"ShakespeaRe-Told" Macbeth (2005)

Director:

Mark Brozel

Writers:

Peter Moffat (writer)
William Shakespeare (play)

TV Series:

"ShakespeaRe-Told" (2005)

Original Air Date:

14 November 2005 (Season 1, Episode 2)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Plot Keywords:

Chef | Bicycle | Suicide | Cell Phone | Knife

Awards:

1 win

Cast

James McAvoy	...	Joe Macbeth
Keeley Hawes	...	Ella
Joseph Millson	...	Billy Banquo
Vincent Regan	...	Duncan Docherty
Richard Armitage	...	Peter Macduff
Philip Whitchurch	...	Harry Gibby
Richard Ridings	...	Maurice
Ralph Ineson	...	Barry
Charles Abomeli	...	Andy
Toby Kebbell	...	Malcolm
Gregory Chisholm	...	Jonny Boy
Barry Ward	...	Roddy
Packy Lee	...	Heaney
Matthew Dunphy	...	Doyle
Clive Brunt	...	DCI Varley

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

UK:12 | Australia:M

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Trivia:

Billy's line "Just call him 'The Scottish Chef'" is a sly reference to the superstition in the theatre that it is bad luck to mention the title "Macbeth" - instead it is usually referred to euphemistically as "The Scottish Play".

Quotes:

[Malcolm unwittingly makes a faux pas by mentioning the name of TV chef Gordon Ramsay]
Joe Macbeth: If I make a mistake, it hurts me. Do you understand that? I mean, actual physical pain.
Malcolm: That's very 'Gordon Ramsay'.
[stunned silence]
Roddy Maloney: We don't use that name in this kitchen. Didn't your father tell you?
Billy: It's bad luck to say it out loud. Just call him 'The Scottish Chef'.

Movie Connections:

Version of Macbeth (1998) (TV)

Soundtrack:

The Auld Triangle

A respectful & respectable variation

The name Joe Macbeth was used before, in a 1955 version with a gangster setting. This new version seems also to tip its hand to the Orson Welles and Roman Polanski versions, by borrowing details. But plenty is new and interesting. Lady Macbeth gets a bit of a back story involving that baby whom Shakespeare mentions in a throwaway remark, and she has a literally luminous presence (compared to the rest of the lighting) that does not depend on her relationship to Macbeth. For Macbeth's part, a little extra motivation is inserted to replace the lust for the crown, since there's no crown to be had this time-- at least not one that any arguably sane person could imagine killing for. It may be a matter of opinion, but I think that all the kitchen business does manage to fill the gap in interest left by the omission of Shakespeare's language (though no one could compare a pig's head to "Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow"). What I did see as a flaw is that no great contrast emerges between Mr. and Mrs. Macbeth as the story advances after the first murder. They seem to break down pretty much in parallel, and he is the less interesting, even in his climactic comeuppance.