Villain

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Villain is directed by Michael Tuchner and adapted to the screen by Dick Clement, Ian La Frenais and Al Lettieri from the novel The Burden of Proof written by James Barlow. It stars Richard Burton, Ian McShane, T.P. McKenna, Donald Sinden, Nigel Davenport, Fiona Lewis, Joss Ackland, Cathleen Nesbitt, Colin Welland and Tony Selby. A Panavision/Technicolor production, music is by Jonathan Hodge and cinematography by Christopher Challis.

Ruthless London gangster Vic Dakin (Burton) agrees to orchestrate the robbery of a wages van. However, when it is requested for him to work with another gangsters firm, Dakin is less than enthused, especially as his private life is hanging heavy on his shoulders.

1971 saw the rele...

Quite a few big stars tried their hands at these gritty, criminal underworld, style stories in the early 1970s and this rather procedural effort was Richard Burton's. Doubtless he was well paid, but his performance here is nowhere near his best. He is "Dakin" - a sort of Kray-esque character who runs an organised crime network extorting protection money from small businesses. A violent man, he takes his anger out on foe and friend alike but must learn to co-operate when the chance to hijack a lucrative factory payroll presents itself to him and his rival "Fletcher" (TP McKenna). Meantime his favourite "Wolfe" (Ian McShane) also suffers from his fury - and shares his bed - and he dotes after his ailing and aged mother (Catherine Nesbit). As ...