Tommy (1975 film)
| Tommy | |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Ken Russell |
| Produced by |
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| Screenplay by | Ken Russell |
| Based on |
Tommy by The Who |
| Starring | |
| Music by | The Who |
| Cinematography | |
| Edited by | Stuart Baird |
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Production
company |
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| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
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Release date
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Running time
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108 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $5 million |
| Box office | $34.3 million |
Tommy is a 1975 British musical fantasy drama film based upon The Who's 1969 rock opera album Tommy. Directed by Ken Russell, the film featured a star-studded ensemble cast, including the band members themselves (most notably, lead singer Roger Daltrey, who plays the title role), Ann-Margret, Oliver Reed, Eric Clapton, Tina Turner, Elton John, Arthur Brown, and Jack Nicholson.
Ann-Margret received a Golden Globe Award for her performance, and was also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress. Pete Townshend was also nominated for an Oscar for his work in scoring and adapting the music for the film. The film was shown at the 1975 Cannes Film Festival, but was not entered into the main competition. In 1975, the film won the award for Rock Movie of the Year in the First Annual Rock Music Awards.
"Prologue 1945". A montage displays the honeymoon of Captain Walker (Robert Powell) and his wife, Nora (Ann-Margret). After his leave ends, Walker goes off to fight in World War II as a bomber pilot, but is shot down in the middle of a battle. "Captain Walker" is listed as missing in action and is presumed dead, although—unknown to his family—the badly burned Walker is in fact alive. Back in England, Nora goes into labor and gives birth to a son, Tommy, on V-E Day. Five years later, Nora has begun a new relationship with Frank (Oliver Reed), a worker she and Tommy meet at "Bernie's Holiday Camp". Tommy looks up to his "Uncle" Frank and expresses his desires to run his own camp some day. In "1951" Nora and Frank dream of their future, but, late that evening, encounter the returning Captain Walker. He surprises Frank and Nora in bed, leading to a struggle and the Captain's subsequent murder by a lamp. Tommy, having followed his father into the room, has witnessed everything. Panicking, Nora and Frank frantically plead with Tommy, insisting that he witnessed nothing and must keep quiet. This, combined with the trauma of his father's sudden and violent death, sends Tommy into a psychedelia-like "Amazing Journey", in which, outwardly, he cannot see, hear or speak.
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