Tommy's Honour Film Review

Films about sport are difficult to take into the mainstream, but I feel that Tommy’s Honour has succeeded.

I admit to being a real fan of the book written by Kevin Cook prior to watching the film but am happy to report that the feel and atmosphere from the award winning novel transports itself well into the cinematography used by Jason Connery and his team.

The shots of the golf games are produced with a sultry, dark light that accompanies most of the rounds I have played in Scotland and its adherence to historical accuracy is to be applauded. I liked the music score and the performances of the main actors are a real delight.

Peter Mullan is perfectly cast as Old Tom, with a beard more brambly than the courses he played.

There is a real chemistry between him and Jack Lowden. He has excellent, commanding screen presence and is an actor I tip for major success in the future. (Watch out for his performance in Dunkirk soon to be screened, he is already being talked about as the next Matt Damon).

Jason Connery was introduced to the game by his illustrious actor father Sean and there is a real feel of an understanding of the father/son struggles that this story epitomises throughout.

Old Tom Morris designed and influenced many of the world’s greatest golf courses from the 1860s onwards. He operated within conventional boundaries and followed the acknowledged status quo with question.

However, it was his son Young Tom who showed a real mastery of the game allowing him to become the first golf professional earning a substantial living. This rather than being reliant on tips handed to him by the elite amateur golfers who used caddies and then refused them membership at the clubs they themselves joined.

He baulked at following the traditional route and recognised his own skill set determining that he would not follow his father’s path.

Pushing against his pre ordained future of becoming a caddie like his father, Young Tom broke the mould and can clearly be seen as the father of the modern multi-million dollar game we all enjoy. He used the press to advertise his challenge events and the use of side bets became a major part of the challenge games played. Inter course rivalries abounded.

His marriage to an older woman was also against all of the conventions of the day.

Young Tom Morris, died aged 24, of a broken heart, having had a glorious 7 years of success leaving him today still as the youngest Open winner in history aged 17. He won the original belt three times and retained it leading to the donation of the Claret Jug so soon to be competed for at Royal Birkdale.

Every one of our current crop of professional golfers should tip a cap to Young Tom and his father for all they did to make the game what it is today.

I really enjoyed this film and it is one that could easily be enjoyed with a family of non golfers.

I love the tradition and history of the game and this is the first film to my knowledge that has chronicled it in such an accurate manner.

Our game has given many words to the English language included to be “stymied”. Watch the film to show where this derives from. (I was very surprised to find that this rule was only revoked as recently as 1952!)

There are no car chases or shoot outs, but this is still a film I would recommend highly. It is a true story, sympathetically told and respecting the game and its traditions.

It follows the superb book closely and has a real empathy with the game and its origins. It isn’t fast paced, but neither is golf.

The film is one to be savoured and enjoyed on the palate like vintage claret served from a claret jug.