Mr. Burton: Becoming Richard Burton

He was one of the original “angry young men” of “Kitchen Sink Realism” and one of the finest Shakespearean actors of his generation, despite being Welsh. According to Elizabeth Taylor, he owed it all to his teacher, Philip Burton. The thespian’s relationship to his spiritual—and eventually adopted father is dramatized in Marc Evans’ Mr. Burton, which releases today on VOD.

Rich Jenkins’ birth father was an alcoholic miner, who pawned the bright teen off on his older, married sister, Cis. Her husband demanded the future Burton work for his keep, so he was forced to drop out of school. However, Philip Burton convinced the family to allow the lad to re-enroll. He also cast Jenkins in his first amateur theatrical production. As you might expect, the kid showed some promise.

Consequently, Jenkins decided he wished to pursue acting so he turned to Burton for help. His mentor coached him in elocution, projection, and taming that Welsh accent. However, it quickly became clear the theater gatekeepers would not allow admittance to a Jenkins, but a Burton might have a shot.

In many respects, Mr. Burton is a rather touching mentor-protégé story that takes on genuine Horatio Alger proportions. Harry Lawtey nicely captures the raw, working-class Jenkins, while suggesting hints of the acclaimed and scandalous Burton that he would become. Indeed, we see early indications of the drinking and smoking that would contribute to long-term health issues for Burton.

However, screenwriters Tom Bullough and Josh Hyams do Jenkins/Burton a massive disservice when they create a fictional rift between the Burtons, resulting from Richard’s supposed distrust of closeted Philip’s motives. The whole point of the film (which released last year in the UK) was to celebrate the Richard Burton centennial. Yet, it sullies the actor’s image, solely for the sake of identity politics. Their only brief period of estrangement actually occurred when Richard left his first wife Sybil (whom Philip adored), to marry Elizabeth Taylor. That was some real drama, but to include it in the film would require casting the roles of both wives.

It is a shame, because both Lawtey and Toby Jones are excellent as the Burtons. Scenes of Burton encouraging Jenkins to “stand and deliver” are indeed quite stirring. Lesley Manville also adds warmth as the largely fictional Ma Smith, Burton’s mother hen-like landlady.

Evans, who previously explored the experience of Welsh immigrants to Argentina in Patagonia, nicely captures Jenkins’ conflicted feelings regarding his Welsh heritage. John E.R. Hardy’s lyrical piano score is also quite lovely.  Much of Mr. Burton was indeed produced with great sensitivity, so it is disappointing that the screenwriters felt a need to generate fake controversy, simply to satisfy contemporary preconceptions, with a cliched third act. Undone by its unfaithfulness to its own real-life characters, Mr. Burton is now available on VOD.