Mr. Burton

As a film and theatre lover I would never miss a biopic about a famous actor, and so I knew I would enjoy Mr. Burton. But it turned out that the best thing about the film for me was the story of Mr. Philip Burton, the teacher, not so much the story of Richard Burton, the famous actor. Philip Burton wrote a book about his memories of Richard Jenkins (as he then was) and the narrative seems to be largely true, though fudged here and there. There is much to admire about Mr. Burton's teaching methods, and even more to admire about Toby Jones' acting which was completely flawless. Lesley Manville as the housekeeper was also excellent, though we didn't see much of her. Harry Lawtey was less successful as Richard Burton, perhaps because the script required him to change too rapidly from a quiet schoolboy to a rebellious and difficult adult. The first part of the film was somewhat slow and the use of AI technology to provide supposed landscapes of Welsh countryside really grated on me, but the interiors were effective.

If for no other reason this film is worth watching for the performance of Toby Jones as Philip Burton. The teacher who started Richard Burton on his way to super stardom.

It is touching and moving to see the faith that the teacher had in Richard Burton that he would make good as an actor.

The whole cast is excellent particularly the two actors playing Burton as a schoolboy and then as an actor in his twenties at the beginning of his metioric rise to startdom. Burtins overindulgence in alcohol, probably inherited from his father hinting at the problems that would confront him in later life and lead to his early death.

This deserves to be seen by more than the small cinema attendance.

Mr. Burton quite simply is a biopic of the early life of Richard Jenkins, later to become Richard Burton as the film goes at great lengths to explain.

The cast are excellent be it Toby Jones as English teacher/thespian Philip Burton who becomes a guiding light to son of a (drunk) Welsh miner Dic Jenkins.

However the best performance is from young actor Harry Lawtey who plays the Richard Jenkins cum Burton role. From a raw poor Welsh schoolboy he becomes one of the biggest actors in the world and this film shows how Mr. Philip Burton moulded him to do so. Not just in name but Anglicizing his diction to become the great orator he is remembered for being.

Toby Jones is a mainstay of British cinema and television and his portrayal is non-scandalous when surely some tongues wagged at his close relationship with Richard Jenkins.

British, low budget but intriguing indeed. I have watched Burton's filmography vehemently over several months and now after watching this film I may explore some Burton biographies in book form. This film is definitely better than even I expected.

At the risk of sounding like a Seinfeld episode, I'm forced to say, "Not that there's anything wrong with that..." This would have been a solid 8 if it hadn't been for the forced inclusion of the implied homosexuallity current that ran throughout the second half of the film. It wasn't necessary, had no bearing on the biographical aspect of the movie, and was simply innuendo that was never addressed by either Philip nor Richard Burton.

Rumors. And they just HAD to incorporate it to be what? Socially relevlant?

It didn't ruin an otherwise excellent film, but it certainly didn't help it, either.

Just completely unnecessary.

We did not know what to expect with this film. We watched it in a little cinema in South Wales to set the scene.

The casting was spot on. Lesley Toby and Harry are superb, there is no over acting, everyone's accents are just right.

The directing and atmosphere is all you ever want. Such a lovely experience. Would honestly have been a score of 10/10 if the distant scenery and Port Talbot cgi was of a much higher standard. But all in all a very big Thank You.

Did I say Lesley Toby and Harry are superb, no over acting, accents are just right. The directing and atmosphere is all you ever want. Such a lovely experience. Would have been 10/10 if scenery and Port Talbot cgi was a higher standard. But Thank You.