The Tragedy of Macbeth (1971)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Director:

Roman Polanski

Writers:

William Shakespeare (play) and
Roman Polanski (writer)
(more)

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:

Existentialism | Tragic Love | England | Sword Wound | Rise And Fall

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
Michael Balfour	...	First Murderer
Andrew McCulloch	...	Second Murderer
Keith Chegwin	...	Fleance
Andrew Laurence	...	Lennox
Bernard Archard	...	Angus
Bruce Purchase	...	Caithness
Frank Wylie	...	Menteith
Diane Fletcher	...	Lady Macduff
Mark Dightam	...	Macduff's Son
Bill Drysdale	...	King's Groom
Roy Jones	...	King's Groom
Vic Abbott	...	Cowdor
Ian Hogg	...	First Thane
Geoffrey Reed	...	Second Thane
Nigel Ashton	...	Third Thane
William Hobbs	...	Young Seyward
Alf Joint	...	Old Seyward
Paul Hennen	...	Doctor's Apprentice
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Olga Anthony	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Roy Desmond	...	Dancer (uncredited)
David Ellison	...	Old Soldier (uncredited)
Pamela Foster	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Clement Freud	...	Hanging Man (uncredited)
John Gordon	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Barbara Ann Grimes	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Aud Johansen	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Janie Kells	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Howard Lang	...	Old Soldier (uncredited)
Dickie Martyn	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Terence Mountain	...	Soldier (uncredited)
Beth Owen	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Christina Paul	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Lynette Reade	...	A witch (uncredited)
Maxine Skelton	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Don Vernon	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Anna Willoughby	...	Dancer (uncredited)

Directed by
Roman Polanski

Writing credits
William Shakespeare		(play)
Roman Polanski		writer
Kenneth Tynan		writer

Produced by
Andrew Braunsberg	....	producer
Timothy Burrill	....	associate producer
Hugh M. Hefner	....	executive producer
Victor Lownes	....	assistant executive producer

Original Music by
The Third Ear Band

Cinematography by
Gilbert Taylor		(as Gil Taylor)

Film Editing by
Alastair McIntyre

Casting by
Miriam Brickman

Production Design by
Wilfred Shingleton		(as Wilfrid Shingleton)

Art Direction by
Fred Carter

Set Decoration by
Bryan Graves

Costume Design by
Anthony Mendleson

Makeup Department
Biddy Chrystal	....	chief hair stylist
Tom Smith	....	key makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Hercules Bellville	....	second unit director
Simon Relph	....	first assistant director
Michael Green	....	third assistant director (uncredited)
Nigel Wooll	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Jack Stephens	....	assistant art director
Kenneth Tynan	....	artistic advisor

Sound Department
Jonathan Bates	....	dubbing editor
Simon Kaye	....	sound mixer
Nolan Roberts	....	dubbing mixer
John Ireland	....	dialogue editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Ted Samuels	....	special effects

Stunts
Ken Buckle	....	stunts (uncredited)
Russ Jones	....	stunt double: broadsword (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Alec Mills	....	camera operator
Maurice Gillett	....	gaffer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jackie Breed	....	wardrobe
Philippe Pickford	....	wardrobe (as Phil Pickford)

Other crew
Angela Allen	....	continuity
Sally Gilpin	....	choreographer
William Hobbs	....	fight director
David W. Orton	....	production advisor
Jeremy Taylor	....	horse master
Richard Vetter	....	process consultant

Production Companies

• Caliban Films
• Playboy Productions

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1971) (USA) (theatrical)

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:

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

Filming Locations:

Bamburgh Castle, Bamburgh, Northumberland, England, UK

Company:

Caliban Films

Trivia:

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.

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:

Blind Witch: By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes!

Movie Connections:

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

Very surprising, and competently made film

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.