Lady Macbeth
02/09/17 Filed in: Amazon Prime
After this week's chilling film at the cinema, Detroit, this was another chilling experience but for entirely different reasons. Ostensibly a period drama, set in rural Northumberland, it begins with a marriage. Katherine, played quite marvellously by Florence Pugh, has literally been sold to a wealthy merchant, Alexander Lester. And she is treated like merchandise, being forbidden to leave the house and suffering humiliation in the bedroom, where her husband demands to look at her naked but has no desire for physical contact. Alexander's father, Boris, is no less unsavoury than his son, and is constantly berating Katherine for not giving Alexander a son, somewhat difficult as they never participate in sexual intercourse.
This suffocating existence continues until both Boris and Alexander are simultaneously called away on business, leaving Katherine with unprecedented freedom, allowing her to take walks out onto the moors. One day she investigates a fracas in an outhouse where a group of male workers are mistreating one of the female staff. There she has an encounter with Sebastian, a bold individual who literally lifts her off the ground. This excites her, and she contrives to meet him in the grounds. It isn't long before a tempestuous sexual relationship ensues, with Katherine releasing all her pent up emotions.
Boris, the father, is the first to return to the house, and he is made aware of the relationship, which doesn't turn out well for Sebastian, despite Katherine's attempts to intervene. But she has a plan, a lethal plan, and it isn't long before Sebastian and her are back in bed, with her swearing undying love for him. But then Alexander returns unexpectedly, causing Sebastian to have to vacate the bed for a cupboard. Alexander is also aware of what's been going on, and his already sadistic verbal abuse of Katherine steps up a few notches, as he calls her out as a whore and insists that she mends her ways. Katherine's reaction is unexpected, and quite shocking, but what it leads to is even more shocking.
To expand the plot any further would be to ruin the film for you, but it just gets darker and darker, culminating in an act of supreme evilness, followed by a betrayal that is quite breathtaking.
Florence Pugh was 19 when she starting filming and her maturity in this film belies her age. The film itself is unusual in there being no soundtrack as such, just the noises of the old house and the people, background sound effects being limited to a few highly charged moments when it adds to the already charged atmosphere. And Katherine's blue dress is a beacon, and a statement, in what is an otherwise very dour and depressing setting.
To expand the plot any further would be to ruin the film for you, but it just gets darker and darker, culminating in an act of supreme evilness, followed by a betrayal that is quite breathtaking.
Florence Pugh was 19 when she starting filming and her maturity in this film belies her age. The film itself is unusual in there being no soundtrack as such, just the noises of the old house and the people, background sound effects being limited to a few highly charged moments when it adds to the already charged atmosphere. And Katherine's blue dress is a beacon, and a statement, in what is an otherwise very dour and depressing setting.