Macbeth movies are relatively few in number compared to film treatments of other plays by Shakespeare. Still, the best Macbeth movies are so good they could make you forget the curse that keeps superstitious actors from speaking the name of the Scottish play. These are 5 of the best Macbeth films including one that never got made.
Macbeth (1948) Directed by Orson Welles
This best Macbeth film got off to a rocky start thanks to Orson Welle's difficult reputation. It was shot in just 21 days with a budget of $700,000, and the dialog was pre-recorded so the actors had to mime along. The opening was a disaster but it's finally gotten the recognition it deserves. Look for dramatic camera angles and Welle's distinctive voice as Macbeth himself. Even though the setting is pretty much a bunch of rocks, it has a stylized effect.
Throne of Blood (1956) Directed by Akira Kurosawa
Kurosawa fuses Noh theatre and cinema in transposing Shakespeare's play to 15th century Japan and its civil wars. In the absence of Shakespearean dialog, the poetry is conveyed by the foggy landscape and the actor's facial expressions. Some of the best scenes are the march of the Cobweb Forest and the final hail of arrows.
Macbeth (1971) Directed by Roman Polanski
It's hard to believe how controversial this movie once was for its sensationalistic violence. There's one decapitation but it now looks tame compared to primetime TV. The film is a brilliant interpretation that sticks to the script, but makes the unhappy couple seems as crude as any Jerry Springer guest rather than the usual view of their honor being corrupted by ambition.
Macbeth (1978) Directed by Trevor Nunn
This best Macbeth movie is actually a TV broadcast of a Royal Shakespeare Company's stage production. The bad news is that it makes you desperately want to see Judi Dench and Ian McKellen do it live. The good news is that the camera stays on them close-up for a riveting experience of their unmatchable performances.
The Best Macbeth Movie That Never Got Made
And then there's the one that got away. If you've loved Laurence Olivier's Shakespeare movies including Hamlet, Richard III, and Henry V, you may have wondered why there's no Macbeth. According to IMDb, Olivier decided to do Hamlet because Welles beat him to Macbeth. Later, producer Michael Todd approached Olivier about doing a film treatment of the Scottish play but plans fell through when Todd died in 1958. Hey, maybe the best Macbeth movies are a bit cursed after all.