Richard Burton: Muse of Fire season at BFI Southbank, London

A celebration of the commanding and charismatic performer, Richard Burton: Muse of Fire brings a blend of classic and cult films to BFI Southbank audiences. Hear from Burton’s family members and film experts in a series of talks and introductions, and immerse yourself in the captivating performances of a screen acting legend.

“That voice. Those eyes. The seductive, electric energy of Richard Burton’s screen presence invites endless superlatives. A century on from his birth, in the South Wales mining community of Pontrhydyfen, his genius as a performer remains entangled in his complex public and private personae.

This selection of classics and rarities spans 1949-1984 and reflects a formidable acting range. Yes, these magnetic, multifaceted characters are often troubled, but they had something more fundamental in common with Burton himself: they are all grappling with what it means to be human.”

James Bell, Jo Botting and Simon McCallum of the BFI National Archive, season curators

Join the British Film Institute in celebration of the iconic actor, with a series of screenings and talks throughout December at BFI Southbank.

Season programme:

The Last Days of Dolwyn: 14.12.25 at 12pm

The Last Days of Dolwyn + intro by Emma and Tony nominated RSC Broadway actor Kate Burton, Richard Burton’s daughter: 02.12.25 at 8:30pm

Now Barabbas Was A Robber: 06.11.25, 06.12.25 & 12.12.25, various times

My Cousin Rachel: 06.11.25, 05.12.25 & 06.12.25, various times

Look Back In Anger: 06.11.25, 06.12.25 & 15.12.25, various times

A Subject Of Scandal And Concern + extended intro by John Wyver, writer and television producer: 06.11.25 & 07.12.25, various times

The Night Of The Iguana, 06.11.25, 05.12.25 & 22.12.25, various times

The Spy Who Came In From The Cold, 06.11.25 & 17.12.25, various times

The Spy Who Came In From The Cold + intro by Charlotte Frances Burton, Richard Burton’s granddaughter, 06.11.25 & 08.12.25, various times

Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? 06.11.25, 13.12.25 & 29.12.25, various times

The Comedians, 06.11.25 & 21.12.25, various times

The Comedians + intro by season co-curator James Ball, 06.11.25 & 07.12.25, various times

Boom! 06.11.25 & 27.12.25, various times

Boom! + intro by Charlotte Frances Burton, Richard Burton’s granddaughter, 06.11.25 & 08.12.25, various times

Where Eagles Dare, 06.11.25, 20.12.25 & 28.12.25, various times

Villain, 06.11.25, 23.12.25 & 28.12.25, various times

Equus, 06.11.25, 20.12.25 & 30.12.25, various times

Exorcist II: The Heretic, 06.11.25, 19.12.15 & 28.12.25, various times

1984, 06.11.25 & 27.12.25, various times

1984 + intro by Lucy Bolton, Queen Mary University of London, 06.11.25 & 15.12.25, various times