Taglines: Your senses will never be the same.
Tommy movie storyline. Nora Walker is told that her British fighter pilot husband is missing in action and presumed killed in World War II. On V.E. Day, Nora gives birth to their son, who she names Tommy. While Tommy is an adolescent, Nora marries Frank, a shifty camp counselor. Shortly thereafter, Tommy suffers an emotionally traumatic experience associated with his father and step-father, which, based on things told to him at that time, results in him becoming deaf, dumb and blind, a situation which several people exploit for their own pleasure.
As Nora tries several things to bring Tommy out of his psychosomatic disabilities, Tommy, now a young man, happens upon pinball as a stimulus. Playing by intuition, Tommy becomes a pinball master, which in turn makes him, and by association Nora and Frank, rich and famous. Nora literally shatters Tommy to his awakening, which ultimately leads to both the family’s rise and downfall as people initially try to emulate Tommy’s path then rebel against it.
Tommy is a 1975 British operetta fantasy drama film based upon The Who’s 1969 rock opera album Tommy about a “psychosomatically deaf, mute, and blind” boy who becomes a pinball champion and religious leader. 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, and Jack Nicholson.
An independent production by Russell and Robert Stigwood, Tommy was released by Columbia Pictures in the US on 19 March 1975 while in the UK it was released on 26 March 1975. 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.
About the Story
In the prologue, set in 1945, a montage displays the honeymoon of Captain Walker (Robert Powell) and his wife, Nora (Ann-Margret) (“Prologue – 1945”). After his leave ends, Walker goes off to fight in World War II as a bomber pilot, but is shot down during a mission. “Captain Walker” is listed as missing in action and is presumed dead, although—unknown to his family—the badly burnt Walker is in fact alive.
Back in England, Nora goes into labour 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 on vacation. Tommy looks up to his “Uncle” Frank who expresses his desires to run his own holiday camp someday (“Bernie’s Holiday Camp”). In the 1950s, Nora and Frank dream of their future (“1951/What about the Boy?”), but, late that evening, encounter the returning Captain Walker. He surprises Frank and Nora in bed, leading to a struggle where Frank kills the Captain. The heat of the moment panics Tommy into a psychedelia-like “Amazing Journey”, where he outwardly appears “deaf, dumb, and blind”.
As time passes, Nora and Frank make several fruitless attempts to bring the now older Tommy (Roger Daltrey) out of his state (“Eyesight to the Blind”) (“Acid Queen”) and keeps him in the company of some questionable babysitters (“Cousin Kevin”)(“Fiddle About”). They become more and more lethargic at the lack of effect and leave Tommy standing at the mirror one night, allowing him to wander off.
He follows a vision of himself to a junkyard pinball machine. Tommy is recognized by Frank and the media as a pinball prodigy (“Extra, Extra, Extra”), which is made even more impressive with his catatonic state. During a championship game, Tommy faces the “Pinball Wizard” (Elton John) with The Who as the backing band. Nora watches her son’s televised victory and celebrates his (and her) success and luxury, but finds she can’t fully enjoy it due to the extremity of Tommy’s condition (“Champagne”).
Tommy (1975)
Directed by: Ken Russell
Starring: Ann-Margret, Oliver Reed, Roger Daltrey, Elton John, Eric Clapton, Keith Moon, Jack Nicholson, Victoria Russell, Pete Townshend, Tina Turner, The Who
Screenplay by: Ken Russell
Cinematography by: Dick Bush, Ronnie Taylor
Film Editing by: Stuart Baird
Costume Design by: Shirley Russell
Art Direction by: John Clark
Music by: The Who
MPAA Rating: None.
Distributed by: Columbia Pictures
Release Date: March 19, 1975 (United States), March 26, 1975 (United Kingdom)
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