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The Tragedy of Macbeth
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The Tragedy of Macbeth (1971)

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User Rating: 7.5/10 (3,176 votes)
Photos (see all 18 | slideshow)

Overview

Director:
Roman Polanski
Writers:
William Shakespeare (play) and
Roman Polanski (writer)
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Release Date:
13 October 1971 (USA) more
Genre:
Drama more
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
Awards:
Won BAFTA Film Award. Another 1 win & 1 nomination more
User Comments:
Very surprising, and competently made film more

Cast

 (Cast overview, first billed only)
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Macbeth (USA)
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Runtime:
140 min
Country:
UK | USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono
Certification:
Australia:M | South Korea:15 | Netherlands:16 | 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
MOVIEmeter: ?
^ 5% since last week why?
Company:
Caliban Films more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Richard Vetter's TODD-AO 35 lenses won an Academy Award for reducing anamorphic distortion in close-ups. Vetter also designed the D-150 process used in Patton (1970). 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:
Three Witches: Fair is foul and foul is fair, hover through the fog and filthy air. more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in The Story of 'Frenzy' (2001) (V) more

FAQ

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16 out of 18 people found the following comment useful:-
Very surprising, and competently made film, 5 September 2003
Author: quixoboy from Ottawa, Ontario

I remember watching this film in my Grade 11 English class when we were studying William Shakespeare's "Macbeth". Reading the story a couple of times, I rather enjoyed the classic tale to a degree. Whether or not it would convincingly translate to film, I, along with my class, was about to find out...with Roman Polanski's 1971 film adaptation, also produced by - HUGH HEFNER?!? As strangely amusing as the "Playboy" credit seemed in the opening credits, we were prepared for a very interesting take on the famous, violent play.

Shakespearean tragedies/comedies being translated to film are nothing new, of course. There have been some clear hits and misses over the decades - but fortunately, "Macbeth" does not fall into that latter "miss" category, for it is a tremendously underrated, very surprising, and overall competently made film. Roman Polanski is an excellent director here, and the acting, music, and effects (some of which - particularly the "dagger/murder" sequence - perversely amused my fellow classmates, who are obviously jaded by today's overblown, unsubtle, effects-laden "dramas") worked well for me. As well, the graphic violent and sexual nature of the film (which was also sometimes entertaining to the class, sadly) shocked me quite a bit. Of course, for a film made in 1971, Polanski's "Macbeth" isn't exactly "tame", if you will. Apparently it was rated X at the time, when the notorious film rating existed. I'm not sure if that's true or not, but it clearly wouldn't be surprising if it were, especially considering how intense this film can get - both physically and psychologically. It works extremely well as an old-fashioned action-packed thriller, and even to someone who knew the story fairly well, it was an exciting little soap opera to behold. The class really enjoyed it as well, I'm glad to say; even for all its "old" qualities (i.e. the twangy psychadelic-sounding music that plays upon the closing credits) it still achieved a certain charm that was impossible to deny.

One of the most impressive and enjoyable Shakespearean films I have ever seen, "Macbeth" deserves much more acclaim than scorn - for it is well-made, and enormously faithful to its original source, capturing all the details of ol' Scotland and its inhabitants with great care. It's a wonderful treat. Highly recommended.

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