The Bawdy Adventures of Tom Jones (1976)

Intended or not, the "Bawdy Adventures of Tom Jones" is a remake of 1963 film "Tom Jones" starring Albert Finney. I've found most remakes - My Man Godfrey, King Kong, Island of Dr. Moreau to name just three - to be vastly inferior to the originals but sometimes a different interpretation can result in a more enjoyable film. For example, the basic plot is the same but I like "Mogambo" (1953 - John Ford) much more than "Red Dust" (1932 - Victor Fleming).

I saw "the Bawdy Adventures of Tom Jones" years ago and thoroughly enjoyed the movie. Knowing it was a remake I expected to enjoy the original even more - after all "Tom Jones" won four Oscars. I was surprised when I found "Tom Jones" to be dull, lifeless, and boring compared to the remake; so much so that I changed the channel after about 15 minutes. Maybe I was a little harsh - perhaps "Tom Jones" wasn't supposed to be funny; a serious film looking at how an accident of birth affects opportunities in life rather than a fun movie exploiting the comedic possibilities - but if I had to recommend one version in your library it would be the remake, not the original.