MACBETH

Macbeth - The Regicide is an American literary film adaptation from 1948 based on William Shakespeare's drama Macbeth. The direction, screenplay and lead role were taken over by Orson Welles.

Welles cast himself in the title role and initially wanted to get Vivien Leigh to play Lady Macbeth, but the film budget did not allow for such an expensive actress. Other candidates included Tallulah Bankhead, Anne Baxter, Mercedes McCambridge and Agnes Moorehead. But all the actresses were either busy or declined. Ultimately, Welles hired a well-known theater actress, Jeanette Nolan, who made her film debut here. Welles and Nolan had worked together in radio a decade earlier. Welles also hired the Irishman Dan O'Herlihy in his American feature film debut and the former child star Roddy McDowall as Malcolm. The casting of Welles' daughter Christopher, who plays Macduff's son in her only film role, can be seen as a curiosity.