7 Best Richard Burton Movies

By Vlad Zakh · January 10, 2026

Richard Burton brought a thunderous, theatrical voice and a gift for Shakespearean intensity to a film career that never quite escaped his own tabloid fame. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? exposes a professor’s dysfunction over a bitter, boozy night, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold sends a weary agent on a final morally compromised mission, The Night of the Iguana follows a defrocked priest in Mexico, and Equus investigates a stable boy’s attack on horses. Becket, Look Back in Anger and My Cousin Rachel round out the list.

Equus (1977)

TMDB ★ 7.2

A psychiatrist investigates the disturbing motives behind a teenage boy's brutal blinding of six horses.

Directed by Sidney Lumet · 2h 17m · Rated R

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966)

TMDB ★ 8.0

A bitter, alcohol-fuelled late-night gathering exposes the toxic dynamics of a long, unhappy marriage.

Directed by Mike Nichols · 2h 11m · Rated NR

Where to watch

Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1965)

TMDB ★ 7.7

A burned-out British agent's final mission may be a setup by his own side.

Directed by Martin Ritt · 1h 52m

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Night of the Iguana (1964)

TMDB ★ 7.2

Ava Gardner features in this drama about a disgraced former minister leading a tour group in Mexico who confronts a personal crisis.

Directed by John Huston · 1h 58m · Rated NR

Where to watch

Stream: YouTube TV · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Becket (1964)

TMDB ★ 7.6

A king appoints his best friend Archbishop of Canterbury, setting up a devastating clash of loyalty and faith.

Directed by Peter Glenville · 2h 28m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Look Back in Anger (1959)

TMDB ★ 6.9

An embittered young man's frustration with his stagnant life poisons his marriage and friendships.

Directed by Tony Richardson · 1h 38m · Rated NR

Where to watch

Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, TCM, HBO Max

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

My Cousin Rachel (1952)

TMDB ★ 6.7

A young man convinced his cousin murdered her husband finds himself falling for her, with Richard Burton in the lead.

Directed by Henry Koster · 1h 38m · Rated NR

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix. He started the site because most recommendation pages felt like noise. Here, lists are sorted by who's in the film, where it's from and what mood you're in tonight.

7 Best Richard Burton Movies

Equus (1977)

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966)

The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1965)

The Night of the Iguana (1964)

Becket (1964)

Look Back in Anger (1959)

My Cousin Rachel (1952)

You might also like

6 Best Oscar Best Actress Winners of the 1960s

50 Best Spy Movies of All Time

6 Best Double Agent and Mole Movies

8 Best Cold War Espionage Movies

6 Best Wilfrid Lawson Movies

6 Best Felix Aylmer Movies