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Macbeth Overview:

Macbeth (1948) was a Drama - Film Adaptation Film directed by Orson Welles and produced by Orson Welles, Charles K. Feldman and Richard Wilson.

Macbeth BlogHub Articles:

Siberian Lady Macbeth (1962)

By Beatrice on Sep 21, 2017 From Flickers in Time

Siberian Lady Macbeth Directed by Andrzej Wajda Written by Sveta Lukic, story by Nikolai Leskov from a play by William Shakespeare 1962/Yugoslavia Avala Film First viewing/Netflix rental This is more like The Postman Always Rings Twice than Macbeth but doesn’t work all that well as either... Read full article

Criterion: Macbeth

By Aaron West on Oct 8, 2014 From Criterion Blues

Oct 8 Posted by aaronwest MACBETH, ROMAN POLANSKI, 1971 This entry will be a little different. I won’t try to establish and discuss the major themes of this work. Scholars, far smarter, more educated, and better read than I, have been exploring Shakespeare for centuries. Plenty of ink has been p... Read full article

Criterion: Macbeth

By Aaron West on Oct 8, 2014 From Criterion Blues

Oct 8 Posted by aaronwest MACBETH, ROMAN POLANSKI, 1971 This entry will be a little different. I won’t try to establish and discuss the major themes of this work. Scholars, far smarter, more educated, and better read than I, have been exploring Shakespeare for centuries. Plenty of ink has been p... Read full article

Criterion: Macbeth

By Aaron West on Oct 8, 2014 From Criterion Blues

Oct 8 Posted by aaronwest MACBETH, ROMAN POLANSKI, 1971 This entry will be a little different. I won’t try to establish and discuss the major themes of this work. Scholars, far smarter, more educated, and better read than I, have been exploring Shakespeare for centuries. Plenty of ink has been p... Read full article

Orson Welles’ Macbeth (1948)

By Judy on Sep 12, 2010 From Movie Classics

Orson Welles I’ve been meaning to write some more postings about Shakespeare films I’ve seen, but haven’t got round to it and my memories of some of them are starting to fade, so I’m going to do some brief capsule reviews instead of my usual epics – I’m looking to... Read full article

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Macbeth Quotes:

Lady Macbeth: [during Macbeth's strange behavior at the banquet] This is the very painting of your fear. This is the air-drawn dagger which you said led you to Duncan.
Macbeth: I have liv'd long enough: my way of life is fall'n into the sear, the yellow leaf; And that which should accompany old age, As honour, love, obedience, troops of friends, I must not look to have; but, in their stead, Curses, not loud but deep, mouth-honor, breath, Which the poor heart would fain deny, and dare not.
Macduff: Stands Scotland where it did?
A Holy Father: Alas, poor country, almost afraid to know itself. It cannot be called our mother, but our grave...
A Holy Father: And when we have our naked frailties hid / That suffer in exposure, let's meet / To question this most bloody piece of work, to know it further.
Macduff: In the great hand of God, I stand.
Banquo: And I. So, all.
Lady Macduff: By the clock, 'tis day, And yet dark night strangles the travelling lamp: Is't night's predominance, or the day's shame, That darkness does the face of earth entomb, when living light should kiss it?
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Macbeth Facts
Orson Welles assigned some of the lines spoken by characters in the play to different characters in the film. He invented the character "A Holy Father" for the film to emphasize what he believed was the struggle between religion and witchcraft in the play, and many of Ross' lines in the play are spoken by the Holy Father. The very minor character of the Old Man was omitted from the film, and his lines were also given to the Holy Father. Welles also gave Lady Macduff an extra speech which William Shakespeare had assigned to another character.
Laurence Olivier wanted to follow up The Chronicle History of King Henry the Fift with His Battell Fought at Agincourt in France with a film version of "Macbeth", but decided against it because Orson Welles version would reach theaters first. Olivier opted to make his film of Hamlet instead, which went on to win him Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Actor.
Jeanette Nolan's film debut.
The dialog was pre-recorded, leaving the actors to mime their lines.
One of the witches is played by Brainerd Duffield, a man. Some sources mistakenly credit Charles Lederer in the role.
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