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.
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A private user reviewed Macbeth (1971)
Bloody Murder
Excellent execution of the tragedy. Actors were not annoying. Could have done without the 70's nudity.
A private user reviewed Macbeth (1971)
The Scottish Play Rough
If persistent gruesome calamities challenged 1971 censors, they never threaten to drown out the mesmerizing catharsis of Shakespeare's play. Nor do the vast landscapes and masonry of medieval Scotland achieve anything less than a monumental translation of Shakespeare to screen. Some of the nudity, though contextually feasible, does date the film, as do some of the distracting special effects articulations of the tragic hero's declining sanity. Riveting scenes, capped by spectacular swashbuckling flourishes. Sometimes the choice to overdub soliloquys and asides robs the highly-skilled principles of delivering a complete Bardian performance.