A new BBC documentary marking the centenary of Richard Burton's birth attempts to explore the life of the legendary Welsh actor, but ultimately delivers more style than substance according to critics.
Surface-Level Celebration
Richard Burton: Wild Genius joins a series of programmes celebrating what would have been the actor's 100th birthday. The hour-long film features an impressive array of contributors, including Burton's daughter Kate, actors Michael Sheen, Siân Phillips and Iwan Rheon, with Matthew Rhys providing readings from Burton's diaries.
Despite this strong lineup, the documentary struggles to provide fresh insight into Burton's well-documented life story. Critics note it relies heavily on celebratory tones and avoids any meaningful criticism of the actor's complicated legacy.
From Welsh Valleys to Hollywood
The film traces Burton's remarkable journey from humble beginnings to international stardom. Born Richard Jenkins in 1925 in Pontrhydyfen, he grew up in a poor mining community. His father battled alcoholism while his mother died giving birth to her 13th child when Richard was just two years old.
The young Jenkins found stability with his sister Cecilia and her husband in Port Talbot, where his talent was discovered by English teacher Philip Burton. The teacher became so influential that Richard eventually took his surname as his stage name.
Burton's big break came when legendary theatre producer Binkie Beaumont spotted him in a college production of Measure for Measure. He was quickly hailed as the next Laurence Olivier and made his Hollywood breakthrough in 1952 with My Cousin Rachel opposite Olivia de Havilland.
The Taylor Years and Beyond
The documentary dedicates significant attention to Burton's explosive relationship with Elizabeth Taylor, which began on the set of Cleopatra in 1961. Both were married to other people at the time - Burton to Sybil Williams, with whom he had two daughters, and Taylor to Eddie Fisher.
Their very public affair drew condemnation from the Vatican, which accused them of 'erotic vagrancy' - a phrase the documentary highlights as particularly memorable. The film explores how their relationship was defined by excess in everything, from their legendary drinking to their lavish lifestyle.
Despite their eventual divorce, largely attributed to their shared battle with alcoholism, they created cinematic magic together in films like Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, clips of which feature in the documentary.
The programme concludes by briefly addressing the enduring question of whether Burton wasted his talent by pursuing Hollywood fame rather than focusing on stage work. However, critics argue this comes too late to rescue what ultimately feels like a missed opportunity to properly examine one of Britain's most fascinating acting talents.
