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Macbeth
1971 141 min United Kingdom, United States of America R 12+
★7.5
War, Drama
Director: Roman Polanski
🎭 Based on
«Macbeth»
byWilliam Shakespeare
Trailers
EN
EN
Description
Scotland, 11th century. Driven by the twisted prophecy of three witches and the ruthless ambition of his wife, warlord Macbeth, bold and brave, but also weak and hesitant, betrays his good king and his brothers in arms and sinks into the bloody mud of a path with no return, sown with crime and suspicion.
Budget:
$2.4M
Worldwide:
$1M
Starring
Jon Finch
Actor
Francesca Annis
Actor
Martin Shaw
Actor
Awards
BAFTA 1973
— Best Costume Design
BAFTA 1973
— Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music
Key opinion
Roman Polanski’s 1971 adaptation of Macbeth is widely regarded as a stark, visceral, and deeply personal interpretation that draws heavily from the director's own trauma. While critics are polarized by its brutal naturalism and the casting of the leads, the film is largely praised for its atmospheric power and its unique ability to strip away theatrical artifice in favor of a gritty, medieval reality.
| Theme | The film effectively infuses the classic source material with the director's raw, personal trauma following the murder of Sharon Tate, lending the narrative a haunting, existential weight. | |
| Production | The production favors stark, gritty naturalism over traditional stage-bound theatricality, creating an immersive atmosphere of grime and pervasive dread. | |
| Adaptation | Polanski’s decision to prioritize visual storytelling over the original Shakespearean text allows the film to function as a dark, visceral folk tale. | |
| Acting | Opinions on the lead performances are divided, with some viewers finding John Finch and Francesca Annis compellingly sincere, while others dismiss them as one-dimensional or prone to unintentional parody. | |
| Theme | The graphic, unflinching depiction of violence is praised by some as authentic and necessary to the tone, but criticized by others as overly brutal and gratuitous. |