As Reverend Shannon, a disgraced clergyman seeking refuge in Mexico, Burton gave John Huston’s Tennessee Williams adaptation its tormented soul.
The Night of the Iguana (1964) follows Shannon to a crumbling hotel where he meets a warm-hearted widow, played by Ava Gardner, and a free-spirited artist, played by Deborah Kerr. Burton plays Shannon’s guilt and desire with a weary honesty that makes his search for redemption feel real.
He was nominated for Best Actor, and the film remains a highlight of his 1960s work.
Image credit: Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.