They say there is a superstition in British theaters, not to call Shakespeare’s tragedy Macbeth by its name, but as “this play” or “Scottish play,” because the plot is too terrifying. It will be reminded that this is a story of Scottish thane Macbeth who, after receiving the prophecy that he will become the king, gets this power and then keeps it, using all means. The most terrible thing, the transformation of a kind and respected man into a bloodthirsty beast, is shown by Shakespeare in a very convincing manner.
The ill fame did not prevent the directors of mostly English-speaking countries to screen the play on a regular basis. Eight screen versions were released in the time of silent films. In 1948, legendary Orson Welles made the first feature film based on the play. Let alone the television and silent productions, new Macbeth (directed by Justin Kurzel, Great Britain) is the ninth screening.
Usually Macbeth is interpreted as a drama about power abuse. Kurzel sticks to this line, too. In the finale Banquo’s son, a young boy, who receives the same prophecy, picks up Macbeth’s sword.
The main hero is played by one of the leading British-Hollywood stars, Michael Fassbender, Lady Macbeth is played by French Marion Cotillard, a winner of the Academy Award. However, no matter how famous the actor is, he can do little, if the director doesn’t set worthy tasks.
Kurzel seeks to recreate the atmosphere of an epic drama with the decorations of the conditional Middle Ages. The scenes show a lot of splendid mountain landscapes, the clothes and interiors are simple and dark. However, the visual atmosphere serves only as a framework for characters. Unfortunately, all the passions are on the surface – in melodramatic ruffs of artificial tears. Fassbender at the very beginning puts on his face a courageous-gloomy expression, which is so unchangeable that it is not clear where the metamorphosis that happened to the hero come from, and who is the person he plays: a power-loving one, a mad person, a confused man, or anyone else? And what is his problem? Most of the actors were contaminated with the disease of poor performance. The only one who looks more or less natural in the film is Marion Cotillard, but even she from time to time becomes sentimental, a quality absolutely unnecessary for her character.
The problems with the film seem to result from the director’s desire to impress the audience with external effect, in a most direct way: hence the absolutely unclear scenes like burning the Birnam Wood (though the forest, according to the original source, is supposed to approach to the castle), and these monotonous dialogs of a TV series level. In Roman Polanski’s classical screening (1971), which is a costumed drama as well, the main character undergoes impressive changes, and it is interesting to follow him.
Generally, Kurzel is not the only director who failed to screen Macbeth in a good way. The “Scottish play” is not lucky for screenings. Over the past 50 years no national film industry has managed to create Macbeth, which would be equal or close in level to Polanski or Akira Kurosawa’s works (his version is called Throne of Blood and is shot in the style of Noh theater).
Could it be really a curse?
