It's not great by any means, but it's a pretty good movie that didn't leave me filled with regret for investing time in it.

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

In 1983 Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor appeared together on stage for the first and only time in Noel Coward's comedy PRIVATE LIVES. Although critically panned, it sold out for its entire run on Broadway, with audiences flocking to see the sight of two legendary figures bickering with one another. William Ivory's screenplay tells the story of that theatrical performance, focusing in particular on Taylor's (Helena Bonham Carter's) gradually disintegrating state of mind, as she realizes that Burton (Dominic West) has abandoned her for good in favor of his new wife Sally Burton (Cassie Raine). Bonham Carter gives a creditable impersonation of Taylor, even though she lacks that mysterious quality that kept Taylor in the public eye for so many years; in this performance, Taylor comes across as a bit of a hopeless drunk with a penchant for upstaging Burton. West's Burton seems like a dedicated actor; despite his love of money and the Hollywood high life, he never lost his professionalism, even in an obvious turkey like this PRIVATE LIVES, in which Taylor seldom knew her lines and often consciously departed from the script, in full knowledge that the audience didn't give a fig. So long as she appeared on stage, then the houses would remain packed; if she was absent, the box-office suffered as a result. In the end, however, both of them seem rather pathetic figures, mere shadows of their former selves at the height of their popularity during the mid-Sixties. We can't help feeling sorry for two actors who were so fond of the limelight that they never knew when to give up: Burton kept wanting to play King Lear, even though he was both physically and mentally ill-equipped to do so. BURTON AND TAYLOR seems like a requiem for two great stars reduced to mere museum exhibits.

Burton and Taylor will forever be Hollywood's golden couple whose turbulent life made headline news but also inspired some dramatic films, none more so than 'Who's afraid of Virgina Woolf.'The setting for this one off film is 1983, a year before Burton's death untimely death. Richard Burton (Dominic West) and Elizabeth Taylor (Helena Bonham Carter) after their second divorce are reuniting in London for a theatrical play of Noel Coward's Private Lives and enter another spiral of turbulence, bickering, despair and affection. The press announcement creates a storm of interest and speculation in the media as to if they will get back together for a third time.Taylor still carries a torch for Burton whilst Burton, a man with a reputation as a great stage actor is frustrated by Taylor's histrionics and her unwillingness to rehearse the play properly.Bonham Carter captures the essence and cattiness of Taylor remarkably well although West seems to struggle with his Burton. Maybe it was a misstep by concentrating in this period of their relationship when there is a more interesting story to be told about this pair as to how they fell in love in the early 1960s and their roller coaster relationship over the next 20 years.

This film was made on the anniversary of thirty years since the famous celebrity couple, who married twice, last performed together, and it was two years since the actress, to some the last living legend of the Golden Years of Hollywood, died in 2011, so a (television made) film about them made sense. Basically, set in 1983, movie stars Richard Burton (Dominic West) and Elizabeth Taylor (Helena Bonham Carter) have not seen each other for a little while, perhaps since their second divorce. They are reuniting in London for a theatrical production of the Noël Coward play Private Lives, and despite no longer being married it is obvious there may still be some form of feelings between them, both bitter and longing, but they try to continue and concentrate on work. But more than anything Richard is becoming increasingly frustrated with Elizabeth, who struggles to learn her lines having not practised them properly, failing to arrive on time for scheduled rehearsals and other occasions, and trying to upstage him to get the bigger reaction from the audiences. In the end Richard and Elizabeth go their separate ways, but they did sort out their differences and remain friends, and apparently they only communicated by telephone and letter, until his death in 1984. Also starring Being Human's Lenora Crichlow as Chen Sam, Miranda's Sarah Hadland as Kathryn Walker, William Hope as John Cullum, Michael Jibson as Mike, Lucille Sharp as Liza Todd Burton and Isabella Brazier-Jones as Maria Burton. The real Burton and Taylor were making news all the time because of their turbulent relationship, and besides their great acting talents they became part of public consciousness, and the performances by Bonham and Cooper playing them is believable and terrific, as they look and sound the parts, and it is an interesting enough story, so not a bad drama. Good!

Burton and Taylor is directed by Richard Laxton, written by William Ivory, produced by Lachlan MacKinnon, Andrew Wood and Jessica Pope,music by John Lunn and stars Dominic West and Helena Bonham Carter.1983, Elizabeth Taylor(Helena Bonham Carter) invites her twice ex-husband Richard Burton(Dominic West) to her fiftieth birthday party where he considers her proposal that they star in a new stage adaptation of Noel Coward's play "Private Lives".When the news is announced to the press, there's speculation that the couple may get back together again. Elizabeth hopes for this but Burton(although he still loves her)has moved on from their life together and has a new girlfriend(later his last wife)Sally. Burton's also frail physically as a lifetime of hard drinking takes it toll on him. He's worried that he won't be able to play the role of King Lear after this play because it will too demanding for him, Elizabeth assures him he's just being silly.When the play opens it becomes clear to both of them that the audience are just there to see Burton/Taylor and it's almost as if the play becomes about their life together. As the couple argue off stage Elizabeth takes it out on Burton on stage, physically hitting him(in real life he was very, very frail during the run and she did hurt him when she did that)and playing up to audience, talking directly to them on several occasions and acknowledging their cheers mid performance! This is very poignant film looking at the last act in the Taylor/Burton love story. The two loved each other very much and after their divorces Burton still wrote to Taylor and they phoned each other a lot. He couldn't take Taylor's drinking and pill popping though nor her entourage who seemed to be around all the time. They couldn't be together but they couldn't be apart either. Dominic does an excellent job as the weary Burton however he doesn't look nearly as old or frail as Burton was during the plays run. Burton was only in his early fifties but looked seventy and although they mention his nerve pain and frailness it doesn't register just how ill he actually was.Onto Burton's voice and the performances, Dominic gives it a good go but never captures Burton's iconic voice perfectly(the only person I've ever heard do an accurate impression is Frank Gorshin during a comedy roast)but you believe he is Richard so it doesn't really matter. He captures the emotional torment of the man perfectly. Likewise with Helena she portrays the boozy, depressed Elizabeth very well and you believe it's Taylor you're watching.Those little complaints about the portrayal of Burton's health aside this is a very well made BBC4 film about the couple and is moving, funny and brilliantly acted. Well worth a watch especially for fans of the couple.