Macbeth (1936)

From April to June of 1936, the New Lafayette Theater in New York played host to the most fabled production in the short history of the WPA's Federal Theater Project: an adaptation of 'Macbeth' featuring a so-called 'All-Negro Cast', and directed by 20 year old actor, world theater gadabout and professional child prodigy, Orson Welles. It was the beginning of a directorial career few dare dream of. From this, he would shortly, very shortly, go on to fame, infamy, fortune and dissipation (pretty much in that order) and become an inspiration to luckless prodigies of all ages.

This Movietone newsreel excerpt gives a brief yet stirring glimpse of the legendary production; one that, save for the unartful long shots from the back of the house, one might call (in the parlance of CriticSpeak) Wellesian.

Tom Sutpen

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• Orson
• Welles
• Macbeth
• WPA

[jjthbt]

Good God. I have several versions of Macbeth on screen. Never heard of that one. Which sounds real nice. Some more info about it? JJ

[Tasutpen]

Well, the production featured in this newsreel was solely for the stage. No film, other than this, was made of it.

Welles did, however, make a highly underrated film of The Scottish Play for Republic Pictures in 1948, which was very very different and more traditional (a word I'm using cautiously) than the 1936 WPA stage incantation.

[KawhackitaRag]

This is amazing! I wonder if Porter Grainger and/or Joe Jordan are in the orchestra pit! Thanks for this absolutely fantastic post! The acting is first-rate, the staging is amazing etc. etc. and of course the music is good. Thanks a lot for this historic document!!!

[jjthbt]

Hi, thanks for your comment. A pity a movie was not made. I'll have some regret. The three witches are still alive!!!. I have the Welles version and the McKellen's as well. An other Scottish Play would have been a treasure

[jjthbt]

Hi, Thanks for your answer. A pity a film was not made. It looks real frightning like real MacBeth. I have the Welles version, as well as the more recent one staring Ian McKellen and Judi Dench. I'll now have then some regrets, I think, like you.

[wylib]

Thank you for posting this. The quality and sound are very clear and I liked seeing the Movietone intro.

[Jboss12]

Wow if you think this macbeth trailer is good, go look at mine. Type Macbeth Trailer Eastlake.