Roman Polanski created the Macbeth (1971) movie production. It combines Shakespearean tragedy and film noir cinema to create an exciting, rich, and dynamic combination. “Classic noir” is defined as “pessimismsmsm, despair, paranoia and bleakness that are readily evident shot by Conard in gloomy blacks, whites and grays, it thematically demonstrated the dark, inhumane side to human nature” (2006). Film noir means black film. This literally refers to the dark, corrupt, evil, paranoia or mental disorder that is associated with film noir. Film noir “echoes moral corruption in motion picture industry” (Gazetas, 2008). In the very first scenes, we are exposed to the dark side of morality and corruption. The Thane at Cawdor’s treachery and coup d’etat against the ruling government leads to King Duncan’s and Macbeth’s involvement in the battle. The herald grants Macbeth the title of Thane Of Cawdor and tells him of the fate of the former Thane. This statement is bad news for Macbeth. While the rebellion was defeated, Macbeth still harbors another. The Weird Sisters predict that Macbeth will be promoted as Thane of Cawdor to King of Scotland. Banquo’s fears are well-founded as the witches’ prophecy to “enkindle him (to the crown)” is fulfilled. Each film noir movie depicts shadowy characters driven lust, greed, or psychotic reasons to lie. It is obvious that the Macbeth duo are determined to take over Duncan’s throne. Macbeth is disappointed by Duncan’s announcement of the Prince-apparent, but he is determined for the kingship using all available means. He refers to the Prince of Cumberland, “a step upon which I must drop or otherwise o’erleap” and demonstrates Macbeth’s resolve to find any means to reach his goals like Machiavelli. Lady Macbeth has ambitions that surpass Macbeth’s. She is the active catalyst for Duncan’s assassination. She greets Macbeth with the words “Great Glamis Worthy Cawdor”, a declaration of her ambition. This reflects her longing for greatness. Even after Macbeths are crowned kings, insecurity as well ambition drives them to kill Duncan’s comrades and Banquo. Macbeth is a despot who holds a heavy influence over Scotland, manifesting deep darkness and moral corruption. The film noir genre is characterized by a dark and gloomy atmosphere. Directors of film noir often use the motifs of moral darkness and literal, bodily darkness to impress their audience. “The dark, sleazy setting also suggests hidden and malignent forces lurking behind the shadows, stalking their prey,” Gazetas (2008). Assassins hired by Banquo to kill him observe that “t’is day and yet darkness strangles the traveling lamps.” Banquo is also aware that the dark night is when evil agents are active. This is why the Banquo’s paid assassins blend moral darkness with physical darkness. Banquo doesn’t know that his murder will be under the shadow of darkness. Lady Macbeth invokes darkness to kill him. Macbeth, in a dramatic soliloquy prior to Duncan’s murder, tells the night’s star “hide(their) flames.” Macbeth visits the caves of the witches and is again struck by the theme of darkness. He shouts at the witches, “secret, black midnight hags” in an rage. This saying is ironic because moral depravity as well as darkness go hand-in-hand. Toxic acts can have serious repercussions. In the end, the Macbeths become disorganized and begin to develop mental disease. “Film noir imagines a world in which political disintegration is accompanied by paranoia that indicates a continual disintegration.” (Gazetas 2008). Paranoia is caused by troubled thoughts and sleeplessness. Both Lady Macbeth as well as Macbeth are suffering from sleep disorders due to their mental and emotional burdens. Because their tormented souls don’t feel at peace, they are unable to relax and go into a state of unconsciousness to recharge their minds and bodies. Film noir shows the dark, hallucinatory world of criminals” (Gazetas 2008). Macbeth, who witnessed Duncan’s death, reported hearing a voice tell him that Macbeth had murdered his queen. He became an insomniac after the assassination and can no longer sleep. Lady Macbeth also suffers from insomnia, having been a mastermind, consort and accomplice in numerous murders. Her doctor describes her condition as “troubled in fancies which keep her from falling asleep.” However, Lady Macbeth has somnambulism. Her mind becomes irritable and begins to walk around in a bizarre sleepwalking scene. She rambles, sharing past secrets and having conniving talks with Macbeth that support her suspicions. Macbeth questions her doctor about Lady Macbeth’s increasing hallucinations and somnambulism. Do you wish to sever a root of sorrow? The written troubles of your brain?” These questions show Macbeth’s extreme mental suffering, anxiety, and traumas. Macbeth cries out for his freedom. Macbeth suffers from paranoia. He also experiences nightmares. Macbeth complains about “the terrible dreams which shake us nightly.” The film shows Macbeth dreaming that Banquo’s son Fleance suffocates Macbeth while he is asleep. Fleance places the crown on Macbeth’s head after he is dead. This nightmare describes Macbeth’s fears and insecurity at being enthroned as Scotland’s monarch. As if nightmares, wakeful sleep, and terror weren’t enough for Macbeths, fearful visits from a supernatural realm add to their terror. Macbeth also suffers from paranoia due to apparitions. Macbeth is the only one who can see objects and people that are not real. Macbeth was able to see a dagger with blood on it before Duncan’s assassination. However, when he tried to grab the dagger his hands went through the object. Macbeth, who has just killed Banquo and made a toast to his memory, sees Banquo, a gory-faced man with numerous gashes. King Macbeth, who is haunted by Banquo’s ghost, becomes a delusional, howling babe. Banquo’s ghost is not visible to anyone else at the table. These psychological tortures are undoubtedly a draining experience that makes life seem less worth living and gives rise to a negative outlook. Film noir cinema is filled with darkness, melancholy characters and depressing statements. “Film noir’s fundamentality is night-time: it seeks the truth behind the visible […]. That knowledge is a kind and nothingness, negativeness, death itself” Harris 6 Macbeth first observes that the day is a “foul”. Indeed, it begins with dark, rainy weather and downpours of rain. Thunderstorms and rain are interwoven throughout the film. The characters’ feelings of despair and sadness are reflected in the foul weather. Characters are often dressed in dark, funereal, pensive colours. Macbeth is sinking deeper into moral decadence as he looks back on his life and considers the future. He has only dark thoughts in his head and life is a meaningless march through time. Lady Macbeth commits suicide after succumbing to pessimism, nihilism, and despair. Lady Macbeth’s death leaves a sad and depressed Macbeth who claims that he “lived long enough”. (Harris 9, 9). Macbeth concludes the film by saying, “Life’s but a shadow […], that is told by an idiot […] and meaning nothing.” Malcolm, the newly reigning king, begins to travel and hears the chants being made by witches at a cave’s entrance. He is intrigued and enters the cave. Polanski uses this incident as a way to show the vicious circle of evil and its lack of hope for redemption. Macbeth’s assertion that “nothing can be but what cannot” sums up Nihilism. John Murphy, a critic, agrees that Macbeth is “bleak and almost overtly Nihilistic” (Murphy). Film noir’s Macbeth is filled with violence, cruelty as well as blood and death as its main themes and motifs. “Film noir becomes a cinema filled with cruelty” (Conley, 1987). In this world, all human value are “seriously challenged” (Gazetas 08). The Weird Sisters are seen in an eerie scene. They dig up a body of a deceased man and place it in the sand. They sprinkle blood on the unusual grave. These objects do not represent innocence, but foreshadow future events like violence, bloodsheds, executions, and murder. Lady Macbeth is the center of violent actions to accomplish their evil ends. Macbeth’s thirst for power and desire to consolidate it is proportional. He becomes increasingly ruthless. Macbeth plots his murder of Fleance and Banquo, his friend. Macduff is attacked by Macbeth, a political dissident. Macbeth then assails Macduff’s castle and kills all his occupants. This includes Macduff’s wife, children, and servants. Scotland is often portrayed as someone subjected to cruelty violence. Lady Macbeth is reported to “weep, bleed, and each new morning a gash has been added to her wounds.” Every new morn, each new widow howls, and each new orphans cry is a sign of Lady Macbeth’s determination to be cruel. She made incantation for the evil spirits to assist her with Duncan’s regicide. She wants them to “unsex(her) and make (her) a full-fledged victim of the most cruel and horrible acts of cruelty.” Because she recognizes that violence can’t be stopped by her humanity and femininity, she is determined to have her humanity and femininity dehumanized. The film continues to show violence, cruelty and death through their metaphorical representations. The dagger, blood, and blood are all metaphors for violence, cruelty, death and destruction in Macbeth. The dagger, which is an instrument of torture and death, appears whenever death nears. Blood signals death and blood signal bloodshed. The Weird Sisters in the movie’s beginning bury a man with a dagger gripped in its hand. They then sprinkle blood on the ground after they have interred the dagger and hand. The movie’s motifs are presented right from the start. This portent foretells the many murders that will occur. Macbeth sees a dagger that is bloodied just before the execution of King Duncan’s murder. Malcolm, one Duncan’s children, becomes suspicious of King Duncan and points a knife at his chest. Macbeth frequently depicts blood as a symbol of violence, cruelty, or death. Banquo’s criminals are preparing to execute the unforgivable deed at dusk. It is obvious that the sky and horizon have a blood-red hue. Macbeth’s last witch invitation, an apparition asks him to “bebloody, bold and determined.” Works Cited by David Bevington. All of William Shakespeare’s plays, poetry, and other writings. Fifth Edition. Pearson Education Inc. released their findings in 2004. 1255-92. Brennan, Sandra. “Roman Polanski.”
Conley, Tom. Theatre Journal 39.3 (1987), 347-363. Conard T., Ed. The philosophy behind film noir. The University Press of Kentucky published the book in 2006. Cummings, Michael. “Macbeth: A Study Guide.” http://www.cummingsstudyguides.net/xMacbeth.html Dirks is Tim. “Film Noir.”
Gazetas, Aristides. An introduction to World Cinema. Harris (2008) published an article through Mc Farland and Company, Inc. Publishers. Cinema Journal, Vol. 43, No. In the autumn of 2003, the journal was published in issues 3 and 4. Kipp, Jeremiah. “Macbeth.”
Murphy, John. “Macbeth (1971)”
