Macbeth

Audience Reviews

View More (91)

Andy F I have seen many versions of Macbeth but this is the most dramatic and compelling. Very dark and with incredible performances. When you read the story of how this film was made, it's all the more remarkable. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/09/25 Full Review Paul K Orson Welles Macbeth is a dark macabre affair, Shakespeare as gothic horror. The angles used and framing of scenes is highly dramatic. This is the best filmed Macbeth and one of the best Shakespeare film adaptions ever made. A film rich in atmosphere and truly terrifying. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/29/25 Full Review s r I saw this after seeing the Tragedy of Macbeth from 2021 and the differences were stark. This was much more brooding and dark, but it still packed a cave goblin like punch at times. I felt there was more of a focus on Scotland and Macbeth. Perhaps it was Welles' ego? Regardless, it had moments, like Lady Macbeth and the outrageous viking like costumes / crowns. It was on youtube. Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review William L Weird crown, but okay. With any adaptation of a major literary work, the question inevitably becomes one of faithfulness vs. originality; virtually no subject matter receives more scrutiny that Shakespeare, with its long tradition of theatrical and cinematic versions alike and its retinue of purists who would scream in agony if minor grammatical alterations were made (which is funny given the major disparities in many plays published in early individual quartos vs. the First Folio). Into this dangerous territory walked Orson Welles, with a minor budget, recycled sets, off-the-rack costumes, and a shooting schedule of barely more than three weeks. What he came up with was subjected to forced alterations and was still lambasted, largely due to comparison to the Olivier Hamlet that was circulating at the same time. But its reputation has grown with time, with recognition given to the cinematography, Welles' maddened performance, and even to the changes made to the narrative to accomodate the medium. While it doesn't quite approach the style of Welles' adaptation of Othello, nor the power of his Chimes at Midnight, Macbeth is still quite impressive particularly given its practical production limitations. Half-convinced that the production team behind The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021) reviewed this Welles adaptation and had it in mind when casting Harry Melling as Macduff; Dan O'Herlihy, in the same role, bears striking similarities in his facial features. (3.5/5) Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 06/27/22 Full Review Audience Member Without being too daring but being very personal, Welles' 'Macbeth' is a highly honourable adaptation of the play made by an expert. Its rustic, frightening, supernatural atmosphere beautifully fits the play, and Welles interprets a diabolical Macbeth. Furthermore, the budget constraints of the film do not only seem to make it suffer, they also seem to participate to its rough, wild style. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/13/23 Full Review Audience Member http://filmreviewsnsuch.blogspot.com/2016/08/welles-bard-trilogy-macbeth-othello.html Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/25/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Macbeth

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW