4 Star

Belief, Dedication, and Expectations.

If you are of a certain age, the name of Richard Burton (The Spy Who Came In From The Cold, Exorcist II: The Heretic, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, 1984) is synonymous with an amazing Shakespearean actor on stage and screen. But this film is about a different Mr Burton, the small town teacher that recognised a raw talent, and he decided that it was worth all the trouble to get this young man the opportunities he deserved. Mr Burton is a real eye-opener into a complicated life.

Without Philip Burton, there would never have been a Richard Burton.

Elizabeth Taylor.

Port Talbot, on the East side of Swansea, Wales, 1942 and the students of the local school are heading for their classes, as Mr Philip Burton (Toby Jones, Archive, The Witness For the Prosecution, The Hunger Games) heads for his English classroom. Mr Burton hands out the marked assessments, giving praise and critique to others, until he comes to one Richard ‘Rich’ Jenkins (Harry Lawtey, The Pale Blue Eye, Joker: Folie à Deux) whose assignment looks like it has been through the wringer.

They are all warned that in one year and three months they will be fighting in the war in some capacity.

Despite Jenkins’ misgivings, Mr Burton believes that he has potential to learn after he tasks him to recite a poem. The appreciation goes both ways as Richie’s sister ‘Cis’ (Aimee-Ffion Edwards, Peaky Blinders (TV Series), Slow Horses (TV Series)), her husband Elfed (Aneurin Barnard, Dunkirk, The Goldfinch), and Richie listen to the BBC and one of Mr Burton’s plays, in the evening. This is a pleasurable break in this wartime, things are hard and Elfid insists that Richie pays his way in this family and finds him a job, which takes him out of school.

You must keep reading Jenkins. There’s nothing more important.

Mr Burton works with the YMCA, and invites Richie along to audition for his new play.

You would like to be an actor. 

Now that Richie has made his mind up the challenges begin, with a war going on and Richie’s problems at home. Mr Burton takes him under his wing and moves him into his lodgings with Ma Smith (Lesley Manville, Romeo and Juliet, Another Year), and this leads to tongues wagging in Port Talbot.

A cultured man is never lonely.

A tough road leads to a tough man, but this film is all about the scaffolding to the magnificent edifice that became Richard Burton. Always a delight to see the skill craft of Toby Jones and the great casting of Harry Lawtey as the young Richard Burton. A pleasure to watch.

Icon Film Distribution presents Mr Burton now available on Digital 

Includes behind-the-scenes special feature with interviews from director Marc Evans, producer Ed Talfan, Toby Jones, Harry Lawtey, Lesley Manville, and Richard Burton’s real-life daughter, Kate Burton.