Philosophy Now Forum

...can you name the film shown in the one minute YouTube clip of Richard Burton reciting 'The Greatest Poem in the English Language' ? The clip itself is taken from the documentary 'Richard Burton:In from the cold' - part of a 'Great Performances' series (1988).

I've tried and failed... Please take pity on me...pretty please...pleeeeez ??!!

I'm going to guess "Under Milkwood, though there is no indication of costume and only a very brief glimpse of setting.
It's the only one I'm aware of that's actually about poetics.

I was wondering - given the mention of religion at the beginning - and looking at various works in wiki - if it might not be a practice run for Burton as George Hollyoak in A Subject of Scandal and Concern - BBC Sunday Night Play (1960).

Hollyoak was a Victorian social reformer on trial for saying he doesn't believe in God. Last person in England to be tried for blasphemy.

? Should be Holyoake as described in humanism.org

I think it’s from the documentary itself and not a movie or published poem.

From what I read, Burton tells the story that he, Dylan Thomas, and someone else were having a conversation and the topic of the greatest poem arose. The words that Burton recites are Thomas’ contribution, and it sounds like he just spoke them off the cuff. Burton declared it the greatest poem.

He does a good job of selling it.

That’s all I found after a brief search. Might be true, might be false.

marjoram_blues wrote:...can you name the film shown in the one minute YouTube clip of Richard Burton reciting 'The Greatest Poem in the English Language' ? The clip itself is taken from the documentary 'Richard Burton:In from the cold' - part of a 'Great Performances' series (1988).

I've tried and failed... Please take pity on me...pretty please...pleeeeez ??!!

I didn't know he was such a ham.

They say he could move souls and hearts by reading the phone book, and that his true power emerges on the stage and not film. That's takes some ham.

That he had something personal to contribute while channeling great words certainly added to his charisma.

Walker wrote:I think it’s from the documentary itself and not a movie or published poem.

From what I read, Burton tells the story that he, Dylan Thomas, and someone else were having a conversation and the topic of the greatest poem arose. The words that Burton recites are Thomas’ contribution, and it sounds like he just spoke them off the cuff. Burton declared it the greatest poem.

He does a good job of selling it.

That’s all I found after a brief search. Might be true, might be false.

?

Well, that sounds good to me. Impressive after a 'brief' search. Where did you find it, pray tell ?

marjoram_blues wrote:...can you name the film shown in the one minute YouTube clip of Richard Burton reciting 'The Greatest Poem in the English Language' ? The clip itself is taken from the documentary 'Richard Burton:In from the cold' - part of a 'Great Performances' series (1988).

I've tried and failed... Please take pity on me...pretty please...pleeeeez ??!!

Can't you link it?
The documentary Richard Burton:In from the cold' is 2 hrs long. can you give a time?

Hobbes' Choice wrote:

marjoram_blues wrote:...can you name the film shown in the one minute YouTube clip of Richard Burton reciting 'The Greatest Poem in the English Language' ? The clip itself is taken from the documentary 'Richard Burton:In from the cold' - part of a 'Great Performances' series (1988).

I've tried and failed... Please take pity on me...pretty please...pleeeeez ??!!

Can't you link it?
The documentary Richard Burton:In from the cold' is 2 hrs long. can you give a time?

Sorry no. I would if I could but I can't.

Walker wrote:They say he could move souls and hearts by reading the phone book, and that his true power emerges on the stage and not film. That's takes some ham.

That he had something personal to contribute while channeling great words certainly added to his charisma.

A sexy ham with a beautiful voice.

Hobbes' Choice wrote:

marjoram_blues wrote:...can you name the film shown in the one minute YouTube clip of Richard Burton reciting 'The Greatest Poem in the English Language' ? The clip itself is taken from the documentary 'Richard Burton:In from the cold' - part of a 'Great Performances' series (1988).

I've tried and failed... Please take pity on me...pretty please...pleeeeez ??!!

Can't you link it?
The documentary Richard Burton:In from the cold' is 2 hrs long. can you give a time?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDNCEp8Utjo
I don't know if she means this, but I don't think it's from a film.

vegetariantaxidermy wrote:

Hobbes' Choice wrote:

marjoram_blues wrote:...can you name the film shown in the one minute YouTube clip of Richard Burton reciting 'The Greatest Poem in the English Language' ? The clip itself is taken from the documentary 'Richard Burton:In from the cold' - part of a 'Great Performances' series (1988).

I've tried and failed... Please take pity on me...pretty please...pleeeeez ??!!

Can't you link it?
The documentary Richard Burton:In from the cold' is 2 hrs long. can you give a time?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDNCEp8Utjo
I don't know if she means this, but I don't think it's from a film.

She did mean that, thanks VT.

Why not just take him at his word.

He says "I will will teach you infinities...

The greatest poem in the English language is the present tense of the verb to be... I AM.. THOU ART.

He's not reciting Dylan Thomas.

Skip wrote:I'm going to guess "Under Milkwood, though there is no indication of costume and only a very brief glimpse of setting.
It's the only one I'm aware of that's actually about poetics.

Thanks, Skip, I will have to watch or listen to 'Under Milkwood' at some point. But, as yet, I can't fit it to that.

Hobbes' Choice wrote:Why not just take him at his word.

He says "I will will teach you infinities...

The greatest poem in the English language is the present tense of the verb to be... I AM.. THOU ART.

He's not reciting Dylan Thomas.

Listen again.