Richard Burton and Joan Plowright are great in this filmed version of Shaffer's play - Burton's voice alone usually is enough for any film. But Equus is sabotaged by the nonsense dialog coming out sporadically from both Firth (playing the boy accused of blinding six horses) and Burton himself (who even at one point talks to the camera, announcing '...however, I'm not making any sense').
While the much discussed nudity can be a bit uncomfortable, it is not gratuitous at least. And the overall acting from all is excellent, particularly the actor playing the boy's father, and Jenny Agutter, playing Firth's friend who aspires to be more. But all this 'equus born of nexus, son of sweatus...god of the jingle jangle' or whatever, and the other pycho-babble occasionally spouted by Burton's character, truly keeps this film from ever being called an all-time classic. All in all a film that hasn't age well.
While the much discussed nudity can be a bit uncomfortable, it is not gratuitous at least. And the overall acting from all is excellent, particularly the actor playing the boy's father, and Jenny Agutter, playing Firth's friend who aspires to be more. But all this 'equus born of nexus, son of sweatus...god of the jingle jangle' or whatever, and the other pycho-babble occasionally spouted by Burton's character, truly keeps this film from ever being called an all-time classic. All in all a film that hasn't age well.