Macbeth (1948)

Orson Welles’s “Macbeth”

Thematic Elements: 

Orson Welles’s filmography has a running theme about the quests for power and the people who attain that power. Macbeth is a continuation of that theme. In Macbeth, Orson is suggesting that this seething quest and lust for power is a natural occurrence of the mind. A sickening, bubbling desire ascending from the Earth, the mud, and the dirt making its way into our natural reality. This is evident in one the opening shots of the film in which witches pull an effigy of Macbeth covered in clay and mud out of a grimy cauldron to give the impression of something dark and primal. The minimalist production design and the foggy expressionistic haze of reality presents to the audience a dreamlike state, never allowing us to know what is external and what is internal. The notion that we are seeing the subjective reality of Macbeth leaves one with the feeling that Macbeth’s descent into madness and lust for power is a symptom of the mind, a symptom that is dark and natural and always bubbling and seething. 

Camerawork: 

Many parts resemble expressionist horror. This gives the impression that we are trapped in the dark and horrible mind of Macbeth. 

He uses exaggerated camera angles and cuts to take us deeper into the mind of Macbeth as his unstoppable ambition begins to slip into madness. As we alternate between spoken dialogue and narration, it seems that the lines between objective reality and Macbeth’s internal reality become blurred.

Best Shot: 

The best shot in the film illustrates this surreal and expressionist horror element. The physical constructs of the castle surrounding Macbeth almost seem to be otherworldly. The fog and darkness plays into the dreamlike quality, giving the impression of subjective reality. Macbeth is building his world around him, a fortress of power and darkness that he traps himself in.