Rating: 2 stars (out of 4)

Tom Jones (1963): Dir. Tony Richardson.  Written by: John Osborne.  Based upon the novel The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling by Henry Fielding.  Starring: Albert Finney, Susannah York, Hugh Griffith, Edith Evans, and David Warner.  Unrated.  Running time: 128 minutes.

Far removed from the sober, slow-paced British period pieces of past and future, the adaptation of Henry Fielding’s landmark novel goes for broke with a frantic retelling of the lovable rogue.  Light-hearted and ultimately frivolous, Tony Richardson’s film might have been just what the doctor ordered after the heavy character study of Lawrence of Arabia.

Set in eighteenth century England, the comic fable relates the story of lover/scoundrel Tom Jones, conceived by a squire’s barber and servant girl.  The noble squire decides to raise the helpless infant, who grows into a handsome, winsome Albert Finney.  Defying the laws and customs of his time, he braves thrilling adventures to win the woman of his fancy.

This is less Masterpiece Theater than it is Monty Python, matching the latter’s tone if not the laugh count.  The farcical nature of the film certainly presents us with odd and manic moments, but the humor is often so broad as to elicit incredulity rather than laughter.  That and the frenetic pace rob the characters of meaningful impressions.

Still, the film has its share of entertaining moments.  Albert Finney certainly possesses the charisma to carry the role of Tom Jones, and his balance of caricature and somberness often transcends the silliness of the film. And indeed, though the editing is noticeably jarring (does every cut need to be a smash cut?), a demented foxhunt does a good job lampooning old school values of British propriety.

I wish writer John Osborne and director Richardson had been able to balance moments of farce with moments of dramatic seriousness (for a good example of this, see 2005’s Casanova starring David Tennant.  Yes, I love David Tennant.)  It’s nice to see a non-stuffy period piece.  It’s not too much to ask for a little more, is it?

Next film: My Fair Lady, 1964