‘Mr Burton’ review: Toby Jones stars in Richard Burton origins story

Dir: Marc Evans. UK. 2025. 124mins

The true story of the instructor who impressed and inspired the metamorphosis of Welsh schoolboy Richard Jenkins into Hollywood performing legend Richard Burton follows the standard contours of such movies — a heartwarming story of triumph in opposition to adversity, shiny manufacturing values and a rousing rating. This acquainted bundle from Welsh director Marc Evans (My Little Eye, Hunky Dory) does, nevertheless, have a few trump playing cards within the type of the ever-reliable Toby Jones and, notably, Harry Lawtey (TV’s Trade), who turns in a robust efficiency because the lowly valley boy executed good.

The dynamic between Jones and Lawtey is on the coronary heart of this narrative

The dynamic between Jones, as kindly faculty instructor Philip Henry Burton, and Lawtey’s impressionable teenager Richie is on the coronary heart of this narrative, and is compelling sufficient to curiosity even those that already know Burton’s intriguing backstory. Certainly, Burton followers are more than likely to hunt this out, notably because the movie’s launch coincides with the centenary of the star’s start. The pedigree of the movie’s forged, which additionally contains Lesley Manville, must also appeal to mature audiences when the movie opens within the UK and Eire on April 4 by way of Icon. 

Screenwriter (and producer) Josh Hyams first had the thought for this story a decade in the past and the screenplay, written in collaboration with Tom Bullough, has the sensation of one thing finely honed over time. It neatly and tidily hits all of the anticipated beats of Burton’s journey from 1942, when he was a 17-year-old Port Talbot schoolboy, to 1951, as he ready to take to the Stratford-Upon-Avon stage for a breakthrough efficiency as Prince Hal in Henry IV. Meaning inspirational speeches from Philip, moments of overcoming doubt from Richie and kindly recommendation from landlady Ma Smith (Manville), all backed by a stirring rating from John Hardy carried out by the BBC Nationwide Orchestra Of Wales — however not an excessive amount of natural dramatic vitality.

There’s greater than sufficient spark, nevertheless, in Lawtey’s efficiency. It’s all the time a problem to tackle the mantel of such a beloved real-life determine — notably one who was bigger than life each on- and off-screen — however Lawtey takes care to seize the essence of Richie earlier than he was Richard Burton; a vulnerability that carries by way of to the beginnings of his fame. Because the son of an alcoholic miner, life in early Nineteen Forties Port Talbot, the place Richie lives along with his loving older sister Cis (Aimee Ffion-Edwards) and her less-understanding husband Elfed (Aneurin Barnard) has little color; demonstrated within the (clearly) CGI backdrops of gray homes and smoke-belching refineries. And with warfare raging on the continent, it appears as if mining or conscription are the one viable choices for boys of Richie’s age.

However when he discovers a love for Shakespeare and for performing, Richie comes alive — even when this ambition places him at odds with conventional males like Elfed, who thinks he ought to get an sincere job. Scenes of Richie working towards diction and projection atop a inexperienced hill, or operating strains on the seaside — all captured in vivid large pictures by DoP Stuart Biddlecomb – are filled with color and life. These are contrasted with claustrophobic scenes again within the tiny household residence, or along with his father (Steffan Rhodri) within the dowdy native pub, through which Richie’s hopes for his future butt up in opposition to his heritage. How can a low-class miner’s boy with a low-class miner’s surname ever hope to journey from the Welsh valleys to Oxford — the place an RAF Cadet scholarship might beckon — or past, to the lofty hills of Hollywood?

The reply, in fact, comes by way of Philip’s tireless mentorship — which the movie is at pains to clarify was motivated by his love of the theatre and eye for expertise, even when native gossip hinted at one thing extra salacious. This includes serving to Richie develop the treacly baritone voice for which he would come to be recognized. It additionally led to Philip turning into Richie’s authorized guardian — Richie’s father fortunately signing his son away for the value of £50 — and bestowing him along with his extra socially acceptable final title of Burton. (In actual life, Philip and Richie have been too shut in age for authorized adoption, one thing which this casting doesn’t replicate.)

And when the motion jumps forwards a number of years, to the eve of Richie’s debut in Henry IV, we are able to see the impression of all this difficult work. Lawtey effortlessly captures Burton’s silky diction, his swagger, his straightforward confidence as a performer, but in addition the bottled-up trauma of his childhood which he makes an attempt to medicate with liquor and which threatens to undo him. Whereas it’s questionable as as to if Richie ever managed to exorcise his demons, that he owes his outstanding profession to Philip Burton has by no means been unsure — one thing to which this movie pays diligent tribute.