Tom Jones

Synopsis: In eighteenth-century England, "first cousins" Tom Jones and Master Blifil grew up together in privilege in the western countryside, but could not be more different in nature. Tom, the bastard son of one of Squire Allworthy's servants Jenny Jones and the local barber Partridge, was raised by virtuous Allworthy as his own after he sent Jenny away. Tom is randy, chasing anything in a skirt, he's having a sexual relationship on the sly with Molly Seagrim, the peasant daughter of Allworthy's gamekeeper. Tom is nonetheless kind-hearted and good-natured, he who is willing to defend that and those in which he believes. Blifil, on the other hand, is dour, and although outwardly pious, is cold-hearted and vengeful. Despite his randiness, Tom eventually falls in love with Sophie Western, who has just returned to the area after a few years abroad. Despite Sophie's love for Tom, Squire Western and his spinster sister would rather see Sophie marry Blifil rather than a bastard, who Western nonethele
Director(s): Tony Richardson
Production: Woodfall Film Productions
  Won 4 Oscars. Another 16 wins & 20 nominations.
 
IMDB:
6.7
Rotten Tomatoes:
84%
NOT RATED
Year:
1963
128 min
646 Views


Our hero grew apace.

A country lad, far happier

in the woods than in the study.

A bad hero, it may be,

with many a weakness.

But then, if Adam hadn't had

such a weakness for apples,

there would be nobody

to tell Tom's story at all.

And a part of that story tells

of the sport Tom found in the woods.

Ah, Tom.

You wicked dog.

Molly. What are you doing here?

I 'eard Father tell Mother

you was coming.

It's a good night to be abroad

and looking for game.

Ah, Tom...

Oh, Tom...

It shall be our custom

to leave such scenes

where taste, decorum

and the censor dictate.

In this way, we shall try to make up

for our incorrigible hero.

As soon as he had left

the disreputable Molly,

what did he do but join her equally

disreputable father, Black George,

gamekeeper to Squire Allworthy.

- Come on!

- I hear 'em. Psst.

Come on, lads. We'll smoke 'em out.

Fetch it. Fetch it, boy. Come on.

Wait. That's fallen

on Squire Western's ground.

Well, let's after it.

No - I've been warned for trespassing.

It's our bird. Don't worry, Blackie.

- Come back! Come...

- Here, boy. Here, boy. Here, boy.

All right, you devils, I'll get you!

- I'll have your blood! I'll...

- Run, Blackie!

Let's give the old man

a run for his money.

Home, lads. I'll get 'em another night.

- I thought I'd lost you in the woods.

- Short cut.

- We'll be caught one of these days.

- Don't worry.

It's all right for you -

you haven't got a family to keep.

I'll look after you.

Here... Take this guinea.

Good night, Blackie.

Our hero, alas, was always being

exploited by villains like Black George.

For a generous man is merely

a fool in the eyes of a thief.

- A sheep?

- Aye, sir, an entire sheep.

A fat animal. Enough

to feed a village for a week.

Hanging up in his cottage

as proud as a battle trophy.

- This is a grave matter.

- A hanging matter.

- Sir, if I may speak on his behalf, I'd...

- Be silent.

Are you guilty?

I am... guilty...

- Sir, forgive him.

- Be quiet, sir. I have to do justice here.

You have committed a capital crime.

The laws have provided the most terrible

To hang by your neck.

But you have children.

For their sake, I shall only

dismiss you from my service.

And may God have mercy on you.

You're too lenient, Mr Allworthy.

Compassion is one thing, sir,

but justice is another.

Mr Thwackum and Mr Square

were Tom's tutors.

Over the years, they tried -

with little success -

to thrash into Tom

a sense of virtue and religion.

They had, however, a more apt pupil.

Soon after Tom had been found,

the squire's sister Bridget married

a Captain Blifil, and they had a son.

This young man was

quite different from Tom.

He was sober, discreet

and pious beyond his age,

and the whole neighbourhood

resounded in his praise.

You have only taught Tom to laugh at

whatever is decent and virtuous and right.

- I've taught him religion.

- Mr Thwackum, the word "religion"

is as vague and uncertain

as any in the English language.

By "religion" I mean the Christian religion.

Not only that, but the Protestant religion.

And not only that,

but the Church of England.

I fear that Tom is the embodiment

of the old truth

that foundlings

should be left to the parish.

My dear tutors, I'm afraid neither of you

can touch his bastard's heart.

Neither indeed.

But there was another who could.

Tom...

- I want you to help me.

- How?

I want you to get me a post, Tom.

Mm-hm...

Miss Western's come back from France

and'll be wantin' a maid.

I'll speak to her.

Tom, you are kind to me.

Miss Western's maid!

Sophie Western! Miss Western!

Why, Tom Jones!

I've brought you a thrush.

He's beautiful, Tom. How kind of you.

Two years is a long time. Did they teach

you London ways, make a lady of you?

Most of the time I was in France.

My aunt took me there.

- Did you like France, Meez Western?

- Mais oui. Je me suis trs bien amuse.

- Ah, bon.

- You haven't changed, Tom.

You've grown, Sophie.

Grown more beautiful than ever.

Doesn't he sing beautifully?

I shall teach him some new songs.

I doubt if an English bird

can learn French songs.

You'll see.

Avignon

Sur le pont d'Avignon...

We're asked to supper. I came early to ask

if you'd help Black George's daughter.

Oh, yes. He stole a sheep, didn't he?

Black George is a poor man.

With big, hungry daughters to feed.

Most hungry - I can vouch for it.

I have a maid already.

But I'll see what I can do.

Good, good.

Ah! Welcome, neighbours! Welcome!

- How nice to see you.

- Welcome, madam. Welcome, Squire.

Good day, Western, good day.

- Look! Tom brought me a thrush!

- What a sweet little bird!

His song is sweeter

than any tune of Mr Handel's.

Ugh, Handel!

Tom, thank you.

Welcome home, Sophie.

How lovely you're looking, child.

Aye, it's good to have her home.

Let's all go in to dinner.

- Oh dear.

- Oh, my little bird!

Don't worry, Sophie,

I'll get it back for you.

- Tom...

- Good lad, Tom.

Be careful, Tom! Tom, take care!

- I'll wager he gets it.

- Take care.

I am sorry to cause you this distress,

Miss Western.

I did not think the bird would fly away.

But I cannot help observing

that the idea of caged birds

is against the laws of nature.

Don't you agree, Mr Square?

He's got him!

Argh!

He'll drown! Quick, pick him up!

Help him, someone!

- Oh, Tom, you're soaked!

- Come on, lad, give me your hand.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes

John Osborne

John James Osborne (Fulham, London, 12 December 1929 – 24 December 1994) was an English playwright, screenwriter and actor, known for his excoriating prose and intense critical stance towards established social and political norms. The success of his 1956 play Look Back in Anger transformed English theatre. In a productive life of more than 40 years, Osborne explored many themes and genres, writing for stage, film and TV. His personal life was extravagant and iconoclastic. He was notorious for the ornate violence of his language, not only on behalf of the political causes he supported but also against his own family, including his wives and children. Osborne was one of the first writers to address Britain's purpose in the post-imperial age. He was the first to question the point of the monarchy on a prominent public stage. During his peak (1956–1966), he helped make contempt an acceptable and now even cliched onstage emotion, argued for the cleansing wisdom of bad behaviour and bad taste, and combined unsparing truthfulness with devastating wit. more…

All John Osborne scripts | John Osborne Scripts

0 fans

Submitted on August 05, 2018

Discuss this script with the community:

0 Comments

    Translation

    Translate and read this script in other languages:

    Select another language:

    • - Select -
    • 简体中文 (Chinese - Simplified)
    • 繁體中文 (Chinese - Traditional)
    • Español (Spanish)
    • Esperanto (Esperanto)
    • 日本語 (Japanese)
    • Português (Portuguese)
    • Deutsch (German)
    • العربية (Arabic)
    • Français (French)
    • Русский (Russian)
    • ಕನ್ನಡ (Kannada)
    • 한국어 (Korean)
    • עברית (Hebrew)
    • Gaeilge (Irish)
    • Українська (Ukrainian)
    • اردو (Urdu)
    • Magyar (Hungarian)
    • मानक हिन्दी (Hindi)
    • Indonesia (Indonesian)
    • Italiano (Italian)
    • தமிழ் (Tamil)
    • Türkçe (Turkish)
    • తెలుగు (Telugu)
    • ภาษาไทย (Thai)
    • Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
    • Čeština (Czech)
    • Polski (Polish)
    • Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)
    • Românește (Romanian)
    • Nederlands (Dutch)
    • Ελληνικά (Greek)
    • Latinum (Latin)
    • Svenska (Swedish)
    • Dansk (Danish)
    • Suomi (Finnish)
    • فارسی (Persian)
    • ייִדיש (Yiddish)
    • հայերեն (Armenian)
    • Norsk (Norwegian)
    • English (English)

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add this screenplay to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "Tom Jones" Scripts.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Mar. 2024. <https://www.scripts.com/script/tom_jones_22036>.

    We need you!

    Help us build the largest writers community and scripts collection on the web!

    Watch the movie trailer

    Tom Jones

    Browse Scripts.com

    The Studio:

    ScreenWriting Tool

    Write your screenplay and focus on the story with many helpful features.