Joe MacBeth

I have always confounded this film with Russel Rouse's NEW YORK CONFIDENTIAL; I don't know why, maybe because plots are rather close and because I have always also confounded Paul Douglas - here - and Broderick Crawford - NEW YORK CONFIDENTIAL; both actors had more or less the same kind of face and played the same kind of characters too. So this explains that. This Ken Hughes' film is excellent, a gritty, violent crime movie, the rise and fall scheme concerning a ruthless and ambitious gangster and his moll. I would have never imagined Paul Douglas in such a role, and Ruth Roman is excellent in his gun moll role. Best film from Ken Hughes, besides CROMWELL.

Mobster Joe "Mac" MacBeth (Paul Douglas) kills the second in command for his boss "Duke" Duca. He marries Lily (Ruth Roman) who is anything but an angel. She keeps pushing him and pushing him to rise up in the organization. He is given a mansion and a new job. Fortune teller Rosie gives him his fortune.

This is inspired by William Shakespeare's MacBeth. I spent most of the movie trying to remember my high school Shakespeare. I remember the trees marching on his castle as part of the prophecy. Maybe the movie could do more with the prophecies. There are some delicious moments. I love our first scene with Lily. I would like her role to be younger. That would make the juxtaposition of her supposed innocent age and her ruthlessness more interesting. I love the food loving mobster. It's too bad that he gets killed so quickly. Maybe a switcheroo would be in order. All in all, I like the idea of a MacBeth gangster although it could be more Shakespearian in some ways.

In this British made crime thriller the makers attempt to apply pedigree with an updated version of Shakespeare's Macbeth but from the outset it becomes clear that this dog does not hunt. Working with a bare bones outline the the film for the most part relates in name only.

Joe Macbeth (Paul Douglas) is a respected strong arm man for "Kingpin" Lennie, more than happy with his situation. Wife Lily (Ruth Roman) is ambitious however and she begins to hector Joe about moving on up which would entail removing Lennie in a permanent sort of way. Joe vacillates but Lily remains steadfast.

The possibilities are plentiful with this modern day version of one of Shakespeares most accessible plays but more than likely due to budget and time the makers of the film never even attempts to elevate Bill's words; a bit galling given he's a hometown boy. Director Hughes is either too clueless or lazy to hone scenes into a decent hybrid. If we need further proof just look to his abysmal leads as mouthpieces. Bombastic likable lug Douglas is too soft from the outset and his descent into paranoia shrill. Roman's Lady M shows some early promise as she slaps Joe into line on her wedding day for running late from a whack but director Hughes doesn't seem to want to trust her with more than a sentence or two at a time and Roman who has the look and cynicism in her voice never gets a chance to deliver the memorable lines of as good a female character you would find in all of drama.

Mac does have an imaginative moment or two with a flower hag representing the three witches and a smug butler making short work of the gatekeeper scene to go along with a cold offing of the "Kingpin" as well as Ms. Macbeth's exit but overall given the original material and its author this film is not only bad it insults English Literature along the way.

A tightly plotted noir based on one of the most tightly plotted of all of Shakespeare's plays. Joe MacBeth is a hit man for the mob, mean and ruthless and not only good at what he does--very good--but also perfectly content with where his skills have taken him; his ambitious young wife is the voice in his ear, urging him to claw his way higher, all the way to the top if possible, and by any means necessary--including murder. Paul Douglas is a big, intimidating bear of a man, all business all the time; a young Ruth Roman--gorgeous, interesting as always, and costumed in a whole slew of eye-catching gowns--is his won't-take-no-for-an-answer bride. Great performances all around, including from as impressive a gaggle of tough guy types as the movies have ever seen. A "Godfather" for its time, pared down, amped up, and without all the bells and whistles--that still works today. One of the best gangster films ever made. See it.

What better setting for Macbeth than a bunch of gangsters? Joe Macbeth stars Paul Douglas and Ruth Roman as Joe and Lily Macbeth, directed by 22-year-old Ken Hughes in this 1955 British production.

This bunch is pretty ruthless - it begins with Joe late for his wedding to Lily because someone took too long to die. Lily is ambitious for Joe to move up in the gangster organization.

With this crowd, there is generally only one way to do that, and though Joe moves up, it's not high enough or fast enough for Lily. Ruth Roman does a dood job as the tough and glamorous Lily. Paul Douglas, usually such a nice guy, plays a mean gangster here, but soft enough that Lily can push him.

This follows the Bard's story pretty well - there's even a dinner where Joe freaks out because he sees a murder victim sitting in a chair.

Fellow gangsters include Bonar Colleano, Sidney James, Gregoire Asian, Harry Green, and Bill Nagy, among others.