Gritty but beautiful

Polanski's Macbeth abandons the usual conceits of film adaptations of the Bard's work and goes for a gritty and realistic depiction of medieval Scotland. Jon Finch is capable but a little too civilised as Mac, Francesca Annis is beautiful but average as his scheming wife. The biggest star is the production design and the cinematography, brilliantly capturing the rugged Scottish setting. Unlike some adaptations the film isn't afraid to give the text breathing room, to fully appreciate its dark brilliance. Too many film versions whizz through the plays as if apologising for the 'difficulty' of the language.