Macbeth
Critique Quotes At the movies
Illustration, 1858 editionOriginal title
The Tragedie of Macbeth
Written
1603
First performed
1606
First published
1623, in Folio
Literary form
Play
Genres
Tragedy, historical drama
Writing language
English
Author's country
England
Length
Five acts, 2,392 lines, approx. 16,500 words
Paul Douglas and Ruth Roman bring Shakespeare's power couple to life and death in 1955 update Joe MacBeth.A Macbeth called Joe
Joe MacBeth (1955): Film, 90 minutes; director Ken Hughes; writer Hughes, Philip Yordan; featuring Paul Douglas, Ruth Roman, Bonar Colleano, Sid James
Surprisingly better than Orson Welles's effort is Hollywood's next take on the Scottish play. Joe MacBeth puts the characters in modern dress and sets them in the criminal underworld complete with backstabbing and machine guns.
Burly American film actor Paul Douglas, better known for his comedy roles, is the Joe of the title who murders his way to the top. He's egged on by his ambitious moll of a wife, Lily MacBeth (Ruth Roman, best known for Strangers on a Train).
The dialogue is mid-twentieth century gangster but the narrative closely parallels Shakespeare's. (Jo Nesbψ would try a similar feat with his 2018 novel Macbeth, using the plot and characters in a 1970s detective story.)
This may sound like a hopeless premise but it's amazing how well it works. The leads and all the supporting actors brilliantly bring it to life. Especially effective is British film and television stalwart Sid James, more sedate and serious than usual as MacBeth's ally, victim and haunter Banky (think Banquo).
The movie was harshly criticized at the time and it is mainly forgotten today. But it deserves to be remembered as one of the more interesting updates of a Shakespearean classic, the first in a trend that later would become all the rage.
— Eric
