A new BBC documentary marking Richard Burton's centenary has sparked debate about how we remember troubled artistic geniuses. Richard Burton: Wild Genius offers a celebratory look at the legendary Welsh actor's life, though some critics argue it lacks sufficient critical analysis of his complex legacy.
From Welsh Valleys to Hollywood Stardom
The hour-long film traces Burton's remarkable journey from impoverished beginnings in Pontrhydyfen to international fame. Born Richard Jenkins in 1925 to a mining family, he experienced early tragedy when his mother died during childbirth when he was just two years old.
He was raised by his sister Cecilia and her husband in Port Talbot, where his extraordinary talent was first recognised by teacher Philip Burton, whose surname he later adopted. His scholarship to Oxford marked only his second visit to England, beginning an unprecedented ascent in the theatrical world.
The Rise of a 'Wild Genius'
Legendary theatre producer Binkie Beaumont discovered Burton in a college production of Measure for Measure, launching a career that would see him hailed as the next Laurence Olivier. His 1949 marriage to Sybil Williams preceded his overnight Hollywood success in 1952's My Cousin Rachel opposite Olivia de Havilland.
The documentary features an impressive roster of contributors including Burton's daughter Kate, actors Michael Sheen, Siân Phillips, and Iwan Rheon, with Matthew Rhys providing readings from Burton's diaries. These voices help contextualise Burton's unique position within Welsh culture and the acting profession.
The Taylor Years and Beyond
The film inevitably 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, leading the Vatican to famously condemn their 'erotic vagrancy'.
Their bond was characterised by excess in all things, particularly drinking, which eventually contributed to their separation despite producing cinematic masterpieces like Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
The documentary examines Burton's struggle to reconcile his working-class Welsh upbringing with his acting career, using what biographer Nancy Schoenberger describes as his drinking and womanising as ways of 'establishing masculine bona fides'.
Legacy of a Complex Talent
Following Burton's death from a cerebral haemorrhage in 1984, the documentary briefly addresses whether he wasted his talent pursuing Hollywood fame rather than focusing on stage work. This question has long divided critics, with some attributing such views to jealousy within the British theatrical establishment.
While maintaining a largely celebratory tone, the programme leaves some viewers wondering if the 'wild genius' narrative requires deeper examination, particularly regarding the suffering he caused others throughout his tumultuous life and career.
Richard Burton: Wild Genius is available for streaming on BBC iPlayer, offering contemporary audiences a chance to reassess one of Britain's most compelling acting talents a century after his birth.
