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IMDbPro

Villain

  • 19711971
  • RR
  • 1h 38m
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
1.8K
YOUR RATING
Richard Burton in Villain (1971)
In 1970s London, Scotland Yard orchestrates the downfall of mob boss Vic Dakin after he crosses the line by blackmailing Members of Parliament.
Play trailer2:44
1 Video
44 Photos
CrimeDramaThriller
In 1970s London, Scotland Yard orchestrates the downfall of mob boss Vic Dakin after he crosses the line by blackmailing Members of Parliament.In 1970s London, Scotland Yard orchestrates the downfall of mob boss Vic Dakin after he crosses the line by blackmailing Members of Parliament.In 1970s London, Scotland Yard orchestrates the downfall of mob boss Vic Dakin after he crosses the line by blackmailing Members of Parliament.
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
1.8K
YOUR RATING
    • Michael Tuchner
  • Writers
    • Dick Clement(screenplay)
    • Ian La Frenais(screenplay)
    • Al Lettieri(adaptation)
  • Stars
    • Richard Burton
    • Ian McShane
    • Nigel Davenport
    • Michael Tuchner
  • Writers
    • Dick Clement(screenplay)
    • Ian La Frenais(screenplay)
    • Al Lettieri(adaptation)
  • Stars
    • Richard Burton
    • Ian McShane
    • Nigel Davenport
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 66User reviews
    • 30Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 2:44
    Watch Trailer

    Photos44

    Richard Burton in Villain (1971)
    Richard Burton in Villain (1971)
    Richard Burton, John Hallam, Del Henney, and T.P. McKenna in Villain (1971)
    Elizabeth Knight in Villain (1971)
    Fiona Lewis and Ian McShane in Villain (1971)
    Richard Burton and Ian McShane in Villain (1971)
    Richard Burton in Villain (1971)
    Villain (1971)
    Richard Burton in Villain (1971)
    Fiona Lewis and Ian McShane in Villain (1971)
    Richard Burton in Villain (1971)
    Richard Burton in Villain (1971)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Richard Burton
    Richard Burton
    • Vic Dakin
    Ian McShane
    Ian McShane
    • Wolfe Lissner
    Nigel Davenport
    Nigel Davenport
    • Bob Matthews
    Donald Sinden
    Donald Sinden
    • Gerald Draycott
    Fiona Lewis
    Fiona Lewis
    • Venetia
    T.P. McKenna
    T.P. McKenna
    • Frank Fletcher
    Joss Ackland
    Joss Ackland
    • Edgar Lowis
    Cathleen Nesbitt
    Cathleen Nesbitt
    • Mrs. Dakin
    Elizabeth Knight
    Elizabeth Knight
    • Patti
    Colin Welland
    Colin Welland
    • Tom Binney
    Tony Selby
    Tony Selby
    • Duncan
    John Hallam
    John Hallam
    • Terry
    Del Henney
    • Webb
    Ben Howard
    Ben Howard
    • Henry
    James Cossins
    James Cossins
    • Brown
    Anthony Sagar
    • Danny
    Clive Francis
    Clive Francis
    • Vivian
    Stephen Sheppard
    • Benny Thompson
      • Michael Tuchner
    • Writers
      • Dick Clement(screenplay)
      • Ian La Frenais(screenplay)
      • Al Lettieri(adaptation)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      A sex scene between Richard Burton and Ian McShane was cut from the original theatrical release.
    • Goofs
      There is a clear overdub when Wolfe and Venetia arrive at the country house for the party. As they are walking up the drive they both survey the front of the mansion. Wolfe describes the house as, "fit for a king". Venetia responds, "I bet the bathrooms are freezing", but if you watch her mouth movements closely, she actually completes Wolfe's sentence with the phrase , "or queen" .
    • Quotes

      [last lines]

      [Vic Dakin has shot and killed Edgar Lowis because he thinks he has betrayed him. He tries to run but realizes that the police have got the place surrounded so he walks up to Inspector Matthews and throws down his gun]

      Bob Matthews: See them?

      [camera shows shots of various onlookers]

      Bob Matthews: And them. And them. You can't put the frighteners on *all* of them. Not all the time.

      Vic Dakin: Why not?

      Bob Matthews: You call 'em punters. We call 'em witnesses.

      Vic Dakin: You know, if I looked at one of them, they'd piss in their pants. Because I'm Vic Dakin.

      Bob Matthews: Used to be.

      Vic Dakin: And who are you? What do *you* do? Keeping Britain clean on thirty quid a week. Respect! Respect! You don't know what it is. Unless you're Vic Dakin. Tell 'im, someone, tell 'im.

      [no-one says anything to support Vic]

      Vic Dakin: A hundred witnesses. But only twelve men on the jury. You remember that. Only twelve men on the jury.

      [more shots of various onlookers and policemen, none of them looking scared]

      Vic Dakin: [shouting angrily at the onlookers] Who are you looking at?

    • Connections
      Featured in A Bit of Scarlet (1997)

    User reviews66

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    A bit too talky for its own good
    The Leonard Maltin movie guide described this movie as being "nasty" and "stomach-churning". Actually, by today's standards, the level of violence on display here you could probably easily get away with on prime time network television. Anyway, the tame by today's standards violence wasn't an issue with me. The main problem is with the script. The movie starts off fairly well, but quickly becomes very slow and talky, and the dialogue isn't particularly colorful or interesting to grab the viewer. (This problem can be found with a lot of other British movies this age or older.) As for Richard Burton, while his performance here is not one of his worst, it's also not one of his better ones. One problem for him might have been the fact that his character's appearances are somewhat less in number than you might think. This is not an awful movie, but for the most part it's kind of bland and forgettable. If you want to see an early 1970s British crime drama, I would suggest you watch the 1971 Michael Caine movie "Get Carter" instead.
    helpful•7
    2
    • Wizard-8
    • Mar 12, 2017

    Details

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    • Release date
      • September 19, 1971 (United Kingdom)
      • United Kingdom
      • English
      • French
    • Also known as
    • Filming locations
      • Ellesfield Avenue, Southern Industrial Estate, Bracknell, Berkshire, England, UK
    • Production companies
      • Anglo-EMI
      • Kastner/Ladd/Kanter
      • Atlantic United Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • 1 hour 38 minutes
      • Mono

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