Macbeth (1960 Australian film)

Macbeth is a 1960 Australian TV film based on the play by William Shakespeare. It was directed by William Sterling.

Macbeth
Based on	play by William Shakespeare
Directed by	William Sterling
Music by	Robert Hughes
Country of origin	Australia
Original language	English
Production
Running time	90 minutes
Production company	ABC
Original release
Network	ABC
Release	7 September 1960 (1960-09-07) (Melbourne)[1]
Release	19 October 1960 (1960-10-19) (Sydney)
Release	19 August 1962 (1962-08-19) (Brisbane)[2]

The ABC would present another version of the play in 1965.

Cast

• Kenneth Goodlet as Macbeth
• Keith Eden as Macduff
• Christine Hill
• Douglas Kelly as Duncan
• Mark Kelly
• Rod Milgate as Malcolm
• Wynn Roberts as Banquo
• Dinah Shearing as Lady Macbeth

Production

The play was filmed in conjunction with The Life and Death of Richard II which was shot in Sydney. Macbeth had several months of planning and rehearsals. Nine sets were used. There was location filming at Beaconsfield and Cape Schank (for the witches scene).^[3] It was set in the eleventh century and was described as akin to Orson Welles' 1948 film production of the play.^[2]

Barry Creyton has a small role. "I literally carried a spear," he later said.^[4]

Reception

The Sydney Morning Herald wrote that the production as "visually efficient" but also "a dreadful warning of what can happen when a producer becomes frightened of a great text... a torrent of gabble and shouting. Some of the most concise dramatic poetry in all Shakespeare received treatment worthy of the race results."^[5]

The Age said it was an "inordinately successful presentation."^[6] In its year review of drama, that paper said it was one of the "outstanding" productions of the year.^[7]