To Obtain Power, a Lord and Lady Take Drastic Steps

Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand
in "The Tragedy of Macbeth"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

Throughout the Coen brothers’ career, they’ve given us some superb Westerns with “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs,” “True Grit,” and No Country for Old Men,” as well as dark comedies like “Inside Llewyn Davis,” “A Serious Man,” and “Fargo.”  No matter what, all of their stories are ingrained in a sense of Americana that presents these communities they depict in ways that can be grim, thrilling, funny, or a little bit of everything.

The Coen brothers’ movies have all taken place in America, and given how much of a part their filmography plays in American culture, they’re some of the last people that you would expect to helm a Shakespeare adaptation.  However, it’s happened, and without surprise, it works.  But, for “The Tragedy of Macbeth,” only Joel is involved, with this being the first movie to be directed by a Coen brother and not have the other one involved in any way.  This movie is proof that, although the Coen brothers are known for making magic when together, that talent can still transition to solo outings.

When Scottish Lord Macbeth (Denzel Washington) is told by three witches (Kathryn Hunter) that he’ll become the next king, his wife, Lady Macbeth (Frances McDormand), will convince him to do whatever’s necessary to ascend to the throne.

Washington has several theater credits under his belt, including productions of Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar,” “Richard III,” and “Coriolanus.”  He calls upon these experiences and uses that past power in his performance.  Washington carries a regality that takes up the screen, commanding the movie at every turn as he finds a fine balance between movie acting and theatricality.  As disastrous events unfold over the course of the film, Washington provides stunning work as Macbeth’s sense of power falls away little by little and he’s overcome with regret for the actions that he takes.  Washington has always had a grandness to his film performances that makes each of them become a stunning, mesmerizing force, and his work here couldn’t be a more perfect match for this decades-long cinematic tradition. 

McDormand, who played Lady Macbeth at the Berkeley Repertory Theater in 2016, is a chilling and intimidating presence as someone who will do anything to get within reach of a higher status.  She carries the ruthlessness that has been a staple of this unforgettable character, displaying the persona that’s as stone-hard as the castle walls around her.  Through this, McDormand shows Lady Macbeth’s unstoppable nature of a person whose moral compass has been overshadowed by her desires.  However, just like Washington, McDormand soon exhibits her character’s mental breakdown as her character realizes the magnitude of the irreversible act that she has encouraged.  As she psychologically unravels, McDormand shows how unhinged Lady Macbeth has become, being absent from reality and unable to handle what she’s done. 

Hunter, who has an extensive background in Shakespeare productions, as well as theater in general, provides a creepy and fascinating performance as the three witches.  With a crone-like voice and unsettling physical movements, she exudes the mysticism that the witches hold as this trio of characters deals with dark magic to foretell the troubling events of the film.  With that, it’s a performance that helps absorb you in the movie’s foreboding nature as you go from one tragic event to the next.

The screenplay by Coen sticks to the pure Shakespearean dialogue, keeping the essence of the play as the bard’s classic words flow from the cast.  It follows the story as we’ve come to know it, having the source material’s unforgettable scenes take place in their fullness as the arcs of the characters unfold in the dramatic scale that they require.

The cinematography by Bruno Delbonnel, who worked with the Coen brothers on “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs,” “Inside Llewyn Davis,” and their segment of “Paris, je t’aime,” offers gorgeous black and white camerawork that compliments the cold, expansive emptiness within the stone setting of Macbeth’s castle.  The way in which certain settings are framed sometimes gives the movie an appropriate stagey look (particularly in some of the exterior scenes) that compliments the long, long history of Shakespeare’s plays being presented in theaters to countless audiences.  Aside from that, the use of light and shadows is used in such a unique and gorgeous way that allows this to be an adaptation that has a visual individuality from others that have come before.

This movie is unlike anything either of the Coen brothers has done.  The way in which Joel Coen tackles Shakespeare’s play offers filmgoers a rich, new vision that blends without flaw with the immortality of the play, presenting another creative and bold chapter in Coen’s indelible career.  An innovative adaptation for any of Shakespeare’s work is always welcome, especially when it’s from someone as talented, and in this case, unexpected, as a Coen brother.

Grade: A