Critical Writing Task 2 RESPONSE TO THE FILM VERSION

How has the director represented certain aspects of the play? What have they chose to include or exclude, emphasise, explore and represent in their version?

Orson Welles 1948 adaptation of Macbeth brought the Shakespearean tragedy to screen, and in doing so, changed several elements of the original play. One such change was how Welles chose to depict the witches; he increased their significance by adding additional scenes, and explored different ways of portraying them. In Shakespeares original text, Macbeth is linked to the witches by the prophecy they give him, whereas in his adaptation, Welles has introduced voodoo dolls, connecting the witches to Macbeth in a much more tangible, literal way. In an added scene at the beginning of the film, the three witches can be seen making clay figurine that is clearly made to look like Macbeth, which is used to symbolise his rise and ruin. The witches in the film use voodoo rather than witchcraft and magic, which perhaps add a more sinister tone, illustrating how Macbeth really is a puppet or doll and how easily manipulated he is. Incidentally, whether intentional or not, the actor that portrays Macbeth physically resembles the witches; dark and brooding in appearance; making further connections between Macbeth and the three witches. Later in the film, we return to the voodoo doll again as it collapses in a heap, seemingly of its own volition, after Macbeth is beheaded. Welles also changes around some of the line in the original text; at the end of the film , viewing the drama from afar and uttering "Peace, the charm's wound up", as the final line of the film. The decision to move the line, which was originally in the first act of the play to the last thing the audience hears was fitting with Welles portrayal of witches, as he gave them more significance. Sexual innuendo, often present in Shakespeares text were shorn in the Porters speech. This may not have been a choice by the director for artistic reasons, but rather due to the censorship of the time. Several other changes were made by Welles to make the play more cinematic.