Goodnight Mister Tom (1998 film)

Goodnight Mister Tom is a 1998 film adaptation by Carlton Television of the book of the same name by Michelle Magorian directed by Jack Gold, which became his final film, and the cast featured well known British actors, including veteran actor John Thaw.

Despite initial difficulties and tension, such as Willie wetting his bed and threatening Toms dog, Sammy, before learning that he belonged to Tom, Willie and Tom slowly begin to bond. Tom learns that Willie lives with his abusive, mentally ill and extremely religious mother in London after he sees that she has sent a belt for him to use on Willie and belt marks on Willies back. Tom does his best to create a suitable home for Willie, such as providing him with new clothes and teaching him to read and write when his schoolteacher, Mrs. Hartridge, learns that Willie is illiterate. Willies new life with Tom eventually boosts his selfconfidence and he opens up to Tom, looking up to him as a surrogate father figure. He also meets and becomes best friends with a Jewish boy, Zacharias Zach Wrench. However, shortly after Willies tenth birthday, Tom receives a letter from Mrs. Beech, who claims to be ill and needs Willie back in London to look after her.When Willie reunites with his mother, he discovers that she lied and is completely fine. Willie also meets his baby halfsister, Trudy. Mrs. Beech claims is a present from Jesus, and Willie is too young and nave to consider any other scenario. It is obvious, however, that Mrs. Beech has been made much more uneasy by the Blitz, and after an argument sparked by her discovery of the absence of the belt which Mr. Tom discarded, Mrs. Beech sends Willie to his room for the night. The next day, Mrs. Beech seems better after suffering a mental breakdown, but when Willie presents her with gifts that the locals from Little Weirwold had given him, and tells her about some of his friends, she accuses him of stealing, interacting with girls and Jews, and finally pummels him and eventually locks him in the houses cellar after he tells her that Jesus was a Jew. Back in Little Weirwold, Tom starts missing Willie greatly. Initially he thinks Willie has moved on from him, until he finds the belt he threw a few days earlier. Tom has an instinct

Source: Wikipedia