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Macbeth (1948) 7.5
In fog-dripping, barren and sometimes macabre settings, 11th-century Scottish nobleman Macbeth is led by an evil prophecy and his ruthless yet desirable wife to the treasonous act that ... See full summary » Director:Orson WellesWriter:William Shakespeare (by) |
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Title: Macbeth (1948)
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Orson Welles | ... | ||
| Jeanette Nolan | ... | ||
| Dan O'Herlihy | ... | ||
| Roddy McDowall | ... | ||
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Edgar Barrier | ... | |
| Alan Napier | ... |
A Holy Father
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Erskine Sanford | ... | |
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John Dierkes | ... | |
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Keene Curtis | ... | |
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Peggy Webber | ... | |
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Lionel Braham | ... | |
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Archie Heugly | ... |
Young Siward
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Jerry Farber | ... | |
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Christopher Welles | ... |
Macduff Child
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Morgan Farley | ... | |
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Plot Summary
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Storyline
In fog-dripping, barren and sometimes macabre settings, 11th-century Scottish nobleman Macbeth is led by an evil prophecy and his ruthless yet desirable wife to the treasonous act that makes him king. But he does not enjoy his newfound, dearly-won kingship... Restructured, but all the dialogue is Shakespeare's. Written by Rod Crawford <puffinus@u.washington.edu>
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Entertainment Greatness . . . That Only Motion Picture Magic Can Bring !Parents Guide:
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Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
23 June 1950 (France) See more »Also Known As:
Macbeth - Reinado de Sangue See more »Filming Locations:
CBS Studio Center - 4024 Radford Avenue, Studio City, Los Angeles, California, USABox Office
Budget:
$75,000 (estimated)Company Credits
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IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
| (cut) | (premiere) | (restored video)Sound Mix:
Mono (RCA Sound System)Color:
Black and WhiteAspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1
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The Three Witches: Double,double,toil and trouble; fire burn, and cauldron bubble.
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Did You Know?
Trivia
The dialog was pre-recorded, leaving the actors to mime their lines. See more »Goofs
Duncan and his men renew their baptismal vows with a prayer composed by Pope Leo XIII in 1884. See more »Quotes
[first lines]The Three Witches: Double,double,toil and trouble; fire burn, and cauldron bubble.
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Welles has created a unique interpretation of Macbeth with this film. It is very dark - literally so since almost the entire film takes place at night and the fog machines were cranked up pretty high for a lot of the scenes. Perhaps this darkness befits the mood of the story, but I began to feel oppressed by it. All the running about in ill-lighted cavernous hallways produced a claustrophobic effect.
Welles emphasizes Macbeth's ambivalence in acting on his ambitions and his anguish in having done so. The influence of Lady Macbeth is particularly accentuated; in the scene where Macbeth is wavering about killing the King, Lady Macbeth effectively challenges his manhood over any thoughts of failure to do the job. Wells is effective in delivering the voiced-over soliloquies and in developing Macbeth as a tortured brooder. Jeanette Nolan as Lady Macbeth is less successful than Welles
- her "Out damned spot" scene was way over the top. It was fun to see a
twenty-year-old Roddy McDowall playing Malcomb.While there are some cinematic elements, like the escape of Fleance on horseback and the approach of Macduff and the English armies at the end, this is essentially the filming of a play. There are some interesting sets and lighting details, but there are also some cheesy sets and effects. The costumes look like they came out of some Viking movie and Macbeth's crown has all the appearance of having been fashioned for a junior high school play.
The musical score (by Jacques Ibert no less) is generic and frequently overbearing.
Going into this cold without having read the play or seen another production could be tough sledding.
Kurosawa took a lot from this Macbeth for his 1957 interpretation in "Throne of Blood." His Birnam wood scenes are almost identical to Welles'. For a more complete and accessible Macbeth, see Polanski's 1971 film. It would be interesting to see what Welles would have come up with if he had been turned loose on this with a big budget and no time constraints.