Back in 1967 when this film was first released, critics jumped all over it as just a Richard Burton-Elizabeth Taylor vanity project which it was but that’s all they saw. Now that Dick and Liz have been supplanted by …insert celebrity couple here…the film is ripe for rediscovery and there is much to discover here. The beauty of Christopher Marlowe’s play lies in the poetry of the lines and the philosophical and theological points the poet raises. This Oxford University production which Burton co-directed captures its stage origins but is cleverly opened up in a number of ways which turn it into a fascinating cinematic experience thanks to an imaginative use of lighting, beautiful cinematography, and a haunting musical score by Mario Nascimbene (ONE MILLION YEARS B.C.). Elizabeth Taylor has no dialogue but she embodies the spirit of classical beauty in a 1960s way..
Richard Burton’s intense portrayal of the title character is a joy to behold and serves as a vivid reminder of just what a charismatic performer he was. His glorious voice speaks the Elizabethan text as if it were everyday conversation but with a power and conviction that must be heard to be believed and thanks to the optional DVD subtitles you can follow along as he speaks if you wish. The rest of the cast is made up of members of the Oxford Dramatic Society and they fulfill the other roles satisfactorily with Andreas Teuber an absolute standout as a melancholy Mephistopheles. Burton & co-director Neville Coghill remove the comic episodes between the serious scenes which streamlines the play and makes it a more manageable length. Chances are no one will redo Marlowe’s play on film anytime soon and so there is even more reason to celebrate this version which clearly shows what the play has to offer as a great precursor to Shakespeare and how to make a major film on a minor budget.
The Capsule Critic 