In a society kept under constant surveillance and endless war, an office drone (John Hurt) busied with editing the country's history ("he who controls the past controls the future...") sees a flicker of hope for the future during a liaison with a radical student (Suzanna Hamilton) and finds his soul and spirit thoroughly crushed after foolishly placing his trust in the hands of a beguiling party member (Richard Burton). 1984 is an excellent and unexpected adaptation of the George Orwell classic that vividly captures the hopeless desolation and replicates the muted appearance of the book. With his worn features and raspy voice, Hurt is an ideal Winston Smith and Burton delivers an eerie and commanding performance in what proved to be his last screen role.
