: Metin Hüseyin
Studio: A&E Home Video
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
"It is not enough that your actions are good. You must take care that they appear so." This is one lesson that plucky orphan Tom Jones (Max Beesley, a dead ringer for Ewan McGregor) never learns, charging through life with his chin up and his libido unchecked. With tongue firmly in cheek, narrator Henry Fielding (John Sessions) walks us through this randy satire like a tour guide, proffering introductions and amusing observations as he tours the drama. Beesley is all charm and earthy sincerity as handsome Tom, with Samantha Morton a determined, elegant, and deliciously funny Sophia and red-faced Brit stalwart Brian Blessed (Black Adder) as her blustery, bellowing pater. Comparisons to Tony Richardson's hearty interpretation are inevitable: this 1997 miniseries favors dry wit and understated asides to Richardson's knockabout comedy and high energy, and it's a delight from start to its improbably (and delightfully) contrived conclusion. --Sean Axmaker
Book Description
The bawdy conquests and rollicking adventures of one of literature's handsome heroes come to life in this lavish production from A&E and the BBC.

Amazon.com

"It is not enough that your actions are good. You must take care that they appear so." This is one lesson that plucky orphan Tom Jones (Max Beesley, a dead ringer for Ewan McGregor) never learns, charging through life with his chin up and his libido unchecked. With tongue firmly in cheek, narrator Henry Fielding (John Sessions) walks us through this randy satire like a tour guide, proffering introductions and amusing observations as he tours the drama. Beesley is all charm and earthy sincerity as handsome Tom, with Samantha Morton a determined, elegant, and deliciously funny Sophia and red-faced Brit stalwart Brian Blessed (Black Adder) as her blustery, bellowing pater. Comparisons to Tony Richardson's hearty interpretation are inevitable: this 1997 miniseries favors dry wit and understated asides to Richardson's knockabout comedy and high energy, and it's a delight from start to its improbably (and delightfully) contrived conclusion. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews:

I love it! This is the best Tom Jones........2007-02-23

I think that "Tom Jones" is my favorite movie. I must have seen the Albert Finney version (at least) a hundred times. I thought that it was impossible to improve on this wonderful movie. BUT I LIKE THIS VERSION EVEN MORE! Max Beesley is as good a Tom as Finney. I loved Susannah York, but Samantha Morton is even more endearing. The one character from the original movie who cannot be improved upon: Hugh Griffith! He is amazingly funny as Squire Western in the 1963 version. The A&E version is much longer than the original, and gives much more delicious detail. Some things are omitted completly from the 1963 movie.
The quality of the DVD is very good (both sound and picture). This is not a good choice if you are easily offended by bawdy behavior. But both versions give a delicious look at life in 18th century England, showing the bad along with the good (and having a lot of fun in the process).

Another great British miniseries!!.......2006-07-25

I saw this a couple of years ago on tv. It was very good. The acting is great. I was excited when I came across it on Amazon's website. I bought it immediately.

A great adaptation of the book.......2006-04-21

I thought that A&E's miniseries of Tom Jones was excellent. The reviewer who described it as "morally deprived" has obviously not read the book. It was actually very close to the book, unlike a lot of movies, and was funny, refreshing, and wonderfully acted.

FABULOUS.......2006-03-09

A FABULOUS ADAPTION OF FIELDLING'S NOVEL. ANOTHER GREAT A&E MINI-SERIES. VIEWED IT FOR THE FIRST TIME WHEN IT AIRED SEVERAL YEARS AGO AND NEVER FORGOT HOW ENJOYABLE AND FUNNY IT WAS. SOME MAY FIND IT OFFENSIVE, BUT I THINK THAT MOST OF US WHO CHOOSE TO VIEW THIS FILM IS ADULT ENOUGH TO REALIZE THAT THERE'S REALLY NO DIFFERENCE IN LIFE EXPERIENCES TODAY AS THERE WAS IN THE 1700'S. THE CAST THAT WAS CHOSEN ARE VETERANS TO THIS TYPE OF FILM AND COULD NOT HAVE PLAYED A BETTER PART. 5 STARS GO TO A&E AND THE BBC FOR BRINGING THESE NOVELS TO LIFE.

Not as good as the book, but amusing nonetheless.......2004-11-17

Though some have found this adaptation morally "deprived" and were disappointed because they had "exspected" the film to be similar in feel to A&E's Pride and "Predgudace," I thoroughly enjoyed the mini series, which did a fairly good job of capturing the atmosphere of Henry Fielding's novel.

Average customer rating:

Henry Fielding's Tom Jones - Volume II

Manufacturer: A&E Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

DVD:

DVD

DVD

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