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When Russell did the Who's Tommy he suddenly had a major commercial success on his hands. Disappointingly is was followed up by a cash-in movie, and box-office failure of Valentino removed his commercial tag.
Pete Townsend's rock opera, with some of the scenes shifted to makes some sense of the plot. Ken directed Tommy in 1975. The film is a series of visual images. In the church Marilyn Monroe replaces the Virgin Mary. Under her statue blondes in Monroe masks give the sacrament of whisky and pills. The story concerns a child who witnesses his father being murdered by his mother and lover. His mother (who works in a ball-bearing factory) tells him not to tell what he saw or heard, so he becomes deaf, dumb and blind. He does have one gift, he can play pinball. The pinballs are identical to the ball-bearings from his mother's factory, and to the device later put in his eyes at the instigation of the doctor, Jack Nicholson. Tommy becomes a messiah figure to his followers until they realise they also have to become deaf, dumb and blind. The film is based around an LP. It was becoming fashionable to produce theme LPs and Pete Townsend surpassed most by coming up with a story line (even if it at times does not fit). The story is inspired by the blues song Eyesight for the Blind by Sonny Boy Williamson, with the most famous song Pinball Wizard added to ensure there was a hit single.
But she turns out to be a fallen idol.
Tommy rejects this religion, and Tina Turner's attempt to awaken his senses with sex and drugs also fails. "If your child ain't all he should be now, this girl will put him right. I'll show him what he could be now, just give me one more night". Tommy emerges and becomes the new messiah with a mass following. His parents exploit this.
The famous scene of Ann-Margret writhing in a sea of beans is based on the Who's LP "The Who Sell Out" where Daltry appears eating Heinz Beans etc to attack commercialism- this scene is the one the most people ask me if there are more photos. Russell himself did advertisements for baked beans and soap suds (in his advert, to show how the soap suds simply disappeared down the sink he filmed the suds being pumped into the sink then reversed the film).
During the film there were a number of accidents. Ann-Margret cut herself while filming the soapsuds episode (turning the suds red). Ann-Margret says "my hand went to the TV screen and the cut glass sliced into it. Dripping with blood I was quickly wrapped in a blanket and carried off the set, and then rushed to the hospital, where doctors took twenty-seven stitches to close the wound... [then] I shot a scene with my arm hidden under a table". Daltry underwater almost drowned before the crew realised he was in trouble and dived in to help him. Daltry burnt himself when running through the fire and the later takes show him holding his injured arm.
Most spectacularly when filming on Southsea pier a fire broke out seriously damaging the pier. Ken used film of the real fire in part of Daltry´s running through fire sequence.
Monty
Python spin-off Rutland Weekend Television did a version, Pommy. |
