Shakespeare in Performance: Film
Macbeth (1948, Orson Welles)
| Title | Macbeth |
|---|---|
| Year | 1948 |
| Release Locations | USA |
| Director | Orson Welles |
| Medium | Black & white video |
| Length | 1 hrs, 29 mins |
| Audience | college and university |
| Play Connections | Macbeth (adaptation) |
Description
Since the sound track for this film, originally made in 23 days shooting time on a low budget, was re-recorded over a period of three years, the exact date of release depends on whether one is speaking of the original or revised version. The running time of the revised version is generally given as 86 minutes, though the initial cut supposedly ran 105 minutes. Welles himself described this hastily made film as 'a violently sketched charcoal drawing of a great play' (Manvell, SATF 59) and, as one might expect, the result was fair game for the critics who seemed to take a special joy in attacking this talented but vulnerable filmmaker. A major departure from the Shakespearean text, which brought in obtrusively Christian elements to suggest a mighty struggle between forces of Good and Evil, aroused much scorn. His famous "Voodoo" Macbeth, produced in Harlem on stage antecdent to the film, should have prepared audiences for something so typically Wellsian. Moreover, as Richard Wilson has shown, Welles's Macbeth at the Utah Centennial Festival as a rehearsal for his "surreal" film somewhat compensated for the brief shooting schedule
Description from Shakespeare on Screen : an International Filmography and Videography by Kenneth S. Rothwell and Annabelle Henkin Melzer. ©1990 Kenneth S. Rothwell. Cited by permission. — Added 2008-11-14
Cast Overview
Production Team and Crew Overview
Production information courtesy of: Kenneth Rothwell