Tommy

Anybody who is curious about the therapeutic value of watching a really REALLY bad film should consider an experience I had when I was a student and attended a screening of 'Tommy' at the Sheffield Odeon.

I was at a very low ebb, but Mr Russell's film was so flamboyantly crass it accomplished what had seemed to me the impossible feat of curing me of my malaise and actually cheering me up.

I particularly savoured the performances of Keith Moon and by Ann-Margaret, who although up against the likes of Robert Powell, Oliver Reed and Jack Nicholson, distinguished herself by her considerable improvement both as a woman and as an actress to the tune of an Academy Award nomination.

When her husband is lost in WWII, Nora Walker is left with an unborn baby to raise by herself. Years later she has a fantastic son, Tommy, and is being courted by 'Uncle' Franks Hobbs. However when Tommy sees Frank and his mother killing his real father, he becomes psychosomatically deaf, dumb and blind. This way he stays all the way through to adulthood regardless of what his mother tries to get him cured. Running away from home one night, Tommy finds himself in a junkyard where he finds an old pinball machine and begins to play it. When he turns out to be a natural born wizard on the pinball table it not only leads him to a cure but also causes a religious following to spring up around him.

Being born in the 1970's and not really being a retro type of person, I have never gotten into The Who but I am always willing to give a film a try no matter what period it is from or what genre it is. I approached Tommy with hesitancy aware that I may not like the music and that it had a reputation for being all over the place. Well, suffice to say that the latter is certainly true and if you're coming here looking for structure or decent plotting then you'll be not only disappointed but also a touch bewildered! The basic plot is an obvious swipe at religion and, as such, I'm rather surprised this film doesn't have a legacy of Catholic protests (it may do – but usually things like that stick with a film forever, like Life of Brian) following it given the amount of religious imagery in it. It doesn't totally work as it isn't clever enough to be really interesting or sharp enough to serve as a clever attack at religion. However it still manages to be great overblown fun from pretty much start to finish.

Credit where credit is due, Ken Russell doesn't run the risk of being remembered as someone who suffered in moderation – no, if he can have Ann Margaret rolling round on the floor then why not cover her in tinned food product? To that end his direction is relentlessly over the top and it actually helps the material because the plot and music are both over the top and revelling in 1970's excesses. It is never funny in a comedy sense but it is fun in the same way as going to a big show like Rock Horror can be, it's hard not to get caught up in the music, performances and sights of the film as everyone is really overdoing it and it's fun! Not being a fan of The Who, I was still won over by the music here – like a west end show mixed with rock and served on top of sliced ham, it is catchy, overblown and enjoyable to listen to. The cast also help and all manage to deliver their lines well even if some of them are not singers as their day jobs.

In fact the cast is a big part of this film working quite as well as it did – their performances mostly match the overblown feel of the film. Daltry isn't a great actor but he does well here apart from the odd slip up. Ann Margaret chews the scenery with every chance and her performance is memorable (and I think was Oscar nominated – but I may be wrong). Reed hams it up like a good'un and appears to be enjoying himself immensely – although given the people involved in this film and the legendary habits he had I would not be surprised if it was something other than the film itself that gave him that lecherous leer! The real gold in the film though is a collection of cameos that may not all work but all add to the film: Tina Turner IS The Acid Queen, Elton John gets the best song of the film, Clapton doesn't make as much of an impression as I would have liked and the presence of Jack Nicholson is as good as it is surprising!

Overall this is a silly, shambolic film that makes very little sense and is not clever enough to make the points about religion that it tries to. However it is overblown, musical and fun to watch with a great collection of people from the period in small roles all through the film. It may frustrate many, which is why it is a 'cult' film as opposed to a classic hit but, for all it's flaws, I found it enjoyable and fun in a big silly OTT way!

Tommy is born on the first day of peace to his mother Nora (Ann-Margret) and a war hero father. He witnesses a terrible incident and promptly goes deaf, dumb, and blind. He (Roger Daltrey) grows up to master the pinball and defeats The Pinball Wizard (Elton John).

I like this for the first half. The story meanders but at least it works. After Elton John, the plot becomes an utter mess. It rambles on and on. When in fact, Elton John should be the antagonist and the pinball battle should be the climax. The plot is the last thing that anybody seems concerned about. It's chaotic and near impossible to understand. It is a wild, flamboyant ride. Daltrey is fine but limited. Elton John's section remains the best. This is imaginative if nothing else.

I will say that the movie version of "Tommy" is not as good as The Who's original opera. I guess that it's hard to adapt something like that to the silver screen. But even so, this movie is an experience unlike any other. Watching it, you try to figure out how to digest all that you're seeing and make sense of it (although I would reject calling it sensory overload).

The plot of course has deaf, dumb, blind Tommy Walker (Roger Daltrey) becoming a pinball champion and developing a cult following. Daltrey has no trouble getting into the role, especially when he sings "I'm Free". Equally good - and quite perceptive - is Ann-Margret as his mother Nora, using his celebrity to enrich herself; I really liked the scene where she hallucinates soap, beans and chocolate pouring out of the TV set. Oliver Reed seems a little bit wooden as Frank, whom Nora marries when she hears that her husband has gotten killed in WWII, but he still passes. Tina Turner really goes over the top as the Acid Queen, who tries to cure Tommy. Elton John is OK as the Pinball Wizard, but I guess that anyone could have done that role. Probably the most surprising cast member is Jack Nicholson as The Specialist; I mean, who would have ever imagined Jack Nicholson of all people in a musical?* Peter Townshend, John Entwistle and Keith Moon also appear.

All in all, director Ken Russell instills this movie with the same sensibility that we find in the rest of his movies. Maybe it seemed better in the cinema, with its quintaphonic sound. But it's still something that I recommend to everyone. In conclusion: See it...feel it...touch it...heal it.

*Just imagine musical versions of "Five Easy Pieces", "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest", "The Shining" and "As Good As It Gets"!

This movie is all over the place. Ken Russell's penchant for garishness and bad taste runs rampant throughout the film, and the imagery consequently gives the film a very surrealistic feel (when it doesn't simply just get too weird for its' own good which it most definitely does indeed do at times). It should also be said that some of the casting is questionable to say the least. Jack Nicholson should never, ever have taken this role. His cameo is short, but rather painful to watch. Not to mention painful to listen to. And Oliver Reed? Think ham. He must have had a ball doing this movie, though. But in an odd sort of way, he fits in the role of Frank like a glove. Watch the movie, and you'll see what I mean. Just don't ask him to sing at your wedding. You'll regret it. Deeply. And plot? Almost none here to be found. At least none that cannot be easily summarized in two or three pithy sentences. That being said, I know I didn't go to see it in the seventies because I thought I was going to see Oscar caliber performances or a tight and thoughtful script. I went to see it because of the music. And it still holds up well to this day because of that. The music still carries the day. Tommy is one of The Who's best and shining moments. And between the songs, some of the performances shine..... just enough to make this a worthwhile viewing. But God help you if you go into this expecting anything approaching serious cinema. You will be seriously and grievously disappointed. Tommy is mostly played off as camp and is meant to be that way.

Best performances...... Elton John as the pinball wizard, (who does so well in this that I think he decided afterwards to retire from making movies while he was still ahead) while Ann Margret chews up the scenery much better than I had certainly expected, and Tina Turner as the Acid Queen gives a performance in a cameo that you have to see to believe. Paul Stevens as Cousin Kevin also gives an energetic turn in a rare (for this movie) comedic moment.

I give it 7 out of 10. Too flawed to be a classic, but definitely a solid piece of work overall. You may never look at another body pillow without pork and beans and Ann Margret springing immediately to mind ever again.