Richard Burton in New Kind of Role

By Emerson Batdorff

Richard Burton, who has been none too fortunate recently in his choice of film roles, has done it again. Now he is portraying a hard boiled, raspy voiced homosexual gang lord in London who brings Ovaltine to his mother as she lounges in bed.

In other words, "Villain"

'Villain'

Directed by Michael Tuchner, screenplay by Dick Clement and lan la Frenals, produced by Alan Lodd Jr. Adults. MGM.

The cast includes Richrd Burton, Ian McShane and Nigel Davenport.

is a character study of an impossible character. Burton, for all his aplomb (he's got aplomb running out his ears) never manages to achieve conviction.

There is one elegant piece of work in it, though, from the viewpoint of a constant watcher of motion pictures. That is a bolixed-up big

heist.

Movie watchers get awfully tired of million-dollar robberies that have to go on clockwork precision and do precisely that, only to be foiled clear at the end by some little thing slipping up.

Here the plan isn't any too complicated and it gets all messed up anyhow right at the start. Later the criminals have a complicated plan for stealing an ulcer victim from his comfortable hospital bed, meaning that his is a double big heist movie.

Burton has assumed some sort of impenetrable slum British accent for this one,

resulting in me missing about half the words.

They are fairly necessary, too, because the plot is complicated with a venial member of parliament, a shrewd Scotland Yard inspector, a stoolie, a fellow who sells used cars as a cover for his stealing, his brother-in-law the ulcer victim, a clerk in a company whose payroll is to be heisted and a lot of other fellows, including a sort of pimp played by Ian McShane, with many a snee. and leer.

The pimp is a sort of comforts the gang leader in switch hitter. It is he who his more tender moments. When he's on his own time he likes girls.

The dialog, when understandable, is fairly brittle.

A girl, on viewing a lecherous member of parliament who is on the prowl at one of those odd parties in kinky old London, says, "He wouldn't get my vote."

Says the pimp, “It isn't your vote he's after."