“Her most underrated performance”: Mr Burton is the “phenomenal” Lesley Manville drama coming to the BBC

Is there anything better than curling up with a phenomenal drama starring one of Britain's best actresses? We thought not, which is why we're here to tell you about Lesley's Manville's return to our screens in Mr Burton. The film, which was released earlier this year and is about to arrive on the BBC, tells the remarkable true story of Richard Burton (played by Industry’s Harry Lawtey) - and we think it's Lesley's most underrated performance.

The film is part of a special series of BBC broadcasts marking the centenary of the birth of Welsh actor Richard Burton - and we highly recommend taking the opportunity to watch it now that's it coming to the small screen. Following Richard's early years as the son of a miner, the drama portrays how his English teacher Philip (Toby Jones) spotted his talent for drama, and - along with landlady Ma Smith (Lesley Manville) - helped him secure his first acting role, which would later catapult him into becoming a top box office star in the ‘60s.

While we wait for Mr Burton to arrive on our screens, here’s everything you need to know about the film, including the plot, cast and how to watch it.

What is Mr Burton about?

As we mentioned, the film tells the true story of a young Richard Burton (Harry Lawtey) - then named Richard Jenkins. It’s set in 1942, in the Welsh mining village of Pontrhydyfen in the Afan Valley, Neath Port Talbot, and follows the early life of the rebellious schoolboy - who’d always dreamt of becoming an actor, but external pressures on his family, along with the war, meant this dream had felt like an impossibility.

Enter Richard’s English teacher, Philip Burton (Toby Jones), who saw the raw potential in Richard and - along with landlady Ma Smith (Lesley Manville) helped to get Richard his first acting role. Along with becoming his mentor, Philip became a guiding force for Richard - and eventually, his adopted father, leading him to take the name ‘Burton’ as his own.

“I think there is a huge national pride in Richard Burton,” the film’s producer, Ed Talfan, told the BBC of the drama. “He's the North Star in many ways of Welsh cinema. He came from a very tough, impoverished background and made this incredible leap to global stardom.”

Who’s in the cast of Mr Burton?

The cast of Mr Burton includes:

• Harry Lawtey (Industry), pictured above, as Richard Jenkins, later becoming Richard Burton
• Toby Jones (Mr Bates vs the Post Office) as Philip Burton
• Lesley Manville (Sherwood) as Ma Smith
• Aimee-Ffion Edwards (Slow Horses) as Cis
• Steffan Rhodri (Death Valley) as Dic Jenkins
• Aneurin Barnard (Dunkirk) as Elfed

Is there a trailer for Mr Burton?

Yes, you can watch the trailer for Mr Burton below.

View full post on YouTube

Is Mr Burton any good?

Yes - it’s an emotional rags-to-riches story of how someone with the odds stacked against them became a celebrated Hollywood film star. Critics and viewers have called Mr Burton “moving, interesting and beautifully made”, as well as “heartfelt, vigorously acted [and] enjoyable”. That's not to mention the fact that Lesley Manville is phenomenal in it and deserves far more credit than she's been given for her role.

How can I watch Mr Burton?

Good news - Mr Burton will air on BBC One this November. Once we have an exact date, we’ll share it here. The film is part of a series of programmes released to mark Richard Burton’s centenary - including the documentary Richard Burton - Wild Genius, which will also air on the BBC in November.

What other Lesley Manville dramas can I watch now?

The beloved actress brought a quiet elegance to her turn as Princess Margaret in series 5 and 6 of historical drama The Crown, and you can watch it all on Netflix now. She gives another heart-stoppingly brilliant performance in anthology series I Am… in which she plays Maria, a woman at a crossroads in life as her marriage becomes increasingly suffocating. You can watch all of I Am… Maria (and all the other episodes in the series) on Channel 4 now.