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.

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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 pri... 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 pri... 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 pri... 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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Quotes from

A Holy Father: God's benison go with you. And with those that would make good of bad, and friends of foes.


Macbeth: Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, creeps in this petty pace from day to day; to the last syllable of recorded time; and all our yesterdays have lighted fools the way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow; a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more. It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.


Macbeth: Arm, arm, and out! There is no flying hence, nor tarrying here. I 'gin to be a-weary of the sun, And wish the estate of the world Were now undone. Ring the alarum bell! Blow, wind, come wrack! At least we'll die with harness on our back!


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Facts about

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.
Judith Anderson, who had achieved great personal success as Lady Macbeth onstage opposite Maurice Evans, was one of the few actresses that Orson Welles did not test for the role. He wanted a seductive Lady Macbeth, and tried to get Vivien Leigh for the role, but Laurence Olivier, Leigh's then-husband, refused permission.
The dialog was pre-recorded, leaving the actors to mime their lines.
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Also directed by Orson Welles




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Also released in 1948




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