Tony Richardson returns to the Henry Fielding well that served him so lucratively in Tom Jones but the public didn't go for this one. Richardson liked the film and said he felt the film was unfairly marketed as Son of Tom Jones when it wasn't really. Richardson argues it was more a pastoral love story than a romp. Look, it's half romp and half love story.
It lacks the energy of Tom Jones. People like Peter Bull, Hugh Griffith and especially Ann Margret play it in high old style - Ann margret is great value as Lady Booby, caked in white make up, lusting after Peter Firth. Firth is a bit of a nothing in the lead - he has none of Albert Finney's dash, he sort of plods along. It's hard to care. Natalie Ogle is dull as his love interest.
It's not a bad movie, and I went with it for a bit, but it became dull over time. The last third was especially hard.
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