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The Tragedy of Macbeth
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The Tragedy of Macbeth (1971) More at IMDbPro »


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Overview

User Rating:
7.5/10   4,170 votes
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Director:
Writers:
Contact:
View company contact information for Macbeth on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
13 October 1971 (USA) more
Genre:
Plot:
A ruthlessly ambitious Scottish lord siezes the throne with the help of his scheming wife and a trio of witches. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
Won BAFTA Film Award. Another 1 win & 1 nomination more
User Comments:
Medieval accuracy, good Shakespeare more (122 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Additional Details

Also Known As:
Macbeth (USA)
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Runtime:
140 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
Australia:M | Netherlands:16 | South Korea:15 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 (video rating) (1985) | UK:AA (original rating) | USA:R | West Germany:16 | Canada:14A (Alberta) (re-rating) (1999) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:PG (Manitoba) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) (DVD rating) | Finland:K-15 (2002) (DVD rating) | Finland:K-16 (1972) (cut version) | Singapore:PG
Company:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
In her memoirs Marianne Faithfull recalls screen testing for the role of Lady Macbeth at the request of Roman Polanski. However when her heroin use became obvious to Polanski during the test she lost the role. more
Goofs:
Revealing mistakes: When Macbeth dines after Banquo's death, time freezes for 5-10 seconds as Macbeth sees Banquo's ghost sitting at the table. This is achieved by the other actors freezing in place until Macbeth drops his chalice. During the time freeze, a man sitting at the table and facing the camera blinks his eyes. more
Quotes:
Macbeth: LIAR AND SLAVE! more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Jim and the Infidels (2008) more

FAQ

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32 out of 34 people found the following comment useful.
Medieval accuracy, good Shakespeare, 31 December 2004
10/10
Author: gerlynga from Longmeadow, MA

A few years after this was released in the USA, I convinced my high school English teacher to take our class to see it. (In the days before videos & vcr's, this involved renting a theater and print.) I was glad I did. It is certainly the most real and immediate filmed version of the play. The sets, costumes (or lack thereof), and casting all work to create an accurate depiction of "nasty, brutal, and short" 11th century life. And of course, there is the wonderful insight of Shakespeare's language to engage our modern sensibilities.

One can only thank Polanski for casting such relatively young actors as his leads. Kings lived and died young then, and had to be both excellent generals as well as administrators to succeed. Jon Finch is both athletic and impassioned enough to carry off the soldiering, and young and introspective enough to be moved by his wife both as a woman and co-conspirator. Of course Francesca Annis made a splash by doing the mad scene in the nude--but in medieval times, everyone slept in the nude, so it was certainly accurate to the times.

And as has been noted before, at least the castle keeps are cold, dark, and dirty. The communal sleeping arrangements, straw bedding, flaring smoky torches, seeping walls, and muddy yards all contribute to the historical accuracy of this production. The exterior of Bamburgh also works. And keeping with Shakespeare's light vs. dark metaphors, the mist, rain, and lowering skies combine to enhance the mood.

What happens in this "Macbeth" is as realistic as possible. So what happens offstage in the play, happens onstage in the film: the murders of Duncan, Banquo, Macduff's family. Murder is nasty and bloody and Polanski (having much experience of its results) makes sure we know it. Medieval Scotland was nasty and bloody as well, and if the film is accurate in depicting its setting, why not the action? And only Polanski has an ending that hints that violence and ambition didn't die with Macbeth's overthrow. All said, Polanski's film still has the most accurate medieval setting, engaging performance(s), and thrilling battles.

PS. For those interested in the real historical Macbeth, read Dorothy Dunnett's excellent biographical novel "King Hereafter". Dunnett is world renowned for her historical accuracy, and did much research to create not only a very plausible rendition, but a thoroughly interesting and entertaining story as well.

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The Third Murderer? surferguy_7
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Kinda makes me think of Scarface(**SPOILERS FOR BOTH FILMS**) South_Side_Dub
Lady Macbeth hina_elena
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