davidgee

An atmospheric version of the early life of Richard Burton, the miner's son who became one of the greatest stage and screen actors of his time and married Elizabeth Taylor, not once but twice.

Toby Jones is very much the "flavour of the year" and in perfect pitch here as the man who saw the boy Richard's potential and nurtured his modest talent into the stratosphere. Lesley Manville has a fruity role as the landlady, who is so motherly that they both call her "Ma".

The script tentatively hints at homosexuality - why did Philip devote so much of his life to this particular schoolboy? - but possibly for want of evidence this issue fizzles out.

Harry Lawtey delivers a believable portrait of young Richard, the uncouth son of a hard-drinking coalminer who almost accidentally turns out to have the makings of an actor. Getting him to "talk proper" gives the movie some humour and is, of course, the core of what made Richard a star. Lawtey is good in the transitional stages but he doesn't get the mature Richard's glorious resonance quite right; it comes across as a bit of a parody. But the tone of the movie is fine, with none of the hyperbole that usually messes up Hollywood biopics.

If you can remember the very first episode of the first series, Lady Mary Grantham (Michelle Dockery) was caught in a compromising situation with a ship that (literally) passed in the night. Well, she's up to her old tricks in the latest- and final, for now - episode. Newly divorced, she is shunned by London society and shocks the audience (you and me) by having a drunken one-night stand which is not likely to end at the altar. (Things are a bit different now: trampiness is more of an accolade than an obstacle.)

Restoring Mary's position in London and the country seat is the central plank of the story, together with a general handing over of the reins. Daisy is taking over as cook as Mrs Patmore retires. Andy the valet is the new butler, with Carson finding a new role in the local community and Barrow enjoying life as movie-star Guy Dexter's PA/lover. And his lordship (Hugh Bonneville) is trying to let go the running of Downton Abbey.

As in the previous movies, all our favourites are back. Everybody gets a piece of the action. Dame Maggie and Dan Stevens and Mary's dead sister are all shoe-horned into a flashback. Noel Coward has a (slightly too large) guest role, brilliantly captured by Arty Froushan.

The Upstairs and Downstairs occupants of Downton are people we have taken to our hearts, and Julian Fellowes's screenplay once again does them all proud. Despite the ominous title and all the bowings out, I think we can hope that there will be DOWNTON THE RETURN in a few years; opening the house to day visitors is an obvious next step. As a superior soap-opera DOWNTON is very close to the perfection of JEWEL IN THE CROWN and BRIDESHEAD REVISITED, the twin pinnacles of this kind of gem-quality entertainment. High praise to everybody involved.

Gillian Anderson, shorn of make-up, gives a powerful raw performance as Gaynor, and Jason Isaacs is on equally fine form. With mostly hand-held cameras the film is fully immersive, making you feel as if you're rambling in this glorious landscape/seascape with them through weather that is not always glorious.

Like previous road-trip movies, this is full of the feel-good factor with moments of the feel-sad factor to break the mood. Anderson and Isaacs set out to milk every ounce of sympathy from you, and you are meant to emerge from this picture feeling that your life has been affirmed as well as theirs. I hugely enjoyed all the ups and downs of the coastal hike.