Returningtothe18th-centuryworldofhisimmenselysuccessfulTOMJONES,TonyRichardsonadaptsanotherofHenryFielding'spicaresquenovels,thistimewithPeterFirthasthetitlecharacter.EmployedasaservantinthehouseholdofSirThomasBooby(PeterBull),thepure-heartedJosephisinlovewithFannyGoodwill(NatalieOgle),oneofthehousemaids.ButJosephisplaguedbytheunwantedattentionsofthecopiouslyendowedformeractressLadyBooby(Ann-Margret),whobecomesevenmoreaggressiveafterthedeathofherhusband.Whenherefusestheadvancesofhisemployer,Josephisbeatenbyherminionsandleftfordeadbeforebeingrescuedbyapassingcoach.HefinallyreuniteswithhisfriendParsonAdams(MichaelHordern),whohasjustsavedFannyfromrape.Asthefarcicalplotaccelerates,thevirtuoustriogetintoasurprisingnumberofscrapes,narrowlyavoidbeingjailedforcrimestheydidn'tcommit,andareunwittinglyluredtoaBlackMassorganizedbyanevilnobleman.Meanwhile,LadyBooby,schemingtoensurethatthemarriageoftheyoungcoupleneveroccurs,hasFannyframedandarrestedforrobbery.ThefilmiswellactedbyitsoutstandingBritishcast,butAnn-MargretstealstheshowasthelasciviousLadyBooby.