A script was found for the film "Macbeth", which Laurence Olivier (1907-1989) planned to film, but he could not realize the idea because he failed to secure financial resources, writes the London Guardian.
"You should use any imaginary fighting trick that doesn't look ridiculous"
The film was supposed to be the fourth screen adaptation of Shakespeare's plays by this celebrated British actor and director, who had previously successfully adapted "Henry V" (1944), "Hamlet" (1948) and "Richard III" (1955) for the film. )
When, at the end of 1950, Laurence Olivier gave up the idea of filming "Macbeth" due to lack of money, he made sure that this unrealized project was shrouded in secrecy.
For a long time it was assumed that the script of "Macbeth" was not preserved, but it was found in 13 versions in the archive of the famous actor and director by one of his relatives who sold it to the British Library for a million pounds.
Jennifer Barnes, professor of English literature at the University of Exeter, commented on the found writings.
As it turned out, Laurence Olivier and his second wife Vivian Leigh planned that in addition to the roles of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, two of the three witches would also appear in the film.
By the way, Olivier omitted a part of Shakespeare's text from the script, and imagined the main character as a much more determined one who would not utter that famous line before killing King Duncan; "What do I see in front of me? The drawn sword is facing me!”
In the opinion of Professor Barnes, interest in Macbeth could also be linked to disturbed marital relations
In all likelihood, Olivier was preparing to make a film that would be accepted by a wide audience. In the recording book, he placed a special emphasis on the final battle of the protagonist. He wrote in his own hand on the margin of the script:
"You should use any imaginary fighting trick that doesn't come across as ridiculous."
In addition, it was planned that both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth would occasionally be transformed into witches, and in one of the episodes of the film, Macbeth's head was supposed to disintegrate into the caves of those same witches.
Sir Laurence Olivier came up with the idea of a screen adaptation of Macbeth after the successful 1955 season in which the tragedy was staged in Shakespeare's hometown of Stratford on Avon, in which he played the title role, while Vivian Leigh played Lady Macbeth.
In the opinion of Professor Barnes, the interest in Macbeth could be linked to the disturbed marital relations between Olivier and Vivian Leigh in the late 1960s, which led to their divorce in XNUMX.
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