How many times has was Shakespeare’s ‘The Tragedie of Macbeth’ adapted to screen? This is a question that even the most knowledgeable experts in the history of cinema will not be able to answer exactly. What is dully documented is the fact that there are dozens of versions, plus dozens of movie and television theater performances, plus variations and films inspired by the tragedy of the Scottish king. What prompted a renowned director like Joel Coen to bring back ‘The Tragedy of Macbeth‘ to screen in 2021? Maybe it’s about the ambition to compete with Orson Welles, Akira Kurosawa or Roman Polanski, three of the great directors who left us memorable film versions of the film? Could it be that the role of Lady Macbeth is entrusted to the great actress Frances McDormand who is also his wife and the producer of the film is another reason, important but somewhat extra-cinematic? Is it a coincidence that this is the first (!) film written and directed by Joel without the help of his brother?
It’s impossible to generate a spoiler when writing about a movie based on a play that most viewers studied in school, in which some of the lines are uttered by spectators together with the actors. In fact, Joel Coen‘s version is quite faithful to the Shakespearean text. The only significant shift is related to the age of the royal couple. In Coen’s film, the lead actors and characters are over 60 years old. The monarchical crisis specific to medieval kingdoms with no successors therefore exists from the first moment of Macbeth’s ascension to the throne. He knows this, but he obeys the forces of destiny. A prediction was made to him, and from the moment it seems to come true, the man will do everything to facilitate its fulfillment. It can be said that unlike many other interpretations of the tragedy, in Joel Coen‘s ‘Macbeth’ the woman who influences the man’s deeds is not Lady Macbeth, but the witch (multiplied by three).
What about this version of Macbeth? First of all, it is an exceptional combined achievement in terms of cinematography (Bruno Delbonnel) and sets (Nancy Haigh). Bold angles, spectacular effects, segmented lights, cold walls, Scottish fog enveloping crime and betrayal. We have the feeling that we are absorbed in a three-dimensional video game in which we are extras appearing in a huge theater in which Shakespeare’s tragedy is represented. Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand play the lead roles with clarity and dignity, and some of the supporting roles are memorable in both appearance and performance. And yet, I did not feel that I had learned anything new about Shakespeare, Macbeth, or myself in this film. The viewing experience was as if I had witnessed a good performance by the Royal Shakespeare Company. Of course, this is no little achievement, but it’s less than I expect from a good movie with a Coen in the directing credits.