--- title: "Tommy" year: 1975 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/tommy" fi1m_id: "tommy" imdb_id: "tt0073812" tmdb_id: 11326 wikidata_id: "Q1419797" fi1m_score: 74 critics_score: 67 critics_reviews: 8 published: "2026-10-05T04:24:04.470251+00:00" updated: "2026-10-05T04:24:05.071467+00:00" region: "SK" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Tommy (1975) Directed by Ken Russell · 1h 51m · Drama, Music ## Identity Tommy - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/tommy - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** tommy - **IMDb ID:** tt0073812 - **TMDB ID:** 11326 - **Wikidata ID:** Q1419797 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073812/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/11326, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1419797 **Fi1m score: 74** · Critics 67 from 8 reviews *In a sentence:* Tina Turner sings as though somebody has suggested turning the volume down > Ken Russell’s *Tommy* is a forceful, uneven rock musical whose performances justify much of the noise. We recommend it to anyone with a taste for theatrical excess and a reasonable tolerance for overstatement. ## Synopsis Tommy (Roger Daltrey), Nora (Ann-Margret) and Frank (Oliver Reed) are the principal characters in Ken Russell’s musical drama. Its cast extends to The Preacher (Eric Clapton), The Priest (Arthur Brown) and The Specialist (Jack Nicholson), alongside Cousin Kevin (Paul Nicholas) and Uncle Ernie (Keith Moon). Tina Turner plays The Acid Queen, while Elton John appears as The Pinball Wizard. Ken Russell also writes the screenplay, with Pete Townshend providing the music for a story told through rock performance. ## Review Ken Russell’s *Tommy* is a good rock musical whose excesses become tiring. We recommend it chiefly to those who enjoy theatrical extravagance and are prepared to accept some uneven storytelling. Ken Russell, who also writes the screenplay, treats Pete Townshend’s music as permission to make each number as emphatic as possible. There is pleasure in that freedom, but too many passages keep demanding our attention after we have already got the point. Dick Bush, Robin Lehman and Ronnie Taylor share the cinematography credit, and the images have an extravagance to match the music. That suits the performances when the singer can command our attention without help, giving each number plenty of room to be theatrical. Elsewhere, the pictures seem unwilling to leave a performance alone, and the effort becomes distracting. We need some variation in the amount of visual activity, if only to appreciate how much work has gone into it. Ann-Margret, as Nora, does the most useful work of the principal cast. Her expressiveness lets us find a human response in scenes that might otherwise be remembered only for their display. Roger Daltrey’s Tommy gives the film its centre, but Nora is often the person we find ourselves watching. It helps to have a performance that can be as expansive as the film without making every emotion feel like another special attraction. We were exhilarated by Tina Turner’s performance as The Acid Queen. The force of her singing makes the surrounding extravagance feel necessary, because the pictures have a performer strong enough to compete with them. Elton John, as The Pinball Wizard, brings another welcome burst of pleasure: his number has a liveliness that the film cannot sustain throughout. These performances make a persuasive case for a musical’s freedom to interrupt its story, provided the interruption is worth having. Pete Townshend’s music gives the film a firmer identity than Ken Russell’s screenplay gives its dramatic connections. The songs can carry the extravagance, although the insistent sound eventually left us tired. Stuart Baird’s editing helps the individual numbers register, but the joins between them do not always persuade us that the whole film needs this much emphasis. There is too little time between high points for either the music or the drama to settle. At 111 minutes, *Tommy* feels longer than its running time whenever the excitement becomes routine. At home, the temptation may be to turn it down until it becomes a more manageable entertainment. We suspect that would remove some of the pleasure without solving the problem, since the visual insistence would remain. This is a film for an evening when everyone has agreed to something loud. Do not choose it as a compromise. *Fi1m score 74, published 5 October 2026.* ## What the critics say Most critics respond positively to Tommy, praising the energy of Ken Russell’s adaptation and the extravagant imagery he brings to The Who’s music. Praise clusters around the musical performances: Tina Turner’s Acid Queen and Elton John’s Pinball Wizard receive particular attention, while Ann-Margret gives the surreal proceedings an expressive human centre. The favourable reviews tend to accept the film’s excesses as part of its appeal, finding force and entertainment even where its construction is uneven. The reservations concern overstuffing, inconsistency and a visual style that can overwhelm; The AV Club also finds the music dated-sounding. The spread is wide, though most reviews lean towards admiration rather than rejection. Penelope Gilliatt in The New Yorker supplies the sharpest dissent, arguing that the bombastic sound and imagery defeat the satire and leave a self-important commercial in its place. ## Straight answers **Is Tommy worth watching?** *Tommy* is worth watching for its forceful performances and theatrical extravagance, and we score it 74 out of 100. Tina Turner and Elton John provide particular pleasure, but the uneven storytelling and relentless visual and musical emphasis make it tiring; we recommend it chiefly to those who enjoy a loud, excessive rock musical. **How long is Tommy, and what is it rated?** *Tommy* runs 1h 51m. It is a drama and music film. **Where can I watch Tommy in Slovakia?** *Tommy* is not on any streaming or rental service in Slovakia at the moment. It is available in 3 other countries; change your country at the top of the page to see where. Availability is checked daily. **How violent or frightening is Tommy, and is it suitable for children?** *Tommy* carries a UK 15 certificate, so it is not suitable for children under 15 despite its US PG rating. The certificate indicates material requiring caution for younger viewers, but we cannot specify levels of violence or fright from our review; we do flag relentless sound and visual activity that can become tiring. **How does Tommy compare to Phantom of the Paradise?** *Tommy* offers forceful singing and theatrical excess, while [*Phantom of the Paradise*](https://film.one/film/phantom-of-the-paradise) is the stronger choice for sharp satire about who profits from the music. We recommend *Tommy* for its standout performances, especially Tina Turner’s; we favour *Phantom of the Paradise* for humour and songs, though its visual bustle also leaves some performers fighting for space. **What should I watch after Tommy?** After *Tommy*, try [*Phantom of the Paradise*](https://film.one/film/phantom-of-the-paradise) (1974, Fi1m 82): Another unruly rock musical, with sharper satire about who profits from the singing. Then [*The Red Shoes*](https://film.one/film/the-red-shoes) (1948, Fi1m 92): For theatrical spectacle that gives its performers’ suffering more room to register; and [*The Umbrellas of Cherbourg*](https://film.one/film/the-umbrellas-of-cherbourg) (1964, Fi1m 88): Sung drama with disciplined colour and considerably more patience for ordinary human disappointment. ### Reviews we read (8) - **Variety**, Variety Staff (90/100, inferred): The review finds Ken Russell’s film spectacular in nearly every way. It praises the visual dimension added to The Who’s album and singles out Tina Turner’s performance as especially forceful. [Read](https://variety.com/1974/film/reviews/tommy-1200423313/) - **The AV Club**, Noel Murray (B+): Murray finds the film powerful despite its excesses and dated-sounding music. He praises its ferocious musical performances and Russell’s visually extravagant set pieces. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/tommy-the-movie-1798165783) - **Little White Lies**, BP Flanagan (3/4/4): The critic finds the film wildly entertaining but overstuffed and inconsistent, calling it a glorious monument to a bygone era. Ann-Margaret’s expressive performance is singled out for grounding its surreal, image-heavy proceedings. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/tommy-1975) - **Sight and Sound**, Jonathan Rosenbaum (70/100, inferred): Rosenbaum finds the adaptation uneven but energetic, a fitting meeting of Russell’s theatrical sensibility and Townshend’s rock opera. He particularly praises Tina Turner’s Acid Queen sequence and Elton John’s lively Pinball Wizard number. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/tommy-archive-review-ken-russells-imaginative-rock-opera-pulses-with-energy) - **The Guardian**, Derek Malcolm (70/100, inferred): Malcolm finds the film an extraordinary, audacious blend of rock music and Russell’s visual style, though its excess may overwhelm some viewers. He especially praises the Pinball Wizard sequence and the energetic performances, singling out Ann-Margret’s baked-bean breakdown as unforgettable. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/mar/27/ken-russell-film-tommy-reviewed-the-who-1975) - **Time Out**, GA (70/100, inferred): The available description presents Russell's film as formally undisciplined but significant. It praises his early break from realism's strictures. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/tommy) - **RogerEbert.com** (64/100, inferred): The page could not be accessed, so the critic’s verdict is unavailable. No specific praise or complaint could be verified. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/tommy-1975) - **The New Yorker**, Penelope Gilliatt (10/100, inferred): Gilliatt condemns the film as a noisy, self-important commercial masquerading as satire. She particularly objects to its bombastic sound and imagery, which she says overwhelm any critical purpose. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1975/04/07/tommy) ## Details - **Director:** Ken Russell - **Director:** Ken Russell - **Screenplay:** Ken Russell - **Cinematography:** Dick Bush, Robin Lehman, Ronnie Taylor - **Editor:** Stuart Baird - **Music:** Pete Townshend - **Costume design:** Shirley Russell - **Producer:** Ken Russell, Robert Stigwood - **Cast:** Oliver Reed as Frank; Ann-Margret as Nora; Roger Daltrey as Tommy; Elton John as The Pinball Wizard; Eric Clapton as The Preacher; Arthur Brown as The Priest; Pete Townshend as Himself; John Entwistle as Himself - **Runtime:** 1h 51m - **First release (the US):** 19 March 1975 - **Genres:** Drama, Music - **Also in:** [Golden Globe Best Musical or Comedy winners](https://film.one/collections/golden-globe-comedy.md) (Nominee, 1975) - **Budget:** $5 million - **Box office:** $34 million - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaFIq3dbu4U ## Where to watch in Slovakia Not streaming, renting or buying in Slovakia at the last check. Also available in: CA, GB, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## Awards - Academy Awards 1976: Best Actress (nominated); Best Original Song Score (nominated) ## If you liked this - *The Devils* (1971): Ken Russell pursues religious spectacle with still more anger and less musical relief. - *Phantom of the Paradise* (1974), Fi1m 82: Another unruly rock musical, with sharper satire about who profits from the singing. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/phantom-of-the-paradise.md) - *The Red Shoes* (1948), Fi1m 92: For theatrical spectacle that gives its performers’ suffering more room to register. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-red-shoes.md) - *The Lure* (2015): A Polish musical whose strange appetites make its songs feel dangerous. - *The Umbrellas of Cherbourg* (1964), Fi1m 88: Sung drama with disciplined colour and considerably more patience for ordinary human disappointment. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-umbrellas-of-cherbourg.md) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/tommy