Goodnight Mister Tom (1998 Film)

''Goodnight Mister Tom'' is a 1998 British film adaptation by Carlton Television of the novel of the same name by Michelle Magorian. The film is set during World War II and is about a young evacuee named William Beech who is placed in the care of a reclusive widower, Tom Oakley, in a rural English village, where he gradually finds love and healing after escaping an abusive home. It was Jack Gold's final film as a director.

The cast featured well-known British actors, including veteran actor John Thaw, who played a bearded character for the first time in his career. Filming took place during April and May 1998 in the village of Turville, chosen due to practical and aesthetic reasons.

Critical reviews were mixed, with critics finding the story and conclusion of the film predictable, although with praise for the cast performances, particularly Thaw.

Plot

In September 1939, as Britain declares war on Nazi Germany, children are evacuated from London to the countryside for safety. One of them, William "Willie" Beech, is sent to the rural village of Little Weirwold in Suffolk, where he is placed in the care of Tom Oakley, an elderly widower who has lived in solitude since losing his wife and child to scarlet fever. William, a quiet and nervous boy, comes from an abusive home and is initially apprehensive of Tom.

Despite his reluctance, Tom grows sympathetic after discovering evidence of William's mistreatment in the form of a leather belt used by his mother to beat him. He discards the belt in the garden and begins to care for William, providing new clothes, education and a sense of stability. Over time, William gains confidence and forms a close bond with Tom, whom he comes to view as a father figure and also befriends a Jewish boy named Zacharias "Zach" Wrench. Shortly after William's 10th birthday, Tom receives a letter from William's mother, Mrs Beech, who is claiming illness and requesting William return to London.

Back in London, William discovers his mother is not ill but instead has a new baby, Trudy, whom she calls a "present from Jesus". Mrs Beech grows increasingly unstable and after discovering the belt is missing, as well as him mixing with girls and a Jewish boy, punishes William by locking him in a cupboard under the stairs. Meanwhile, Tom becomes increasingly worried from not receiving any letters from London; after digging up the discarded belt, he travels to London with his dog, Sammy, sensing William may be in danger.

Following a night in an air raid shelter and with help from an A.R.P. Warden named Ralph, Tom locates the house and forces entry after Sammy detects a foul smell. Sammy leads Tom and Ralph to the locked cupboard under the stairs, where they find William severely beaten and holding the lifeless body of Trudy. William is taken to hospital, where Tom meets Dr Stelton, a psychiatrist who plans to place him in a children's home. Tom learns more about William's troubled past, including his abusive and alcoholic father, and decides to take matters into his own hands, kidnapping William from the hospital and returning him to Little Weirwold.

As William recovers, he reunites with Zach and begins to confront the trauma of his upbringing, including gaining a better understanding of relationships and the circumstances of Trudy's birth. When social workers later arrive with news that Mrs Beech has died by suicide and intend to remove William to a children's home, Tom pleads for him to stay, explaining that William has finally found a loving home and has been happier with him than he ever was when living with his mother. After a private conversation, a Home Office official, Mr Greenway, allows Tom to adopt William.

However, William's happiness is soon tested when Zach receives news that his father was caught in a bombing raid and Zach soon departs for London. Days later, William learns that Zach has been killed in another air raid. Devastated, he withdraws emotionally, but Tom helps him process his grief by sharing his own experiences of loss. He reassures William that lost loved ones live on inside a person's mind and heart.

William eventually overcomes his grief and teaches himself to ride the bicycle Zach left behind. In the film's closing scene, William is seen riding Zach's bicycle down a hill and proudly stops in front of Tom, addressing him as "Dad" for the first time.

Cast

Casting

Casting Nick Robinson as William Beech was a straightforward decision. He was recommended by the casting director based on his strong performances in West End theatre. He was the only actor considered for the role.

John Thaw, best known for his roles in ''Inspector Morse'' and ''Kavanagh QC'', was announced in January 1998 as taking on the role of Tom Oakley, following a four-month break from acting. He said he was "captured by the story" when he first read the script and felt it offered a compelling character to portray. To prepare for the role, Thaw underwent a physical transformation by growing a beard for the first time in his life, over a period of two months. He looked noticeably different from his previous clean-shaven roles and surprised those who knew him well, including his wife, actress Sheila Hancock. To ensure vocal authenticity, the production brought in a dialect coach to help Thaw adopt an accent appropriate to the Suffolk region. Thaw had not worked with a child actor for many years and spent time working with Robinson prior to filming.

Annabelle Apsion, who plays William's mother, admitted feeling apprehensive about taking on the role. The character's cruel nature was a stark contrast to the more sympathetic figures Apsion was accustomed to portraying. She was initially concerned about how her performance might affect Robinson, who played her on-screen son, but noted that they developed a good rapport and she agreed to take on the role despite her reservations.

Production

Pre-production

Although the story is set in Suffolk, the Buckinghamshire village of Turville was chosen as the filming location for both practical and aesthetic reasons. Its proximity to London made it economically viable, while its "untouched and rural" appearance, as noted by producer Jack Gold, closely resembled that of a pre-war English village. The church in the village matched the scale needed for scenes and was largely unchanged since before the outbreak of World War II. Turville was already familiar to television audiences, having previously featured in ''The Vicar of Dibley''. The village of Haddenham, Buckinghamshire in the Church End area was also considered as a location.

The crew took care to ensure historical authenticity, replacing modern furnishings with 1930s-era props and furniture. The house used as Tom's residence was taken over by the crew, with the owners temporarily relocated to a hotel. The local community were highly cooperative, offering their homes for filming and even appearing as extras. Funds received by the village for hosting the production were used to help restore the church.

Filming

Filming took place during April and May 1998, though persistent rain made it challenging to create the illusion of hot summer days. Loughborough Central railway station on the preserved Great Central Railway was used to portray Little Weirwold station. The station had previously been used for other dramas, such as the 1993 film '' Shadowlands'' featuring Richard Attenborough.

Critical reception

Reviews on the drama were mixed. Writing for the ''North-West Evening Mail'', James Drury found it an enjoyable period piece that "lovingly recreated" the era, although felt it leaned too heavily into sentimentality. John Boland, writing for the ''Irish Independent'', felt the drama was unremarkable. He found the first half slow-paced and predictable, but praised John Thaw's performance as being "meticulously detailed", concluding that viewers would likely feel rewarded by the end.

In contrast, Howard Rosenberg writing for the ''Los Angeles Times'' offered a more critical perspective, arguing that the plot was overly predictable and the ending felt forced, although praised its visual appeal. Mike Davies of the ''Birmingham Post'' criticised the film as being overly sentimental and predictable, describing it as "sluggishly paced" and "visually uninspired". He found the writing and acting "underwhelming", claiming even John Thaw delivered one of his "least engaging" performances.

Awards

* National Television Awards 1999: Best Drama for ''Goodnight Mister Tom''
* BAFTA 1999: Lew Grade Award for Most Popular Television Programme of 1998 for ''Goodnight Mister Tom''
* Television & Radio Industries Club Award 1999: Best ITV/Channel 5 Programme of 1998 for ''Goodnight Mister Tom''

References

External links

*

{{National Television Award for Outstanding Drama Series

1998 films
1990s British films
British drama television films
British World War II films
Carlton Television
Films based on British novels
Films based on children's books
Films directed by Jack Gold
Films scored by Carl Davis
Films set in 1939
Films set in the United Kingdom
ITV television dramas
Television series by ITV Studios