Mr. Burton (2025)
12-month trend
12-month trend
Monthly article views
2025-09 to 2026-08
A young boy's life is forever altered by a school teacher who becomes his mentor and legal guardian.
The story
Mr Burton is a biographical drama exploring the early life of the legendary Welsh actor Richard Burton. The story centers on his formative relationship with his mentor, Philip Burton, a school teacher who takes him under his wing. The narrative follows the profound influence this mentorship has on the young boy, eventually leading to a life-changing transition where he adopts the name Richard Burton.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
The film depicts the early life of Welsh actor Richard Burton, focusing on his upbringing and his pivotal connection with his mentor, Philip Burton. A school teacher who recognizes the boy's potential, Philip Burton takes on the role of his legal guardian. This profound mentorship shapes the young boy's identity so significantly that he eventually changes his name to Richard Burton. The film explores the dynamics of this relationship, the influence of the surrounding community, and the personal growth of the young actor as he navigates his early years under Philip's guidance.
- First release year
- 2025
- Runtime (minutes)
- 124
- Production countries
- United Kingdom
- Original languages
- English; Welsh
- Directors
- Marc Evans
- Writers
- Tom Bullough · writer; Josh Hyams · writer
- Cast and characters
- Harry Lawtey · Richard Burton; Toby Jones · Philip Burton; Lesley Manville · Ma Smith; Aimee-Ffion Edwards · Cis; Steffan Rhodri · Dic Jenkins; Aneurin Barnard · Elfed; Mali O'Donnell · Phyllis; Matthew Gravelle · Sir Cyril Cooke
- Genres
- biographical drama
- Themes
- mentorship; identity; legacy
- Tone and mood
- biographical; dramatic
- Premise and plot tags
- biographical; historical; mentorship
- Reception
- The film received generally favorable reviews, with a Metacritic score of 61 based on 9 critics. Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian awarded it three out of five stars.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 61 · scale: 100 · review count: 9
- Awards and nominations
- Best Photography and Lighting - fiction · BAFTA Cymru Awards · 2025 · won; Outstanding British Film · 79th British Academy Film Awards · 2025 · nominated; Best Actor · BAFTA Cymru Awards · 2025 · nominated; Sound · BAFTA Cymru Awards · 2025 · nominated; Editing · BAFTA Cymru Awards · 2025 · nominated; Photography · BAFTA Cymru Awards · 2025 · nominated
- Production trivia
- The film was released to mark the centenary of Richard Burton's birth.; The composer, John Hardy, is the nephew of Robert Hardy, a lifelong friend of Richard Burton.; The score was recorded by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales at the Wales Millennium Centre.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
Your lists
Loading your lists…