The Tragedy of Macbeth (1971)

Director:

Roman Polanski

Writers:

William Shakespeare (play) and
Roman Polanski (writer)

Release Date:

13 October 1971 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A ruthlessly ambitious Scottish lord siezes the throne with the help of his scheming wife and a trio of witches.

Plot Keywords:

Tragic Love | Futility | England | Sword Wound | Marriage

Awards:

Won BAFTA Film Award. Another 1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Jon Finch	...	Macbeth
Francesca Annis	...	Lady Macbeth
Martin Shaw	...	Banquo
Terence Bayler	...	Macduff
John Stride	...	Ross
Nicholas Selby	...	Duncan
Stephan Chase	...	Malcolm
Paul Shelley	...	Donalbain
Maisie MacFarquhar	...	First Witch
Elsie Taylor	...	Second Witch
Noelle Rimmington	...	Third Witch
Noel Davis	...	Seyton
Sydney Bromley	...	Porter
Richard Pearson	...	Doctor
Patricia Mason	...	Gentlewoman

Also Known As:

Macbeth (USA)

Runtime:

140 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

South Korea:15 | Netherlands:16 | Australia:M | 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

Filming Locations:

Bamburgh Castle, Bamburgh, Northumberland, England, UK

Company:

Caliban Films

Trivia:

When crew members suggested to Roman Polanski that perhaps the film was too unrealistically gory for its own good, Polanski reportedly replied, "I know violence. You should've seen my house last summer."

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The lyrics to the song that Fleance sings at Macbeth's banquet for Duncan at Inverness are taken from the poem "Merciles Beautè" by Geoffrey Chaucer. In the context of the film this extraneously inserted song is itself an anachronism, as Chaucer lived in the fourteenth century and Shakespeare's "Macbeth" historically takes place in the eleventh century.

Quotes:

Malcolm: Nothing in his life became him like the leaving it.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Story of 'Frenzy' (2001) (V)

Strong stuff

I first saw this with my English class on a school trip, in 1980. I remember thinking at the time that its violence and horror was a bit much. I can't say for certain that Polanski was influenced by the murder of Sharon Tate in making this, but it is certainly possible. There is also the film's unrelieved pessimism - the death of the main villain does not mean the end of evil. The most repulsive character in a picture full of repulsive characters is actually Ross (Stride), an opportunist who manages to be on the side of whoever is most powerful at any given moment. He walks out of McDuff's castle just before McDuff's wife and family are murdered, and it is obvious that he is in on it. But later he is part of Malcolm's avenging army. A quick political reorientation, it seems.