20 Aug 2007
Did anyone see BECKET on TV at the weekend? I was completely bowled over by Richard Burton in the role of Becket. I’ve often heard it said that that he wasted his talent, but I’m not sure I’ve ever seen just how good he could be. The performance is a model of restraint and reflection, while the excommunication pronoucement is breathtaking in its vocal drama. In a film that also stars Peter O’Toole, John Geilgud and Donald Wolfit, Burton has a special magnificence. It has also lost nothing over the years and stands easily against every modern style of acting. Distilled excellence from beginning to end.