VOODOO MACBETH is a narrative film (i.e., not a
documentary) about the Federal Theater Project production of
MACBETH in 1935 in its Negro Theater Unit, headed by Rose McClendon
and John Houseman. They got Orson Welles to direct, and this was
Welles's directorial debut. The production became famous, perhaps
the more so for having no record of it other than still
photographs, so a film about it is quite welcome.

Unfortunately, the film VOODOO MACBETH sacrifices historical
accuracy for dramatic effect. It adds a gay subplot, a corrupt
anti-Communist Congressman, a stabbing, and other flights of fancy.
(Then again, this is not unlike Welles's falsifying of reality in
his radio production of "The War of the Worlds". In fact, he had a
lifelong fascination with magic and other forms of deception.)

This means, though, that the viewer cannot know if there really was
an initial problem that the crew was too white, or whether Virginia
(Nicolson) Welles's role in the production is accurate. She is
portrayed as quite liberal about African Americans in the film, and
the idea for the Haitian setting to be hers. Yet in real life she
ended up living in apartheid South Africa and being quite
comfortable with that (according to her daughter). But given Orson
Welles's ego, it is certainly possible that he took credit for
ideas that were not quite his. I am also somewhat skeptical of the
extent of the casting difficulties--is it really true that all
Welles could find were totally inexperienced actors: a boxer, a
singer, an elevator operator, and so on?

There are also a lot of theater superstitions thrown in (no mention
of the "M" word outside of the script, no whistling in the theater,
etc.).

Released theatrically 21 October 2022. Rating: +1 (-4 to +4) or
6/10

Film Credits:
<https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9748424/reference>

What others are saying:
<https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/voodoo_macbeth>

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