Equus (1977)

In Sidney Lumet's cinematic adaptation of Peter Shaffer's psychological drama Equus, Richard Burton must portray a psychiatrist who has lost faith in himself. He is a hollowed-out man in a stultifying marriage who no longer believes that his work with severely troubled teenagers does any good whatsoever. He is savvy enough to understand what is happening to him, but is still unable to rouse himself out of his malaise. Burton inhabits this character with such sadness and such self-directed anger that it is easy to see why many people consider this his last great performance. Shaffer's screenplay allows Burton to have a handful of very showy monologues presented by Lumet directly into the camera and a series of more subtle exchanges with the troubled young man played by Peter Firth. Burton's face, which was showing the effects of years of heavy alcohol use, looks heavy and it gives the performance a gravitas that dominates the drama -- so much so that it is easy to forget about Firth's patient when he is offscreen. More than most directors, Lumet has a knack for bringing stage material to the screen. He respects the theatrical aspects of the piece, while still making it cinematic. His skills do not fail him here. In an opening flash-forward, Lumet allows the audience to see how distraught Burton's character will become before he reveals the patient. And the horses are gloriously photographed, as if the audience is allowed to see them as Firth's character does. Equus is an accomplished piece of no-frills filmmaking, elevated by an outstanding lead performance. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide