This was one of two British gangster films that appeared in 1971 with big stars - Get Carter, with Michael Caine, has since gone on to be one of the Bibles of the New Lad movement, while Villain, with Richard Burton, is mostly forgotten. I think its partly because Burton plays a gay gangster who still lives with his mother and is hopelessly in love with Ian MacShane - he's not going about having phone sex with Britt Ekland on the phone and being right on straight. Also Burton is a really nasty piece of work here - so is Caine in Carter, but that film takes place in a world with him surrounded by other gangsters and crooked businessman, here Burton comes up against two tough but honest cops (Nigel Davenport and Colin Welland) who give the film more of a moral counterpoint.
There's some tough talking dialogue, an exciting heist sequence (the plot revolves around Burton and his gang robbing a payroll), excellent support actors, and a particularly fine starring turn from Burton. The risks and chances this man took in his career are remarkable, especially for someone so often accused of selling out his talent (because he wouldn't appear in theatre? As if theatre is so strong). One of the most famous actors in the world, he plays a gangster who is gay, sadomasochistic, vicious, ageing, loves his mummy and MacShane - would say Brad Pitt do that today? Actually, come to think of it Brad Pitt probably would, which is partly why he's lasted - like Burton did, despite all his drinking.
The gangsters here get stuck in traffic jams, bitch about the state of the country and the youth of today, talk about what's on TV tonight. The outbursts of violence are sudden and extreme. It's not exactly a laugh a minute and has been superseded in many ways by TV but is a tough well made gangster flick.
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