In the centenary year of his birth, this 2025 film tells the true story of actor Richard Burton's formative years in his home town of Port Talbot, when the bright young and wild schoolboy Richard Jenkins, son of a boozy and negligent miner, was taken under the wing of his teacher Philip Burton who recognising his raw talent mentored him and helped launch his career.
The brilliant Toby Jones plays the inspirational English teacher who not only coached him in acting but even made him his legal ward getting him to change his surname to Burton to facilitate the teacher’s sponsorship of his Oxford scholarship. Harry Lawtey is a livewire young Richard, and the excellent Lesley Manville plays the part of Philip Burton's landlady.
Richard Burton's rags-to-riches story, from poverty in a Welsh mining town to Hollywood fame is one that continues to inspire.
“heartfelt, vigorously acted, enjoyable” Guardian
Cert 12A
2 hours