'Macbeth' is such a great play, one of Shakespeare's most famous, quoted and studied for good reason. That is one reason to see any film or production of it. My other main reason for seeing this 1961 'Macbeth' was for Sean Connery early on in his career (pre-stardom), such a charismatic actor with many memorable performances (including the definitive interpretation of James Bond). Wanted to see how he would fare in the difficult title role.
On the most part, he fares surprisingly well. Though it is a performance that generally is better than the production itself, which is still decent and is worth watching if one wants to be an older staging of 'Macbeth' but those that prefer to have their productions more visually appealing may want to find another production perhaps. To me, it was interesting if not a great one and Orson Welles, Roman Polanski, Akira Kurosawa as directors and also Ian McKellen with Judi Dench are a little more ideal.
Connery is one of the better things about this 'Macbeth', some occasional ill at ease moments early on aside. As has been said already, he is a more extroverted and almost more thunderous Macbeth to usual but his intense charisma even early on still shines through and brings enough nuance to the solliloquies. Zoe Caldwell matches him equally well as an imperious and at times chilling Lady Macbeth, and they are on fire in their chemistry together in especially their plotting. William Needles' Banquo is suitably noble and Ted Follows moves as Macduff.
While not being crazy on the production values overall, the use of light and shadow was highly effective. There are cuts here, which will not please those that like their adaptations/productions unabridged, but it didn't affect the story at all which was still easy to follow and flowed well. Very little disjoint here. The staging and character interaction are mostly very good, especially in the Macbeth and Lady Macbeth scenes and the scene between Macbeth, Banquo and Fleance.
The low budget does show sadly. Not the costumes but in the static video directing and the sets, which could have been effective in their minimalism but instead looked simplistic, too stark and under-budgeted. The witches' scenes all look cheap in particular. While the cuts don't affect the drama, there are simplified changes to the text that both take one out of the setting and disrupt the rhythm.
Although the lead roles are fine the more secondary roles come over as bland. Didn't like the interpretation of the witches at all, nowhere near creepy or foreboding enough and overacted which really undermines the tension and makes Macbeth's reactions to what they're saying not make much sense. Their scenes and the Banquo's ghost scene, the latter being not an easy scene to nail and have seen it done badly many times, are on the amateurish side.
Concluding, worth seeing but not one of the essential productions of 'Macbeth'. 6/10
On the most part, he fares surprisingly well. Though it is a performance that generally is better than the production itself, which is still decent and is worth watching if one wants to be an older staging of 'Macbeth' but those that prefer to have their productions more visually appealing may want to find another production perhaps. To me, it was interesting if not a great one and Orson Welles, Roman Polanski, Akira Kurosawa as directors and also Ian McKellen with Judi Dench are a little more ideal.
Connery is one of the better things about this 'Macbeth', some occasional ill at ease moments early on aside. As has been said already, he is a more extroverted and almost more thunderous Macbeth to usual but his intense charisma even early on still shines through and brings enough nuance to the solliloquies. Zoe Caldwell matches him equally well as an imperious and at times chilling Lady Macbeth, and they are on fire in their chemistry together in especially their plotting. William Needles' Banquo is suitably noble and Ted Follows moves as Macduff.
While not being crazy on the production values overall, the use of light and shadow was highly effective. There are cuts here, which will not please those that like their adaptations/productions unabridged, but it didn't affect the story at all which was still easy to follow and flowed well. Very little disjoint here. The staging and character interaction are mostly very good, especially in the Macbeth and Lady Macbeth scenes and the scene between Macbeth, Banquo and Fleance.
The low budget does show sadly. Not the costumes but in the static video directing and the sets, which could have been effective in their minimalism but instead looked simplistic, too stark and under-budgeted. The witches' scenes all look cheap in particular. While the cuts don't affect the drama, there are simplified changes to the text that both take one out of the setting and disrupt the rhythm.
Although the lead roles are fine the more secondary roles come over as bland. Didn't like the interpretation of the witches at all, nowhere near creepy or foreboding enough and overacted which really undermines the tension and makes Macbeth's reactions to what they're saying not make much sense. Their scenes and the Banquo's ghost scene, the latter being not an easy scene to nail and have seen it done badly many times, are on the amateurish side.
Concluding, worth seeing but not one of the essential productions of 'Macbeth'. 6/10